Ondskan (2003)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Mikael Håfström

Writers:

Jan Guillou (novel)
Hans Gunnarsson (writer)

Release Date:

26 September 2003 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It's time to take a stand.

Plot:

Erik is expelled from school for fighting. He ends up at a private boarding school where the senior students control the young ones...

Plot Keywords:

Boarding School | Domestic Violence | Nazi Teacher | Broken Arm | Humiliation

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Andreas Wilson	...	Erik Ponti
Henrik Lundström	...	Pierre Tanguy
Gustaf Skarsgård	...	Otto Silverhielm
Linda Zilliacus	...	Marja
Jesper Salén	...	Dahlén
Filip Berg	...	Johan
Fredrik af Trampe	...	von Schenken
Richard Danielsson	...	Karlberg
Martin Svane	...	Leffler
Rustan Blomqvist	...	Bergvall
Peter Eggers	...	Von Rosen
Per Westergren	...	Lewenheusen
Henrik Linnros	...	Beijer
Theodor Hoffsten	...	Lagerros
Sanna Mari Patjas	...	Stina (as Sannamari Patjas)

Also Known As:

Evil (Canada: English title) (festival title) (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Ondskab (Denmark)

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence/gore, language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

Sweden | Denmark

Language:

Swedish | Finnish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Iceland:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:11 | Australia:MA | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Filmhusateljéerna, Filmhuset, Svenska Filminstitutet, Gärdet, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company:

Moviola Film och Television AB

Trivia:

The movie is based on a novel by Jan Guillou. Jan Guillou attended a boarding school himself when he was a teenager and the novel is partly based on his own experiences.

Goofs:

Continuity: It is sometime after Christmas when Erik is trying to see the Finnish girl for the last time but there are yellow and falling leaves visible behind him.

Movie Connections:

References Windom's Way (1957)

Nice film

Ondskan is a Swedish movie about a young man who despite being a smart student often gets in trouble with his bad conduct and reputation. So much so that he is soon expelled from school and is given little chance to have a good future. With the help of his mother he is given a last chance at graduating at an exclusive all male school. There he finds contrasting fortunes as he struggles against the cruel upperclassmen and finds friendship and love as he struggles to finish school. This movie was nominated for a Oscar for best Foreign Language film.

I thought the actors did a great job in portraying their characters. Andreas Wilson did a great job as Erik as he went from a furious student being bullied to a softer Erik when it came to scenes with Marja. I thought he did a great job in the transformation fro his many personalities. Even more surprising is the fact that this film is actually his first movie. Also a menacing Gustaf Skarsgard did a great job in playing the big bully in the film.

You could also in this film some very basic themes such as love, friendship and the constant battle of good versus evil. They were well crafted into the film and some of the scenes I thought were good enough to display these themes.