Mads Mikkelsen – The Hunt
Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt has been a rather long time coming in the US. Initially, it premiered at Cannes in 2012, where incidentally Mikkelsen won the Best Actor prize. It then slowly rolled out across various territories in the same year. American audiences were unable to see it until earlier this year and hopefully The Hunt will be in with a great shout for Best Foreign Language Film when it comes to the nominations.
We should, however, not forget the brilliant Mads Mikkelsen, who plays Lucas, a teacher wrongly accused of being a sexual predator. Mikkelsen offers up a brilliantly low key performance that goes totally against the type he has become notable for playing. His portrait of a man whose life has been irreparably dismantled by vicious rumour is endlessly fascinating and magnetic. He and Vinterberg approach a difficult and important subject without portent and engage with it honestly. The genius of Mikkelsen is to remain steadfast in his refusal to be ostracized and remain steely in the face of accusation.
Although best known now for the magnetic and charismatic villains on NBC’s Hannibal and in Casino Royale, The Hunt places Mikkelsen in a role where we are on his side, where he plays a well meaning and honest man against a poisoned society. It is something Mikkelsen does with a sense of ease and belonging, showcasing a full range of his abilities and announcing him as one of the finest actors of his generation.