BUFF: The Unthinkable

(2018) dir. Crazy Pictures [Sweden; 129 min]

Scandinavia has emerged as a wellspring for disaster films. While some like The Wave (Roar Uthaug) are Hollywood-sized spectacles, Scandinavian films usually feature authentic and down-to-earth characters, not oversized and overly-muscled heroes.

The Unthinkable, which has been flying way under the radar, is the latest disaster epic from the European North, brought to you by a directing collective who’ve worked together on fifteen shorts before plunging into their first feature. A crowdfunding campaign was successful enough to attract the attention of bigger players, and the result is this amazing tale of survival, family, choices, and loss.

Initially framed as a troubled family drama, the story centers on an ex-military man whose outbursts of rage are pushing away his wife and son. It’s a somber start, and the path this film takes get even darker, in such a surprising way you’ll probably be asking yourself, “What the fuck am I seeing?”

To say anything more would be to reveal too much. Don’t Google this film; it’s worth going in blind. The Unthinkable captures what US cinema did best in the ‘80s, stories about fear and retaliation. It’s a tale of people pulled into an incredible situation that will linger and haunt you.

– Annick Mahnert (Fantastic Fest)

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