The Here After, 2016.
Directed by Magnus von Horn.
Starring Ulrik Munther, Sven Ahlström, Mats Blomgren, Stefan Cronwall, Felix Göransson and Loa Ek.
SYNOPSIS:
When John returns home to his father after serving time in prison, he is looking forward to starting his life afresh. However, in the local community his crime is neither forgotten nor forgiven.
Polish based director, Magnus von Horn’s The Here After is a film clouded in silently intense scenes designed to suspend the viewer’s expectations for minute by minute action by building tension that is only surrendered towards its end half hour.
Von Horn’s film explores the interesting subject of a community’s relationship to a member that has already served his time in prison, seeking rehabilitation and familiarity; however it takes far too many liberties with its length than is required. Von Horn creates a culmination of expectant moments that fall short in satisfying the average viewer, ultimately making the film feel longer than it is, mostly because you are left constantly questioning when and if something might happen. The films lack of a soundtrack could also explain the feeling of length that the feature assumes and does little but emphasise the characters feelings and thoughts.
The story line of The Here After is a powerful one that is explored honestly and openly. The storyline and performances from the actors are impeccable and even more noticeable due to the films emphasis on silence. Von Horn’s long takes are used to accentuate the characters emotions and reactions towards the main protagonist. The result of these long unedited takes forces the viewer to focus on the characters expressions which make certain scenes intensely tangible. These scenes also create an uncertainty as to what might happen next, which grants the film more suspense. Characters often have nothing to say and are filmed solely to reflect their expressions which are used more to tell the story than their monologues are. It isn’t until well past its half way point that it is revealed what the protagonist did to be sent to prison, although it is frequently referenced too. You learn faster about how the protagonist feels about what he’s done, than the details of the crime itself. The long takes are also filmed using fixed cameras that offer only singular points of views to reflect how others in his community see John (Ulrik Munther) only as a murderer rather than the reasons behind why he did it. John is often branded for what he did as a child which evidently has a lot to play in the person he becomes.
Throughout the film John’s passivity and tolerance dissolve to reveal what character lies underneath his teenage angst and silence that is embedded into the fabric of the film itself. This is one of the most interesting facets of Magnus von Horn’s film and is delivered flawlessly by Swedish pop star Ulrik Munther. The anger that manifests from the start, slowly burning as the film progresses, keeps your attention and interest towards the end, despite sitting through a number of scenes that could have been cut to keep the films pace more even.
All of the thought and planning that goes into Magnus von Horn’s film makes The Here After a truly interesting and insightful film that visits the subject of human emotion, condemnation and repentance; all of which also makes its ending and length all the more disappointing because it fails to close in on what makes the film uniquely fascinating.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Joshua Gill
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Originally published March 20, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
