Movie Title: The Wave (Bølgen)
Genre: Disaster, Action, Drama, Mystery
Writer: John Kåre Raake, Harald Rosenløw-Eeg
Starring: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro, Edith Haagenrud-Sande, Fridtjov Såheim, Thomas Bo Larsen, Mette Horn, Herman Bernhoft, Arthur Berning, Silje Breivik, Laila Goody, Eili Harboe
Review: A Norwegian geologist (Kristoffer Joner) and his family (Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro, Edith Haagenrud-Sande) fight for survival when a massive landslide causes a 250-foot tidal wave that threatens to wipe out the entire town of Geiranger, Norway.
The Wave, or Bølgen, was Norway's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. Although it failed to be nominated, it is an interesting disaster movie that succeeds in captivating the audience considering the somewhat formulaic genre that it belongs. Disaster movies are generally straightforward in the sense that there is an impending catastrophic event that threatens the livelihood of everyone it can reach. What sets The Wave apart from many of these other films is that it's set in a Norwegian fjord. The setting for this film is gorgeous, and one that isn't typically depicted in many of the movies that I've seen. This film really benefits from the natural beauty of the Norwegian landscape, but I also applaud it for the character development and the ability to build suspense despite the inevitability of the disaster. This film gives you an idea straight away of the type of disaster that is going to terrorize the characters: A 250-foot tidal wave that leaves the citizens of Geiranger, Norway just about 10 minutes to find high ground or get the hell out. I was on the edge of my seat throughout, and I really cared about the characters I was watching. The Eikjord family in particular, endure their fair share of conflict earlier in the film. With seemingly brighter pastures ahead, I rooted hard for them to reunite with one another. I felt the terror that each character felt as they fought to survive while also protecting those they love. This film also leaves you with no inclination on who survives and who doesn't, and that makes for a more captivating watch. My biggest criticism is that this film took a while to get off the ground. It was a slow burn, but once the wave unleashes itself, the film really takes off. In the end, this film gripped me, kept me eager with anticipation, and tugged at my heartstrings. I highly recommend this film for any fans of disaster flicks!
Fun Fact: The film's basic premise is not fictional. The mountain is in constant motion and will fall sooner or later. Director Roar Uthaug: "This will actually happen there one day. There is a crack in the mountainside out in the fjord, and it keeps expanding each year and at some point it will cause a huge rockslide into the fjord and they will have 10 minutes before the wave reaches Geiranger. So we wanted to stay true to the facts - to what geologists think will be the facts one day."