santiagocosme
Ondskan is a great movie.I watched it in the original language subtitled, and still, within minutes I knew I would enjoy it. The protagonist is a young lost man who finds in fighting a way to express himself, upset by the things that happen in his life. He is sent to a Boarding school were the seniors humiliate the younger on a daily basis. But our protagonist will have none of it and stands up to them from day one. A battle of forces starts and continues, and we are left to see if the seniors will manage to break the spirit of their rebellious new companion. If it wasn't subtitled, I would re-watch it almost immediately. The point is, this was a good watch. I sincerely recommend it.
Raul Faust
One thing that I can state about Mikael Håfström is that he indeed likes to make spectator feel agonized, and this movie is another proof of it. In many scenes, like the cigarette one, I felt like punching director and writers for being so condescending with the problems Erik and Pierre were facing. I mean, why don't Erik just use his supposed strength to defend both of them? In one (final) point he does that, but whilst it doesn't happen, spectator feels like that. The story itself isn't that original; we've all seen a bunch of movies involving young men studying in unorthodox schools, even thought each one has its own peculiarities. For some moments, I saw no reason why the story was being told; it didn't feel that interesting for a 113 minutes picture. However, the ending almost make up for it. I could understand why Erik was so self-contained: he had to be that way in his home, probably in his whole life. Summing it up, I don't think that "Ondskan" is a masterpiece or a hidden gem, but it is a respectable work from a good Swedish director. "Funny Games" is a lot better, I assure you!
Ali Catterall
In 50s Stockholm, rebellious boarding schoolboy Erik (Wilson) learns for himself that whichever upper-class twit first came up with the phrase 'schooldays are the happiest days of your life' should be nailed to a blackboard and pelted with red-hot chalk rubbers. Humiliation and spirit-crushing pranks in the name of 'team spirit' are top of the syllabus, as twisted head prefect Silverheim (Skarsgard, son of Stellan) tries to break him, body and soul. As ever, 'evil' manifests itself through complicity and inaction, and with benignly corrupt headmasters, and ex-Nazis preaching eugenics in the classroom, it's easy to see where the rot set in. Overly familiar ('school-as-microcosm-for-big-bad-world') it may be - we've enrolled here many times before, notably with If... - but it's mitigated by a brutal, blazing performance from young lead Wilson. B plus.
hakan mild
High school drama by famous Swedish hunter and outdoors-man Guillou. A Swedish Ernst Hemingway without the beard. Deals with delicate issues such as class differences and easy going mainlanders. Both common subject in the Swedish official sector. Guillous alter ego, Erik Ponti, sets out on a course thru troublesome waters when he is sent to a private school at an early age by his not so easy going abusing step dad (Superbly played by the star from "the sickness" Johan Rabeus). well there he gets in trouble with skitenhelm, an upper class disaster played by Stellan "skyscraper" Skarsgårds least successful and attractive son Gustav. He is unforgettable. He's struggle against the whole unjustable system gives him respect from his fellow classmates and specially from his roommate, the neurotic Frenchman, with limited social skills. Pontis awesome skills in the swimming pool (helped by likable social democrat Kjelle Bergkvist) becomes a thorn in skitenhjelms side. A typical Swedish drama that deals with personal vendettas more than widespread injustice. Thumbs down for Guillous fantasy biography!
AD
