Krigsseileren

Structured like a sweeping epic, Krigsseileren tells about the efforts of Norwegian commercial sailors in the Atlantic theatre during WWII. Two of Norwegian cinema's best actors over the past 10 to 20 years, Kristoffer Joner and Pål Sverre Hagen, play Alfred and Sigbjørn, two friends and conflicting personalities who deal with the pressures of the war operations and their ensuing effects on their personal lives after the war in each their own way. Left behind in Norway are Alfred's wife and children - and a whole nation with a lacking understanding of the war sailors' efforts and experiences. Writer/director Gunnar Vikene (Himmelfall) clearly has made it his personal agenda to tell the story of this oft-forgotten group of people, and although such passionate drive sometimes leads to indulgence, the film's strong sense of humanity and compassion elevates it and carries it through even in parts where the narrative staggers. A combination of authenticity, technical brilliance, and a clear artistic framework makes this into an all-encompassing viewing experience. That's Joner's own daughter Téa Grønner Joner playing his character's oldest child after the war.

I'm partial to films based on historic events and facts. The dramatizations give us a glimpse into how those events affected individual lives, lending a better understanding of the past and the present.

The high quality production values of this series include a delicately understated script (always a favorite), compelling performances, and sensitive direction. The friendship between the two main characters struggling to follow their better angels is a haunting backdrop to the horrors of war.

The heartbreaking denouement is a reminder of the persistent scars and lifelong consequences for veterans and the society at large. The film is not an indictment of war, but rather the aggressor.

I like Norwegian productions because they are in their way innovative and do not tend to copy what others do. Usually they have a pretty high standard, like this one.

The special effects, the story, the acting, the historical reconstructions, all are very good. The movie is emotional, it speaks about the second world war, but is never political. Just a story of heroes and war, stuff that happen before, during, and after the war.

It doesn't try to be polite, or push propaganda, it tells what could really happen when you are a sailor, part of the biggest fleet of ships, away from you family, trying to survive and hence come home. It speaks about values, future, and what really matters. In one word: intense.

How is it that the recognised luminaries in Hollywood can't do delivery like this anymore ? War and its brutality in full technicolour. Very reminiscent of Das Boot ( and feel deliberately so ), warts and all. I think the main thrust of the production is to highlight the lack of recognition most of these merchant seamen went through to keep the allies ahead of the fascists. More so, the country itself, whilst under occupation. The scene with young Aksel is particularly poignant and makes its point very succinctly. At times the pace is slow, but don't let that put you off, as overall it's particularly well done.

A superb war movie!

What a pleasant surprise this film turned out to be. The cinematography, editing, effects and music are all top notch and help tell a story about some great characters. I feared it would be a Michael Bay-ish, bombastic, humorless action fest. It's not.

This is a somber film about the horrors of war, both for the men and their families back home. Joner and Hagen both give superb performances, but the strong supporting actors are the real surprise.

I spoke to a war historian after the screening, who also loved the film, and his biggest complaint was the lack of hair cuts and one piece of clothing in one scene. I'd say that is pretty good.

This is a human story, so the language barrier shouldn't be a problem. I urge you to check it out if you're interested in war history or human dramas in general. Also, the fact that they made this on what is a shoestring budget in Hollywood, is impressive!

No wonder this is Norway's candidate for best Foreign Language Film at next year's Academy Awards. It's a tough one to beat. Two thumbs way up!