It’s perhaps no surprise The Hunt is by far Thomas Vinterberg best work since 1998’s Festen. Addressing similar themes, The Hunt sees the Danish director turn on its head Festen’s public exhumation of long-buried abuse. No longer burdened by the constraints of the minimalist Dogme style he once championed and clearly comfortable with his subject matter, Vinterberg’s talents are free to roam. The result is masterful, tense and wonderfully characterised – a drama that spills over with urgency and uncomfortable insights.
The superb Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, A Royal Affair) is warm and playful kindergarten teacher Lucas, whose tactile nature harks back to an idyllic era where political correctness and fear of litigation didn’t inform every interaction. When a confused and hurt student falsely accuses him of sexual abuse, the innocence of both is immediately shattered – not by their actions, but by the perceptions of people around them. As waves of paranoia and rage ripple through the community, groupthink and mob mentality take over. Eventually intimidation, isolation, fists and rifles replace the traditional pitchforks.
The Hunt brilliantly straddles an uncomfortable line, examining the dangers of mass hysteria without demonising it. Though the bullying faced by Lucas is often violent and despicable, the community’s fear is understandable. As Lucas’ lifelong best friend and the father of the accuser, Thomas Bo Larsen is magnificent. Torn between the damning but unreliable testimony of his daughter and his knowledge of Lucas’ character, his struggle is as empathetic as that of Lucas.
Though stylistically conventional and featuring a heavy-handed hunting metaphor, Vinterberg keeps the tension high. Grounded in Mikkelsen’s understated but moving performance, The Hunt proves a powerful, thought-provoking exploration of a hugely challenging topic.