![]() It’s certainly better than ‘The Salesman’, the film that won the Oscar instead.Despite having an inherently fascinating subject, Land of Mine, Denmark’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Oscars, plays more like a dry history lesson instead of a movie. Zandvliet achieves a perfect balance between character, tension and meaning. ![]() ‘Land Of Mine’ may sound like a risky proposition, but it’s an ultimately rewarding one. There’s a clear anti-war message here which will linger long after the credits roll. Zandvliet makes smart choices here in his direction, emphasising the humanity rather than the inhumanity. A character disappearing altogether after a mine explodes is far more distressing than an injured one. He’s more interested in the after-effects, rather than the immediate reaction. ![]() Mines do explode, but not in a gratuitous manner. The younger actors spark off him well too, particularly the soulful Hofmann.ĭirector Martin Zandvliet literally mines the tension and suspense of his scenario, so sitting comfortably isn’t much of an option here. They’re just kids with one foot already in the grave who want to go home. Later on, there’s a sense that he knows they’re not soldiers or even Germans. Moller is excellent here, giving a strong performance that swings back and forth between anger and sympathy. ![]() They have their whole lives ahead of them, assuming they can survive the beach and its inherent risk of instant injury and death. They are, after all, young men barely out of their teens who have already experienced the horrors of war. While he may despise them, he develops fatherly instincts towards them later on. The film is centred on the character of Carl, an embittered man who goes through a subtle character arc. Feeding German soldiers isn’t a priority and Carl makes no bones about that early on. They also meet with hostility from locals and a have severe lack of food. It’s not just the humiliation of defeat for these German soldiers, but also the realisation that they have to clean up the mess they created. It’s inspired by true events and highlights the fact that the cost of war continues even after a nation’s surrender. THE VERDICT: Denmark scored an Oscar Nomination for Best Foreign Language film this year with ‘Land Of Mine’, a title that is loaded with meaning. It’s dangerous work, but freedom awaits them at the end… Among the group are Sebastian (Louis Hofmann) and twins Werner (Oskar Belton) and Ernst (Emil Belton). Carl is tasked with leading a group of 14 young German soldiers to dig out, disarm and dispose of these mines. In anticipation of a possible invasion of Europe through Denmark, German forces littered beaches with over 2 million land mines – more than any other country. The war may be over on paper, but it continues in his mind. As we discover in the opening scene, he hates them with a vengeance and for what they’ve done to his country. After five years of occupation by German forces, Sergeant Carl (Roland Moller) can’t wait to see them leave. THE PLOT: The Danish coastline, May 1945. Starring Roland Moller, Louis Hofmann, Oskar Belton, Emil Belton. LAND OF MINE (Denmark|Germany/15A/101 mins)ĭirected by Martin Zandvliet. ![]()
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