There is certainly both pros and cons about this film. First and first there are really some problems with the script. It's very unoriginal; it's Evil Dead in Swedish. It tries to do little new with the concept and shares it's basic premise with a dozen other horror films. The one original thing about it is that the villain is a Vittra, a creature from Swedish folklore also known as "vätte", that turns it's victims into zombies that it uses to kill and maim any person who intrudes on it's domain. There is also a old man who warns the protagonists and tells them about the monsters.
Another weird thing about the film is that the filmmakers seems to don't know how to film and direct a normal dialog scene. The film also has a scene where a character says "I feel so f**king bad", when there is not a single person around. Who is she talking to? The audience? You are bleeding from every cavity, it's not like we get it.
Then there are the pros. And boy the pros are good! In the first part of the film the acting is off, but once the real drama starts and the Wither attacks the acting gets really good (The film also has the advantage of having killed off the bad actors by then). Lisa Henni is the one that stands out the most, but Saxe, Almkvist and Wallmo are really, really good too. They have to work with big and difficult emotions like fear, sorrow and brutality and does it amazingly. I really like a brief scene at the end where one of the characters is almost unable to fight any more after the loss of so many loved ones. That is really the theme of the film. Lot's of characters loose their close and loved ones. Johnnes Brost is in the film for about 10 minutes but those are ten minutes you will remember. Especially when he draws his knife.
The effects are really good, with a few exceptions that fortunately does not take the edge of the film. The film is really, really violent. Heads are mashed with rocks, there is a really messy decapitation and early on a really disgusting scene where a lip is torn off. The wonderful sound design is the best I've ever heard in a Swedish film. The last part of the film is a real furious roller coaster and the last 15 minutes will have be sitting on the edge of your seat. The film goes on a bit to long but that is sort of nitpicking. Some character does some stupid things but when you think about it, they kind of makes sense from an emotional stand point.
In the end, Vittra/Wither is a real thrill ride that demands to be seen in a cinema with a good surround-system. You need Vittra. You need to see it in a cinema and be swept away by it.
I hope there will be a Vittra 2.
Another weird thing about the film is that the filmmakers seems to don't know how to film and direct a normal dialog scene. The film also has a scene where a character says "I feel so f**king bad", when there is not a single person around. Who is she talking to? The audience? You are bleeding from every cavity, it's not like we get it.
Then there are the pros. And boy the pros are good! In the first part of the film the acting is off, but once the real drama starts and the Wither attacks the acting gets really good (The film also has the advantage of having killed off the bad actors by then). Lisa Henni is the one that stands out the most, but Saxe, Almkvist and Wallmo are really, really good too. They have to work with big and difficult emotions like fear, sorrow and brutality and does it amazingly. I really like a brief scene at the end where one of the characters is almost unable to fight any more after the loss of so many loved ones. That is really the theme of the film. Lot's of characters loose their close and loved ones. Johnnes Brost is in the film for about 10 minutes but those are ten minutes you will remember. Especially when he draws his knife.
The effects are really good, with a few exceptions that fortunately does not take the edge of the film. The film is really, really violent. Heads are mashed with rocks, there is a really messy decapitation and early on a really disgusting scene where a lip is torn off. The wonderful sound design is the best I've ever heard in a Swedish film. The last part of the film is a real furious roller coaster and the last 15 minutes will have be sitting on the edge of your seat. The film goes on a bit to long but that is sort of nitpicking. Some character does some stupid things but when you think about it, they kind of makes sense from an emotional stand point.
In the end, Vittra/Wither is a real thrill ride that demands to be seen in a cinema with a good surround-system. You need Vittra. You need to see it in a cinema and be swept away by it.
I hope there will be a Vittra 2.