Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (review)

Review by Elizabeth Robbins

Okay, here’s the deal.

I will watch anything with Mads Mikkelsen in it.

He’s one of those actors that can take crappy story and dialog, and can make something entertaining of it. Give him a great script and you get something phenomenal.

Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhass is one of those films where you get to see what a brilliant actor he is.

Based on a novella, Michael Kohlhass by Heinrich von Kleist, Age of Uprising is the story of the horse-tradesman, Michael Kohlhaas (Mads Mikkelsen), who is wronged by the local Baron (Swann Arlaud) . When his pursuit of justice through legal avenues fail due to a corrupt system, Kohlhaas seeks restitution through more violent means.

Think Braveheart on a less grandiose scale. Except, Kohlhaas does not seek to start a revolution, only what he feels is justice.

Writer/director Arnaud des Palliéres weaves a masterful story. He takes into account that the audience is smart enough to get what is happening without having it spoon-fed to them. The dialog is intentionally sparse, letting the actors give fantastic performances with more than just words. The relationships Mikkelsen has with the other characters in the film are often told more succinctly in a look and a gesture then any amount of dialog could have created.

The cinematography is is stark. Mostly light with, what would have been the existing light of the time; scenes are full of contrast between shadow and light, making the world seem real as everyday life. The light is used intentionally to develop each character. Scene with Kohlhaas and the peasants are light with only existing light and no fill light(a secondary light source used to “fill in” and actors features), creating a visual as non compromising as the characters, no shades of grey. Whereas the nobility are light with a softer light, showing the softer lives they lead.

There are few battle scenes in the film and it hasn’t any of the Hollywood flash. However, there is a an undercurrent of urgency and a palatable flavor of intensity as Kohlhaas systematically hunts the Baron. His almost blind, single-mindedness is the driving force behind the uprising and frightens the nobility. Kohlhaas will accept nothing less then restitution he has sought since the beginning of his journey, nothing more.

It has been a while since I have been impressed by a film and screenplay.

However, it’s not a film for everyone. Be forewarned, it has subtitles. It is not brash or flashy. There is no swelling John Williams-esque film score, no leading lady in perfect make-up and costume, no hero with a “St. Crispin’s Day” speech.

It is a beautiful, stark, gritty film. It trades Hollywood glamour for a semblance of realism. It takes it’s time and expects you to think for yourself. Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas is for those times when you want something with a little more meat to it to sink your teeth into.

This film is a feast.