Force Majeur (Ruben Ostlund, 2015): Sweden

Reviewed by Anna Acuna. Viewed at the Antioch University, 2016 Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Force Majeur, directed by Ruben Ostlund, is quite a spectacle. The Swedish film is set in the French Alps, which creates an amazing dichotomy between the confining emotional uneasiness portrayed and the vast, impersonal slopes. Force Majeur is reminiscent of The Shining with a quiet, snowy and beautiful backdrop that allows the drama of a father’s breakdown that unfolds to be ostentatious.

When a family goes on vacation to the Alps and experiences an avalanche, their primal instincts are uncovered and in turn create a rift in their relationships. The patriarch of the family makes the ill-fated decision to make a run for it when he believes he is on the verge of death, leaving behind his wife and two small children. Synchronicity is shattered in the form of a near death experience, breaking their bonds of familial trust. The mother cannot handle the pressure of the situation, and breaks down in retaliation for her husband’s bad behavior.The children are tossed into the middle of these situations and they find their voice as strong individuals with genuine emotion, too.  The emotional intensity lasts throughout the movie, with various breakdowns and uncomfortable talks until the final resolution occurs.

My personal interpretation of the themes seemed to differ with the talk with Johannes Kunke, the actor who played the main character Tomas. My impression was that it was an exploration of the fragility of the male ego. Johannes Kunke told the students that the intention was to show a story of redemption. These differing perspectives, as well as interpretations that I heard from other students, showed the elasticity of the themes in the film. This movie explored themes in a very uncomfortable manner. For example, there were various scenes where the main couple basically attacked others with their emotional issues, and were so caught up in their own first-world problems that they decided to disregard anyone else’s well-being. While incredibly entertaining to watch, I was not a fan of how cringeworthy some parts were. These awkward scenes were offset by the beauty of the filmmaking. The setting was incredible, and the filmmaker captured it with a very natural touch.

Overall, Force Majeur was worth watching, despite the long running time and uncomfort involved. Ruben Ostlund has a great perspective that comes through very well in the film.