The other day I went to see Land of Mine the media preview movie for the Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival. I’m not mad keen on war movies so I wasn’t sure about this one but armed with a chocolate bomb I was prepared for the worst.
I’m so pleased I went. Land of Mine is a movie that’s going to stay with me for a very long time and no wonder given the many awards it’s won. The movie is set in Denmark, May 1945 after Nazi Germany has surrendered. A group of 14 young teenage German prisoners are tasked with staying behind to clear the beach of all the mines the Germans had planted.
Under the uncompromising eye of Danish sergeant, Rasmussen (Roland Møller) the boys learn how to detect and deactivate the mines, before being shut up in a dormitory over night so they can’t escape. Day after day we watch them inch their way across the sand. When the unthinkable happens, more than once, Rasmussen begins to question his actions.
It’s impossible to take your eyes off the action for a moment, as you watch the young men fight against all their natural instincts. The images are made even more powerful knowing that the movie is based on a true story of young men clearing around one million mines.
The acting is absolutely superb. While Moller plays both good and bad cop convincingly, the boys were equally believable. When the film ended the majority of the audience sat in their seats, numb from the story they’d just seen. Don’t worry if you’re squeamish the action is cleverly filmed, think Hitchcock suspense rather than Tarantino bloodshed.
Make sure you get to see this one. I’m betting it will be the People’s Choice movie and may appear in some cinemas after the festival ends.
The festival runs from July 21 to August 3 at Luna Palace Cinemas.
