Wilk

I'm glad I watched Wolf, a solid Nordic film that turned out to be more than just a story about chasing a wolf across the remote northern wilderness. What starts off seeming like a simple man vs. nature tale quickly dives into the absurdity of a Swedish law that forbids killing wolves due to their low population. Violating this law could land you in prison for up to four years. It's interesting—and maybe a little reassuring—to see that it's not just my country that has its share of ridiculous laws. Turns out Sweden, and other surrounding nations, have their own baffling regulations too. What I really appreciated was how the filmmakers tackled this issue with a hard-hitting approach that only Scandinavian cinema seems to nail. The ending? Purely Nordic—brutal, but also a stark reminder of how life really is. You’ve got to fight your battles, and sometimes you just have to live with the reality that things aren’t going to change. I don't envy those who have to manage reindeer herds in the north. Those frustrating Swedish laws might just wipe out their entire way of life before long. (02.05.2012)