The King of Devil's Island

 

The King of Devil’s Island/Kongen av Bastön

• Director: Marius Holst
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Benjamin Helstad, Trond Nilssen, Stellan Skarsgård, Kristoffer Joner
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Benjamin Helsted – Endeavour
• Stellan Skarsgård  - many, including Hamlet.
•  Kristoffer Joner – The Revenant, Vågen
• Why? Skarsgård
• Seen: 6 September 2023                   

             Norway 1915. A boys prison on a wintery island, with Skarsgård as the kind, cruel hypocritical Christian warden and Joner as the paedophile house father. The boys, with Erling (Helsted) in the lead, rebel.

       It’s no surprise that it’s grim and depressing.

       We’ve seen many prison films: The Shawshank Redemption, Papillon, The Rock, Bad Boys. This one is better. 

 4 * of 5  

 

 

 

Shakespeare connection: Stellan Skarsgård is in Hamlet.