The Promised Land

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2:02

The Promised Land

R

Released Feb 2

2h 7m

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

127 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

In 18th century Denmark, Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) -- a proud, ambitious, but impoverished war hero -- sets out to tame a vast, uninhabitable land on which seemingly nothing can grow. He seeks to start farming crops, build a colony in the name of the King, and gain a noble title for himself. This beautiful but forbidding area also happens to be under the rule of the merciless Frederik De Schinkel, a preening nobleman who realizes the threat Kahlen represents to his power. Struggling against the elements and local brigands, Kahlen is joined by a couple who have fled the clutches of the rapacious De Schinkel. As this group of misfits begins to build a small community in this inhospitable place, De Schinkel swears vengeance, and the confrontation between him and Kahlen promises to be as violent and intense as these two men.

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Critics Consensus

Mads Mikkelson leads us through the savage terrain of The Promised Land with a glimmer of hope in this epic Nordic tale with Western bones.

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Stephen Romei

The Australian

There are times in the impressive Danish historical drama The Promised Land where Dr Lecter peeks from the eyes of the main character...

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 27, 2024

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

The anti-immigrant and Romani sentiment expressed by Danes in 1755, although tinged with superstition, sounds eerily familiar. Mostly, though, The Promised Land, in common with its hero, ploughs a furrow as a rough-hewn costumed adventure.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 24, 2024

Full Review

Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

The only problem here is that the whole ends up feeling a bit didactic and leaning towards the narrative style of Hollywood simplicity, yet does not take away from the power of a film that definitely deserves to be seen. [Full review in Spanish]

Feb 20, 2024

Full Review

Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

For all its lapses in portraying romance, The Promised Land is still an inspiring, relentlessly gritty tale of one undying determination, an indomitable will to achieve the impossible against all odds.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 26, 2024

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Robert W. Butler

Butler's Cinema Scene

Terrific cinematography (Rasmus Videbaek) and utterly convincing production design (Jette Lehmann) mark this intimate epic.

Rated: B

Jul 5, 2024

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Ray Pride

Newcity

Thrilling, shapely, pleasingly nasty epic, a ravishing Danish Western with savagery in its trim bones. Mads Mikkelsen is the sulk center screen, handsome visage made for melodrama... Pride kills; Mikkelsen thrills.

Rated: 10/10

Jul 4, 2024

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Gray S

Fantastic, evocative, timely story, beautifully told.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/24

Full Review

Janis

Great story and actors. Very sad story but realistic about life in the 1700s . Written well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/24

Full Review

Avindu G

An end of an era marked by a one man's army with feudal blood in veins and feudal foot on his throat. A provocative portrayal of the gradual change. A fitting end to a tyranny. Advancements assisted by vagabonds when noble customs unfairly bend. All these great things were performed meticulously by the cast. Great background music and audio effects that tells the story when the moor is dark secluded but awake. Perfect cinematography. Between many period dramas that focuses on literature this movie manages to produce another Robinson Crusoe tale of courage, love and loss that's simply a joy to watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/26/24

Full Review

Contre M

Awesome flick through an awesome time period

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/12/24

Full Review

Audience Member

By far the best movie I've seen in the past years - it's stunning stuff and Mads remains the single most watchable actor. I don't usually like subtitled movies, but every movie with Mads that has subs I can say I hardly noticed reading them - the movies are THAT GOOD.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/03/24

Full Review

NiB Y

A very powerful historical drama. Mads delivers his killer acting as always; the cinematography is terrific and the script is great.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/25/24

Full Review

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Nikolaj Arcel

Director

Mads Mikkelsen

Ludvig Kahlen

Amanda Collin

Ann Barbara

Gustav Lindh

Anton Eklund

Melina Hagberg

Actor

Kristine Kujath Thorp

Edel Helene

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Awards Leaderboard: Top Movies of 2023

The Promised Land: Trailer 1

2:02

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Synopsis

In 18th century Denmark, Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) -- a proud, ambitious, but impoverished war hero -- sets out to tame a vast, uninhabitable land on which seemingly nothing can grow. He seeks to start farming crops, build a colony in the name of the King, and gain a noble title for himself. This beautiful but forbidding area also happens to be under the rule of the merciless Frederik De Schinkel, a preening nobleman who realizes the threat Kahlen represents to his power. Struggling against the elements and local brigands, Kahlen is joined by a couple who have fled the clutches of the rapacious De Schinkel. As this group of misfits begins to build a small community in this inhospitable place, De Schinkel swears vengeance, and the confrontation between him and Kahlen promises to be as violent and intense as these two men.

Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Producer: Louise Vesth
Screenwriter: Anders Thomas Jensen, Nikolaj Arcel
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Zentropa Entertainment
Rating: R (Brief Nudity|Bloody Violence|Language|Some Sexuality)
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: Danish
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 2, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 23, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $256.3K
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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