The Final Viking, the most recent collaboration between Danish writer-director Anders Thomas Jensen and his longtime muses Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, is a wild, darkly comedian fable about brotherhood, id and the bounds of sanity.
The frankly bonkers plot follows two brothers. Kaas performs Anker, a financial institution robber whose loot is entrusted to his traumatized youthful brother Manfred (Mikkelsen). However by the point Kaas is launched from jail, Manfred — a former Viking obsessive — has been identified with dissociative id dysfunction. He now believes he’s John Lennon. To jog his reminiscence as to the place he saved the money, Kaas decides to discover a assortment of equally bothered sufferers — ones that assume they’re George, Ringo and Paul — and convey the Fab 4 again collectively.
For Mikkelsen and Lie Kaas, who’ve beforehand pushed Jensen’s model of lunatic sincerity in movies like Males & Rooster and Riders of Justice, The Final Viking was one other probability to dive headfirst into the insanity whereas protecting maintain of one thing actual. “The brother story was, I assumed, actually lovely,” Mikkelsen notes. “That method we may very well be allowed to do all of the madness, however we would have liked these anchors, these moments the place they noticed one another for who they have been.”
The Hollywood Reporter sat down with Mikkelsen and Lie Kaas to speak about why they maintain returning to Jensen’s universe, how they discovered the truth inside these excessive characters, and whether or not they’re workforce Beatles or workforce Abba.
What made you resolve to come back on to this totally nuts film? What in regards to the story pulled you in?
NIKOLAJ LIE KAAS For me, it was mainly the query about id and the way we now have to simply accept that we’re totally different individuals. We’re in the identical group, and we now have to coexist with all our variations. I feel it’s an excellent query to lift, and that was the primary purpose I noticed this as an excellent mission. We additionally talked in regards to the brothers and the way they’ve to simply accept one another as a result of they’ve this large distinction from the beginning.
MADS MIKKELSEN I used to be attracted to those guys, and since it’s Anders Thomas. This theme of being your self, as properly, however the brother story was, I assumed, actually lovely. We enhanced it, made certain it was the guts of the movie. That method, we may very well be allowed to do all of the madness, however we would have liked these anchors, these moments the place [the two brothers] noticed one another for who they have been.
KAAS As a result of Anders’ universe is so loopy, stuffed with all these wild personalities, we knew we needed to give attention to the bond. What’s their profound connection? That was the place we saved our consideration.
You’ve each pushed the bounds with Anders Thomas earlier than, in movies like Males & Rooster and Riders of Justice.
MIKKELSEN We’ve each gone to the sting of what’s potential with Anders. We’d even have crossed it a number of instances. Nevertheless it’s a pleasant place to be — in Anders’ universe, with buddies who know the way far to go. You are feeling comfy reaching for that restrict as a result of you already know they’ll pull you again if it’s an excessive amount of. I don’t assume I’d do this with another director.
How did you method Manfred — a grown man who thinks he’s John Lennon?
MIKKELSEN I approached him as a baby — a child seven, eight, 9 years outdated — with the identical impulses, the identical narcissism, and the identical sense of poetry and wonder in locations nobody else sees. That additionally makes him very tough to stay with. That knowledgeable all the pieces I did, how he strikes, how he talks, how he reacts to issues. He’s a man who tends to throw himself out of home windows when issues don’t go his method.
Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas in The Final Viking.
Courtesy of TrustNordisk
The movie touches on id and even id politics. How does that dialogue play out in Denmark, and the way does it connect with the movie?
MIKKELSEN Every thing that involves Denmark comes 5 years later, and with a smaller wave. So sure, the dialogue is there too. Nevertheless it hasn’t influenced my life in a giant method. It was crucial for the media to cope with it consistently for a interval. I don’t know if that’s why Anders made the movie however, for me, it’s not the primary theme. It’s extra the “hat” the movie is carrying. In case you make movies about politics — and also you simply referred to as it “id politics” — it’s boring. Every thing is boring when it’s about politics. It must be about human beings and their conduct. That’s the guts of a movie. Then you may put a political hat on high. However it will probably’t be the core.
KAAS I feel the movie raises a giant query mark in regards to the thought of id. It doesn’t make a press release. It asks: Can we settle for our variations? That’s so essential. Now we have to coexist. That’s the primary plan for everybody — to discover a method, as a result of all of us must be right here.
