The Unthinkable

Jusqu'à la dernière minute, nous ne savons pas exactement ce qui se passe dans le film et avec qui cela se produit. Avec la gravité croissante des événements et les scènes d'action catastrophe parfaitement réalistes, la tension et l'inquiétude montent presque au point de faire perdre son sang-froid au spectateur. En même temps, c'est réfléchi et détaillé, et en même temps, la ligne émotionnelle de la relation du personnage principal avec l'amour de sa vie et avec son père fonctionne suffisamment (mais pas parfaitement). Une très belle conclusion, tirez-en une leçon, vous les adolescents. Et nous autres, restons vigilants, car c'est la représentation cinématographique la plus réaliste d'une menace similaire telle qu'elle pourrait se dérouler de nos jours. [Sitges FF] (11/10/2018)

The Swedes deliver a solid mix of genres and if it wasn't for the slow first half, it would be a blast. The first forty minutes are really excruciatingly slow and I think a few viewers will give up on the film. There are some pretty unlikeable characters so it's a bit odd to watch, but then it's like the director changes and some very shocking and eye pleasing stuff happens, mixing the catastrophe genre with thriller and mystery. The Swedes have made a really brave piece where unpleasant things happen, but they don't reveal the cause of the threat, which makes it original, and I think with the last shot they risk a world war. Anyway, visually the film is shot very capably, the music is reminiscent of Hans Zimmer, the action is very realistic and there is unexpectedly a lot of it (dead birds falling from the sky, numerous crashes, falling helicopters, a power plant explosion, one very solid fight, and a gritty grand finale). It's also nicely suspenseful and the atmosphere works, exploiting the viewer's uncertainty, so there are many elements to praise. Just a pity about the first half which slightly spoils the impression. Still, an admirable achievement. 75% (08/11/2018)

Other than the three or four WTF moments associated with the activities of Alex's father, who could easily be cast in a Hollywood action blockbuster (twenty such individuals would probably save the Swedish army some work and stop a foreign invasion), I'm giving the film a strong review after careful consideration. It has an undeniable atmosphere, works with a realistic scenario of the origin of a war conflict in 21st-century European space, and does not lack in its production design. It cunningly doses information, starting from the description of everyday work and human relationships, through disturbing hints of an unknown threat, to eventually turning into a hectic fight for life. It also has quality cinematography and a suggestive dark soundtrack. The director knows what he wants and how to achieve it. True, the father is a paranoid lunatic (the film ultimately proves that being paranoid doesn't mean that they are not after you) and the son is a self-conscious introvert, but at first glance, the main characters, who are hard to accept, do not bother me. Mainstream commercial filmmaking would, of course, work with protagonists that you easily identify with and fall in love with, but this film's bet on outsiders only accentuates the audacity and unpredictability of Danel's film. However, I do have one thing to say about the end of the film. World cinema usually deals with similar simulations of conflicts in the style of: on Friday, we were attacked and beaten up, on Saturday, we repelled the blow and paid off our losses with interest, only to hastily restore electricity, revive television broadcasting, and in the evening sit down to watch our favorite soap opera. But in this film, it wouldn't work, and it would only mark the beginning of a very dark and bloody period. Overall impression: 85%. (05/02/2022)

Une démonstration plausible et terrifiante sur ce à quoi un complot contre une nation et son invasion peuvent ressembler (mais je ne veux pas révéler pourquoi et avec qui). Le suspense est bon, les effets impressionnent et la logique de l’intrigue – axée sur une famille brisée – fonctionne plutôt bien. Une chose que j’ai eu du mal à comprendre, par contre, c’est le fait qu’au moment où les personnages devraient le plus se serrer les coudes, ils continuent de ressortir de vieux reproches et de s’appesantir sur leurs traumatismes familiaux, s’empoisonnant mutuellement la vie et sabotant ainsi une coopération pourtant nécessaire. Serait-ce là l'illustration d’un peuple suédois incapable de se consolider par temps de crise ? Peut-être. En tout cas, The Unthinkable est une œuvre inventive qui vous glace le sang et qui brouille les pistes sur le bon et le mauvais de ses personnages autant qu’il exprime un message politique sans équivoque. [Sitges 2018] (19/10/2018)