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Back in 1991, the mummified remains of a man were discovered in the Ötzal Alps, with a fatal arrow injury on the shoulder as well as other wounds. The well-preserved state in which he was found as well as the nature of his injuries sparked much speculation about his life and death. Iceman is an example of that as it creates a story around the man and what could've led to his murder.
Set more than 5,300 years ago, in the Neolithic period, the film follows Kelab (Jürgen Vogel), the leader of a primitive clan. When a group of men attack their settlement killing everybody, Kelab sets out to get revenge at all cost. But there's a popular quote that says "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves". Will he be willing to pay that cost?"
I stumbled upon this film by chance, while looking for films "set in prehistoric times" and thought it was a pleasant surprise. It is really interesting to see a film borne out of such an intriguing finding, but to make it thrilling and engrossing really takes some skill. Iceman succeeds in doing that with few characters and no discernible dialogue.
The above is a rough translation of Kelab's prayer as he says one last farewell to his family. They're free now, while in a way, he's enslaved by anger which fuels his quest to find those that did him wrong. The aftermath of that quest might feel a bit anticlimactic, but there is a tragic yet poetic irony in it that just makes it work somehow. Kelab is not John Wick BC. He's only a man with nothing else to do but dig those two graves, or just fall into it.
Grade:
ICEMAN
(2017, Randau)
A film set in prehistoric times
(2017, Randau)
A film set in prehistoric times
"Your soul became free."
Back in 1991, the mummified remains of a man were discovered in the Ötzal Alps, with a fatal arrow injury on the shoulder as well as other wounds. The well-preserved state in which he was found as well as the nature of his injuries sparked much speculation about his life and death. Iceman is an example of that as it creates a story around the man and what could've led to his murder.
Set more than 5,300 years ago, in the Neolithic period, the film follows Kelab (Jürgen Vogel), the leader of a primitive clan. When a group of men attack their settlement killing everybody, Kelab sets out to get revenge at all cost. But there's a popular quote that says "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves". Will he be willing to pay that cost?"
I stumbled upon this film by chance, while looking for films "set in prehistoric times" and thought it was a pleasant surprise. It is really interesting to see a film borne out of such an intriguing finding, but to make it thrilling and engrossing really takes some skill. Iceman succeeds in doing that with few characters and no discernible dialogue.
The above is a rough translation of Kelab's prayer as he says one last farewell to his family. They're free now, while in a way, he's enslaved by anger which fuels his quest to find those that did him wrong. The aftermath of that quest might feel a bit anticlimactic, but there is a tragic yet poetic irony in it that just makes it work somehow. Kelab is not John Wick BC. He's only a man with nothing else to do but dig those two graves, or just fall into it.
Grade: