Lars von Trier's latest achievement combines surrealism with delicacy and cosmic horror.
This year at TIFF we have the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the latest achievement of Lars von Trier. It's called The Kingdom: Exodus / Riget: Exodus ( 2022 ) and it's a 5-episode surreal series, which will be presented in an unprecedented 5-hour marathon today, June 10 at Cinema Arta starting at 1:30 p.m. The marathon includes, a 15-minute break.
For those unfamiliar with the name, Lars von Trier is one of the largest figures in cinema in the last four decades. The Danish directors work is built on a dynamic distinctive way of visual storytelling, which allows it to combine a sincere exploration of the possibilities of meta-narrative and a reflection on the film as an environment. His career intertwines a controversial representation of the religious imaginary and the clichés of the genre, a contrast examination of our concrete forms of individual and collective being, as well as genuine attention to topics such as sacrifice, mercy and even mental health. Not surprisingly, his films have won the hallmark of boldly playing within the unsettling boundaries, which is why his works often proves to be a taste acquired for newcomers and a comforting oddity for enthusiasts. Exodus (2022) is not an exception at all, but rather the application of the rule.
The dramatic action takes place in a hospital that hosts both the supernatural (demons, ghosts, exorcisms and frightening strange beings), and terrible human idiocy. Unlike other stories with supernatural forces, concerns about a possible growth and the subsequent impact on the whole earth do not exist. They are set aside according to the motto „that is that”, homologating their presence at the same banality of the actions of the people in the hospital and thus outlining an absurd universe that we can laugh at.
A standard summary does not really do justice to the series, due to competing sub-plots and dense mythology. Fortunately, that doesn't matter much. The mood is important, precisely because this is where von Trier's meta-narration is established. When working properly, hospitals can be considered places of care, because they are essentially the intersection between life and death, where tragedy exists in the same room as miraculous recovery. However, this idea is reversed, suggesting that the bureaucratic-corporatist impulse and stupidity of Riget Hospital are analogous to the ghostly evil that lies buried in its foundations. The indirect reference to the real Danish hospital Riget in Copenhagen should not be overlooked.
In a way that echoes Lynch, Lars von Trier returns to some old characters and ideas, creating a mixture truly inspired by surrealism, horror and black comedy. For those who don't know, Exodus (2022) refers to a series of his from the 90's. However, the spectator should not worry, as it is not a „remake” or „reboot”. Rather, it seems that the author wanted to visit old friends and fictional universes, as a nostalgic gesture and a potential act of conclusion given the sordid prognosis of Parkinson's they face.
Paying homage to the author's unfiltered sincerity, Exodus ( 2022 ) is a naughty delicacy, infused with cosmic horror, which reaches crazy proportions from a biblical point of view, and for this reason it is not for everyone.