MIKKELSEN Precisely. And Anders additionally exhibits how shortly we construct partitions, as a result of any individual says, “They’re the issue.”
Which Beatle do you self-identify as?
MIKKELSEN Which one is alive? Ringo. I’d be Ringo.
KAAS I’d say the identical. He’s a very nice man; everyone talks about how good he’s. He appears to have one of the best time.
MIKKELSEN And he’s bought no grey hair.
KAAS Precisely. I’d select Ringo as properly.
A significant battle within the movie is between Abba and Beatles followers. Are you workforce Abba or workforce Beatles?
KAAS You possibly can’t put them up in opposition to one another.
MIKKELSEN Precisely — why does there must be a battle? They’re nice for various issues. We grew up with Abba and have been pleased with our neighbors making music that went international. However by way of the music itself, that’s actually as much as a musician to reply.
KAAS I like each worlds. You possibly can’t say one is healthier than the opposite.
What was probably the most enjoyable second on set?
MIKKELSEN The humorous factor is, for those who play the “straight man,” as Nikolaj does, then you definately’re standing subsequent to finish madness. That’s a tough job, since you’re not a part of it. Being in that madness is less complicated — you hardly ever crack up since you’re in that bubble. However being the one taking a look at it may be absurd.
KAAS Undoubtedly. However actually, we held it collectively higher on this one. On Males & Rooster, that was more durable. It’s a must to remind your self that these characters don’t see their world as absurd or comedic. That is actuality to them. That’s a very powerful factor in Anders’ movies — to maintain it actual, even within the midst of madness.
What makes Anders Thomas Jensen’s movies so totally different?
KAAS I don’t assume he has a selection, that’s how his thoughts works. In Denmark, numerous administrators envy the truth that he’s that daring. His storytelling has one thing of the fable about it. He creates his personal realm each time.
MIKKELSEN It’s there even in his first movie, Flickering Lights, that poetry was there. He didn’t actually get the credit score for it — individuals referred to as it a “boys’ movie.” However he’s all the time been coping with huge topics: Household, dying, life, God, Devil. Monumental issues. For him, the one solution to inform these tales with out being pretentious is to wrap them in madness. However inside there’s huge honesty and massive poetry. That’s what makes him distinctive.
A lot of Anders Thomas’ movies have been tailored into English. Do you assume his work interprets properly internationally?
KAAS That’s query. I’ve seen a few of his movies obtained within the U.S., and the method is totally totally different. His movies are typically obtained very in another way in several international locations. Even Canada receives them in another way from the U.S.. And I actually don’t know the way Sweden will take this one.
MIKKELSEN I as soon as accepted an award on his behalf for The Inexperienced Butchers. For Greatest Drama. Now, that movie is clearly not a drama. However that’s how they journey typically. Anders can be very wordy, and subtitles can solely seize possibly 30 % of it. These phrases are crucial to his universe. If individuals nonetheless just like the movie regardless of lacking that layer, then they’re getting one thing else out of it. Nevertheless it’s exhausting to say what.
KAAS That’s why I’m all the time curious to see what occurs overseas. And sure, possibly even somewhat apprehensive.
MIKKELSEN Particularly with Sweden. They’re so near us, but typically the institution there interprets issues very in another way. However I hope they’ll like it.
Talking of diversifications — Mads, one in every of your most acclaimed movies, One other Spherical, is being remade within the U.S. What are your ideas on that?
MIKKELSEN I’m effective with individuals doing it — so long as I don’t must. (Laughs.) I don’t know the way it works, actually. One other Spherical had a really particular Danish method: It seems at heavy consuming not by condemning it, however by discovering comedy in it. Discovering comedy within the drama with out making it right into a comedy. That tonality is difficult to copy. My concern is that they’ll flip it right into a straight comedy or a finger-wagging “don’t drink” story. But when they’ll’t discover the identical steadiness Thomas did, then why do it? Perhaps they’ll change it utterly. However then it turns into a special story.
You each work internationally however maintain returning to Denmark. What brings you again?
MIKKELSEN My language, my buddies, and this sort of storytelling. Anders Thomas’ movies are not like the rest. It’s simply good to come back residence. I like being overseas, however I like being residence too. To this point, I’m fortunate sufficient to do each.
KAAS For me, it’s particularly Anders Thomas. You don’t discover his sort of storytelling anyplace else. That’s a giant purpose to maintain working with him in Denmark.
