Kongens Nei
Directed by:
Erik PoppeCinematography:
John Christian RosenlundComposer:
Johan SöderqvistCast:
Jesper Christensen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Karl Markovics, Tuva Novotny, Arthur Hakalahti, Andreas Lust, Katharina Schüttler, Ketil Høegh (more)Plots(1)
Norwegian wartime drama directed by Erik Poppe. When German ships appear in Norwegian waters in April 1940, King Haakon VII (Jesper Christensen) faces some tough choices as he attempts to maintain Norwegian neutrality in WWII. Although German officer Kurt Brauer (Karl Markovics) claims his troops are only there to protect the vulnerable Norwegians from the British, it soon becomes apparent that the Nazis want to seize control of Norway's valuable assets and occupy the country. With the lives of his people hanging in the balance, King Haakon must decide whether to agree to the Germans' demands or fight for his country's freedom. (Thunderbird Releasing)
(more)Reviews (2)
The Norwegians probably won’t get any better at their not-so-epic epic films. It’s all shot very precisely, historically accurate, but it’s always lacking some deep emotions. Everything in this movie is so cold and distant that it’s hard to find a character that would stand out. However, in this case, I must admit that Karl Markovics takes the cake in terms of acting. It’s just a shame that he’s been on the other side of the barricade, which was to be expected since his native tongue is German. It was an interesting movie, even though it was unnecessarily dragged out at certain points. However, it was still shot with that high Scandinavian quality.
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The Norwegians made me happy again by shooting a war film with hardly any war in it, which I enjoyed all the same. The film doesn't offer any captivating action scenes, but it still managed to create suspense (even despite the fact that I knew how it would all turn out). The dilemma facing the king is not described in a complicated and lengthy way, but rather gradually revealed in conversations with his son and the German ambassador. By the way, Karl Markovics was great in the role of the ambassador. If you think you’d appreciate a war film with more of a political perspective, go for it.
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