Congratulations for the movie of Bamse and the Thunderbell. And finally, Bamse and Friends will be on the tourists to America. I'm proud of Bamse and Friends in Sweden to America. That's the 100% Bamse film series all the way to U.S.A. to screening in the U.S. big screen! :)
2 Reviews
The latest Bamse movie explores Man's eternal struggle, while avoiding the 'dumbing down' seen in, for example, the 'How to Train Your Dragon' movie.
biotech930 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
In HTTYD, the books saw a horrific butchering in the transition to screen. The biggest example being how Hiccup in the books is easily outshone by Snotlout, the biggest, baddest and best of the Vikings in his class, but in the movies it would be impossible to have another character who was somehow *better* than the main character. How complicated would that be? How would we even know who to root for? In the movie Snotlout is clumsy, short, and stupid, Fishlegs is basically erased as a character, and a quick love-interest is pulled out of nowhere for Hiccup to win.
Bamse and his gang avoid this cheap 'Hollywoodification', and in a poignant adventure stay true to their roots while exploring complex themes.
Spoilers below!
In this movie, rather than make Bamse into some kind of Ubermensch Super hero, Bamse remains a little simple. Incredibly strong with his thunderhoney, and deeply selfless and kind, but without Skalman there to be his advisor when the thunderhoney can't be made any more, he wastes his last three jars chasing Reinard's phoney exploits, and is left defenceless when Reinard's out of control machinations lead to the devastating forest fire. Without his Skalman and Liljeskutt, he is easily outmaneuvered by Reinard.
And the rest of the gang stay true to their roots too, Skutt using his fantastic speed and nimble feet, as well as overcoming his fear, Skalman planning everything and rushing Stoically when needs must (their relationship, beautifully explored during the match on Victoria, delights).
However, the entire movie takes backstage to Reinards arc with Mickelina.
Their story, Reinards struggle against his dark nature for her love, takes centre stage. Of course if Reinard chose to attract her with his normal subterfuge, he would probably easily succeed, but for whatever reason he can't seem to do what he does naturally with *everyone* else, even his own gang, and lie. For example he clumsily offers to steal her an apple, but this is no mistake, Reinard has shown his ability to recover from such mistaken reveals before (as when he mistakenly mentions Mickelina to the gang), but in this moment where he reveals his true nature to Mickelina he doesn't even attempt to cover it up. Here was an opportunity of a relationship based on honesty and trust, and the offer of the stolen apple seems to be an action beyond his control, to truly expose himself to Mickelina. He struggles throughout the movie to build that relationship.
Does he succeed? No, ultimately he is rejected (even after his dramatic rescue of Mickelina in the forest fire-scene) because of his behaviour with the gang against Bamse. Mickelina knows the value of loyalty.
And although at first I felt like this was a kind of cop-out, that Reinards struggle ought to have been rewarded by 'Winning the girl', and that at the end of the movie his failure to develop was just a way to preserve the Bamse universe. After all, Reinard is essentially the last real nemesis in the village for Bamse (except, of course... for the 800 lb Vole in the room...). Additionally to do a 'Svart Vargen' on him feels redundant, would he just be a reboot of the black wolf, with a love interest?
However, after multiple, multiple viewings, the final scene of the movie made everything fall into place.
Reinard, alone his Mickleborg, flings the golden key at a wall, while cursing Bamse's name. He fails to identify the real cause of his downfall, himself, and fixates on Bamse as the cause of his failure. This failure to face up his issues is what is being examined in 'Bamse och Dunderklockan', the classic internal versus external fight. It is Reinard that cannot face up to the fact that he is his own worst enemy, highlighted in that final scene as the key bounces back off the wall into his face.
However much he blames Bamse, ultimately he caused his own downfall with his moral choices.
Considering how the Bamse films have progressed, and the care taken in building up the deep, complex world of Bamse in these high quality animations, 'Dunderklockan', 'Witches daughter' and of course, the fantastic 'Thief City', it will be interesting to see how this development of Reinard is carried forward.
His struggle, while unsuccessful, is foreshadowed in the Skalman/Liljeskutt chess scene, where Skutt's loss is at once appreciated by Skalman, but also anticipated in a way. 'You can still lose, even after being brave and trying'.
Reinard fails, but his struggle reflects our own struggles, Sisyphean.
Bamse and his gang avoid this cheap 'Hollywoodification', and in a poignant adventure stay true to their roots while exploring complex themes.
Spoilers below!
In this movie, rather than make Bamse into some kind of Ubermensch Super hero, Bamse remains a little simple. Incredibly strong with his thunderhoney, and deeply selfless and kind, but without Skalman there to be his advisor when the thunderhoney can't be made any more, he wastes his last three jars chasing Reinard's phoney exploits, and is left defenceless when Reinard's out of control machinations lead to the devastating forest fire. Without his Skalman and Liljeskutt, he is easily outmaneuvered by Reinard.
And the rest of the gang stay true to their roots too, Skutt using his fantastic speed and nimble feet, as well as overcoming his fear, Skalman planning everything and rushing Stoically when needs must (their relationship, beautifully explored during the match on Victoria, delights).
However, the entire movie takes backstage to Reinards arc with Mickelina.
Their story, Reinards struggle against his dark nature for her love, takes centre stage. Of course if Reinard chose to attract her with his normal subterfuge, he would probably easily succeed, but for whatever reason he can't seem to do what he does naturally with *everyone* else, even his own gang, and lie. For example he clumsily offers to steal her an apple, but this is no mistake, Reinard has shown his ability to recover from such mistaken reveals before (as when he mistakenly mentions Mickelina to the gang), but in this moment where he reveals his true nature to Mickelina he doesn't even attempt to cover it up. Here was an opportunity of a relationship based on honesty and trust, and the offer of the stolen apple seems to be an action beyond his control, to truly expose himself to Mickelina. He struggles throughout the movie to build that relationship.
Does he succeed? No, ultimately he is rejected (even after his dramatic rescue of Mickelina in the forest fire-scene) because of his behaviour with the gang against Bamse. Mickelina knows the value of loyalty.
And although at first I felt like this was a kind of cop-out, that Reinards struggle ought to have been rewarded by 'Winning the girl', and that at the end of the movie his failure to develop was just a way to preserve the Bamse universe. After all, Reinard is essentially the last real nemesis in the village for Bamse (except, of course... for the 800 lb Vole in the room...). Additionally to do a 'Svart Vargen' on him feels redundant, would he just be a reboot of the black wolf, with a love interest?
However, after multiple, multiple viewings, the final scene of the movie made everything fall into place.
Reinard, alone his Mickleborg, flings the golden key at a wall, while cursing Bamse's name. He fails to identify the real cause of his downfall, himself, and fixates on Bamse as the cause of his failure. This failure to face up his issues is what is being examined in 'Bamse och Dunderklockan', the classic internal versus external fight. It is Reinard that cannot face up to the fact that he is his own worst enemy, highlighted in that final scene as the key bounces back off the wall into his face.
However much he blames Bamse, ultimately he caused his own downfall with his moral choices.
Considering how the Bamse films have progressed, and the care taken in building up the deep, complex world of Bamse in these high quality animations, 'Dunderklockan', 'Witches daughter' and of course, the fantastic 'Thief City', it will be interesting to see how this development of Reinard is carried forward.
His struggle, while unsuccessful, is foreshadowed in the Skalman/Liljeskutt chess scene, where Skutt's loss is at once appreciated by Skalman, but also anticipated in a way. 'You can still lose, even after being brave and trying'.
Reinard fails, but his struggle reflects our own struggles, Sisyphean.
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