Revenge
Hevn (original title)
1h 40min | Drama, Thriller | 11 September 2018 (USA)
Synopsis: Traveling under a false identity, Rebekka sets out on a mission to confront Morten Holand whom she shares a dark secret surrounding the death of her sister. As her plan falls apart, Rebekka is forced to face the devastating consequences of her actions and must decide how far she is willing to go to seek revenge.
Now playing in select theaters. Norwegian with English Subtitles
Review: The new Norwegian thriller REVENGE is a slow burn but flares up nicely in the end. If you are looking for a decent foreign drama that you don’t have to invest a lot of emotion and brain power in then this would be an option.
The premise is solid and the film doesn’t take long to draw you in. There is not a lot of set up and much of what you need to know is told in flashbacks or narratives from the main character, Rebekka (Siren Jorgensen). She is pretending to be a writer for a travel magazine doing a piece on a local hotel owner named Morten (Frode Winther). To his friends and family Morten is the man about town and well respected. Rebekka blames him for her sister’s death and wants only to bring him down.
That is a good foundation for a script and for the most part it holds up. Just not completely. I am not sure who to blame for the plot holes and odd story arcs. It is either the writing or the editing or both. There are a few moments in which large gaps seem to be missing. Characters tend to go to bed one way and wake up completely different. It doesn’t ruin the film but will take you out of the moment when it happens.
Enough of the negative, let’s talk about what does work in REVENGE. The cinematography is fantastic. There are breathtaking shots of the quiet, serene landscape and expansive glaciers of the mountainsides. You can almost feel the clean crisp air. Also the acting of Jorgensen and the other cast members is a saving grace. Everyone moves comfortably and organically in the film. Even in the moments when they are delivering thin dialogue they do it with conviction.
REVENGE is unrated but made for adults. There are dark themes, language, and sexual dialogue and actions that would be inappropriate for young viewers. It is not perverse nor is there anything that would shock mature theater goers; just leave the kids behind. I give it 2 out of 5 text messages. I was entertained just not blown away.
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