Film Journal 2024: The Promised Land
Directed by Nikolaj Arcel
If nothing else, I would hope this period western helps bolster a case for The Datk Tower adaptation being desperately underrated. As it’s own accomplishment however, The Promised Land is an exceptional film, operating on a whole other level. If it is possible for Mad Mikkelsen to still surprise and catch me off guard, he certainly does that here, delivering an embodied and commanding performance befitting a revenge drama. It also boasts a memorable villain, elevating the drama to a studied and tension filled exploration of its themes. A film rife with real emotional presence befitting the genre.
Essential viewing and exceptional filmmaking.
The Stories of my Life 