Just like he did 14 years ago in Festen, Thomas Vinterberg once again shows us how a closely-knit community reacts to a shocking revelation. In Festen, a family party was spoiled by the revelation of a secret scandal. In Jagten, a group of friends and neighbours turn hostile when one of them is falsely accused of sexually abusing a young child, the daughter of his best friend.
With microscopic precision, Vinterberg dissects the human nature. The accused, Lucas, baffled by the absurdity of the accusation, doesn't even bother to deny clearly. He rejects everyone who shows even the least bit of doubt, including his new girlfriend. His best friend Theo, the father of the young girl, clearly has doubts about Lucas's guilt, but sticks with his wife and daughter. Theo's wife is thoroughly convinced of Lucas's guilt, even when the child indicates he is innocent.
The whole situation evolves into a nightmare for Lucas. He is not prosecuted after a police investigation fails to find any evidence, but the villagers have already made up their minds: he is a child molester. He loses his job, is being rejected by the village community and becomes the victim of violence himself.
The movie is full of extremely intense scenes that make you shift uneasily on your chair. The various confrontations between Lucas and the villagers are very powerful, but so is the subplot about Lucas's son.
A smart decision is that Vinterberg doesn't show anything about the investigation or the prosecution. It isn't important for the story, because the audience knows Lucas is innocent. Instead, the director only shows the way Lucas's friends react and cope with the situation.
Jagten is filmed in a realistic style, without many cinematographic effects. The emotionality of the story and the strong acting are enough to carry the movie. The approach is reminiscent of the Dogma-style from Festen, but the strict Dogma-rules are a thing of the past. In some Christmas scenes, Vinterberg clearly makes use of special lighting techniques to create a cozy atmosphere.
The whole film is a very strong watching experience. The shocking and unexpected ending, which is open for interpretation, is the cherry on the cake.
With microscopic precision, Vinterberg dissects the human nature. The accused, Lucas, baffled by the absurdity of the accusation, doesn't even bother to deny clearly. He rejects everyone who shows even the least bit of doubt, including his new girlfriend. His best friend Theo, the father of the young girl, clearly has doubts about Lucas's guilt, but sticks with his wife and daughter. Theo's wife is thoroughly convinced of Lucas's guilt, even when the child indicates he is innocent.
The whole situation evolves into a nightmare for Lucas. He is not prosecuted after a police investigation fails to find any evidence, but the villagers have already made up their minds: he is a child molester. He loses his job, is being rejected by the village community and becomes the victim of violence himself.
The movie is full of extremely intense scenes that make you shift uneasily on your chair. The various confrontations between Lucas and the villagers are very powerful, but so is the subplot about Lucas's son.
A smart decision is that Vinterberg doesn't show anything about the investigation or the prosecution. It isn't important for the story, because the audience knows Lucas is innocent. Instead, the director only shows the way Lucas's friends react and cope with the situation.
Jagten is filmed in a realistic style, without many cinematographic effects. The emotionality of the story and the strong acting are enough to carry the movie. The approach is reminiscent of the Dogma-style from Festen, but the strict Dogma-rules are a thing of the past. In some Christmas scenes, Vinterberg clearly makes use of special lighting techniques to create a cozy atmosphere.
The whole film is a very strong watching experience. The shocking and unexpected ending, which is open for interpretation, is the cherry on the cake.