Fri os fra det onde

If you wanna compare this movie with another movie, you could compare it with the classic "Straw Dogs" (Dustin Hoffman, Directed by Sam Peckinpah)! And it plays in that League, because it is really good, acting-wise and story-wise!

Having said that, of course if you don't know what to expect, you might be disappointed, as can be seen, by another reviewer on this site. Of course he is just warning other people, that might have the same problem he had, just don't let that cloud you own judgement and if you can go and watch this little dark thriller, with more humanity than quite a few other movies with similar stories.

There is a tragic accident in rural Denmark. Accidents, being accidents, can't be predicted and neither can their consequences. Things escalate, but the question is how far, and why, who'll back down first, and why? At the start of the film the narrator hands out some basic background info about the major characters, so you think you understand them and you probably do to some extent, but stereotypes are a major motif here... As one character says "N***er is just a word we use for anyone who's different. They're people too". Does it matter that there's no black people in the film? Well... A bit of racial prejudice, a bit of class prejudice, some personal grudges, basically plenty of reasons for people to see the worst in each other and excuse whatever they do when caught up in a crowd. Including YOUR reasons - you're maybe an urban liberal judging these provincial types, or a refugee judging those who supposedly welcomed you, or someone who didn't get a lucky break in life judging middle class smart-arses. Scapegoats are always handy, like an excuse for a party. An excellent film, shocking and moving but with delicate and humorous moments, somehow the most poignant and supposedly banal touches seem surreal in the context of general nastiness. And no, provincial Denmark isn't really like this, it's just a film. (Having said that, sometimes I've been the only white person on a bus in London and nobody's even noticed me, but as a dark-haired stranger in the Danish countryside I've been severely stared at on buses). Anyway I digress - stop reading these reviews and watch the film. Now!

The newest Ole Bornedal film is a continued exploration of styles, themes and content not normally associated with Danish cinema. Following the awesome meta-film noir 'Just Another Love Story' and the great children's horror/sci-fi 'The Substitute', 'Deliver Us from Evil' is like no Scandinavian film you've ever seen before. Not to say that this is a wholly original work of art, it's not, however, the combination of all the elements makes it unique as a Danish movie.

In the story, not too dissimilar to Straw dogs, we're in hillbilly territory, where one man tries to do the right thing and has to defend himself and his family against outsiders. Everyone accept the main family acts extremely over the top in a wonderful dramatic way but still strangely rooted in Danish society. You are in disbelief but still you feel that these obnoxious, unpleasant characters could be quite real.

The cinematography by Danish legend Dan Lausten is nothing short of brilliant and all actors shine, even though most of them are cast against type or comes from different backgrounds than movies. 'Deliver Us from Evil' is so well made on all accounts that it can only be described as a Danish masterpiece. It wouldn't necessarily be a masterpiece had it been made in the US, but perfecting the western genre, flirting with horror, making social comments, all grounded in a Danish setting with thrills and kills, this is as good as it's going to get. And Ole Bornedal, once the great talent, has through recent years, enriched Danish film more than anyone, except maybe Von Trier.

The only good thing about this movie was the acting from Jens Andersen which was excellent. Else this movie was just total nonsense. Exaggerated in every sense and during the entire movie I was thinking what the hell is this. It tries to describe the life of people in the suburb and trying to make it interesting, pointless exaggerated violence is created.

For this movie Ole Bornedal really failed.

the acting from Aqua Lene was also okay.

Lasse Rimmer is bad casted for this movie. He is to nice guy material and gives his part a science fiction feeling

the piece who defines the movie is the profound humanity. that fact explains its status of dark sketch. because, more important than story is the admirable acting. a film who seems be a trip in middle of instincts, pain and broken masks, it is, in fact, touching exercise of self definition.the image, the script, the performances are real good. film about sin in its deep dimension, it is religious out of the ordinaries rules of genre. because it is not exactly about the faith but about the sense.because the image is the lead character. a film like a parable. cold, honest, impressing. a special story about the choices and their price. it is not a bad idea to see it. maybe, for discover the world. maybe, yourself. in a different light.