Godland

Name: Godland
Genre: Drama
Released: February 3, 2023
Duration: 143 min
Rating: 81
Cast: Birta Gunnarsdóttir, Elliott Crosset Hove, Friðrik Friðriksson, Friðrik Hrafn Reynisson, Hilmar Guðjónsson

2023

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Janus Films | Release Date: February 3, 2023 | Not Rated

Starring: Birta Gunnarsdóttir, Elliott Crosset Hove, Friðrik Friðriksson, Friðrik Hrafn Reynisson, Hilmar Guðjónsson, Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir, Ingimundur Grétarsson, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Ísar Svan Gautason, Jakob Ulrik Lohmann, Snæbjörg Guðmundsdóttir, Victoria Carmen Sonne, Waage Sandø

Summary: In the late nineteenth century, Danish priest Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove) makes the perilous trek to Iceland’s southeastern coast with the intention of establishing a church. There, the arrogant man of God finds his resolve tested as he confronts the harsh terrain, temptations of the flesh, and the reality of being an intruder in anIn the late nineteenth century, Danish priest Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove) makes the perilous trek to Iceland’s southeastern coast with the intention of establishing a church. There, the arrogant man of God finds his resolve tested as he confronts the harsh terrain, temptations of the flesh, and the reality of being an intruder in an unforgiving land. What unfolds is a transfixing journey into the heart of colonial darkness attuned to both the majesty and terrifying power of the natural world. [Janus Films]… Expand

Director: Hlynur Palmason

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 143 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Christopher Machell

Apr 8, 2023

Austere, emotionally taciturn and with shades of Bergman, Dreyer and Jan Troell’s The New Land about it, Godland is the Icelandic director’s most accomplished work to date. Read full review

100

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Apr 5, 2023

There is such superb compositional sense in the still life tableau shots and the almost archaeological sense of time, creating something deeply mysterious and unbearably sad. Read full review

Robert Abele

Feb 3, 2023

A sumptuous travelogue it is not; a visually stunning, soul-clenching examination of the curious push/pull between humans and the environment it most certainly is. Read full review

Peter Debruge

May 28, 2022

[Pálmason's] a cinematic original whose voice grows stronger and more certain with each film. Read full review

Josh Slater-Williams

Apr 6, 2023

If that first hour or so is where the film resembles debilitating wilderness trek tales such as Kelly Reichardt’s Meek’s Cutoff or Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo (in both content and quality), the claustrophobic second half is where valid comparisons to something like Shūsaku Endō’s Silence – though especially Martin Scorsese’s 2016 screen adaptation – come to the fore; where colonial arrogance and perceived enlightenment make for combustible mix ready to blow at the slightest provocation. Read full review

Anthony Lane

Feb 6, 2023

The strange thing is that, as the film unfolds, the beauty of the place grows ever more unforgiving. It resembles another planet, fresh from the act of creation, but it feels like a prison. Read full review

Whelan Barzey

Apr 4, 2023

Godland is every bit as striking and otherworldly as you would expect a story inspired by a collection of long-lost wet plate photographs to be. It’s tailor-made for those who enjoy sitting by the window and watching the snow fall, but less so for those who can’t wait for the grit van to come and melt it all away. Read full review

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User Reviews

ODballin11

Feb 5, 2023

Powerful film in 2023.

The beginning only leads up to a surprising end.

2 opposing sides don't make a right.

I recommend this to anyone

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

shankarshaw

Feb 4, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Super movie. It was a wonderful experience in theatres and i would recommend it.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

bertobellamy

Jul 25, 2023

Like Martin Scorsese's 'Silence,' 'Godland' — which follows a 19th-century Danish priest traveling to Iceland to build a church — depicts one man's crisis of faith as he wanders through hostile terrain on a mission to spread God's word. Director Hlynur Palmason shows a priest's fight againstLike Martin Scorsese's 'Silence,' 'Godland' — which follows a 19th-century Danish priest traveling to Iceland to build a church — depicts one man's crisis of faith as he wanders through hostile terrain on a mission to spread God's word. Director Hlynur Palmason shows a priest's fight against the most incredible power that exists: that of nature. With stunning photography and almost nightmarishly beautiful vistas, the film emerges as a dark poem that encompasses themes such as colonialism, intransigence, and religion. A tremendous work that makes excellent use of locations to portray the relentlessness of nature and the smallness of man.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Jun 30, 2023

What is God? Is it a reasoned, rational civilized entity or a wild, untamed force full of untamed power in search of being reined in? And, in light of that, then, what kind of relationship are we supposed to have with this elusive divine enigma? That’s one of many unexpected challenges putWhat is God? Is it a reasoned, rational civilized entity or a wild, untamed force full of untamed power in search of being reined in? And, in light of that, then, what kind of relationship are we supposed to have with this elusive divine enigma? That’s one of many unexpected challenges put to a young Lutheran priest (Elliott Crosset Hove) who’s charged with building a church in a small community of Danish immigrants transplanted from the homeland in late 19th Century Iceland, the so-called “unforgiving island.” But, rather than sail directly to his new future home, he chooses to land on the island’s southeastern coast and cross the diverse terrain to his destination, partly to get to know the land and its people but also to indulge his hobby as a pioneering photographer. Once there, however, he gets more than he bargained for, given the difficulty of the journey and the many extreme differences in language, sensibilities and rugged lifestyle compared to the more genteel Denmark he left behind. This combination of elements tests his wits, his patience, and, above all, his faith, as events unfold in unforeseen and potentially disturbing ways. It’s an evolutionary journey for which he’s unprepared and often unable to fathom, prompting him to question much of what he believes and how he conducts himself. The result is a thoughtful meditation on these issues, featuring positively stunning cinematography, fine performances and superb production values. The pacing is surprisingly well balanced, too, especially for a film with a 2:23:00 runtime, though some of the picture’s montages – as beautiful as they are – probably could have been dialed back somewhat without significantly impacting the finished product. Writer-director Hlynur Pálmason’s fact-inspired tale is arguably his best work to date, but be sure to give this one the time that it deserves to thoroughly appreciate and enjoy it, both for its sheer beauty and for everything it has to say about the divine and the place it occupies in our lives.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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