The Unthinkable

Casi hasta el último momento no sabemos qué ocurre exactamente en la película y por quién. Lo cual, con la escalada gradual de la gravedad de los acontecimientos y las escenas de acción-catástrofe perfectamente realistas, aumenta la tensión y los temores del espectador Al mismo tiempo, es reflexivo y detallado, y hay una línea emocional suficiente (pero no perfecta) en la relación del protagonista tanto con el amor de su vida como con su padre. Muy buen final, tomad una lección de ello, adolescentes. Y el resto de nosotros estamos advertidos, esta es la representación cinematográfica más realista de una amenaza similar como podría ocurrir hoy en día. [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)

Una demostración creíble y escalofriante de cómo podría ser una conspiración y una invasión de una nación (no quiero revelar por quién o por qué), con buena tensión, efectos sólidos y una línea dramática suficientemente funcional sobre una familia rota. Lo único que me distrajo fue cuando los que los personajes deberían estar más unidos siguen sacando años de agravios y traumas familiares, con lo que sabotean la necesaria cooperación y tirando palos a las ruedas a los demás… Tal vez sea una metáfora de que los suecos no pueden mantenerse unidos en tiempos de crisis. En cualquier caso, The Unthinkable es un espectáculo escalofriante e imaginativo, sin héroes ni perdedores claros, pero con un claro mensaje político. [Sitges 2018] (19.10.2018)