I had heard many a rumbling about this film for a good year but opportunities to see it seemed to escape me for what seemed liked an eternity. Quietly lauded and then seemingly forgotten I was very pleased to see FORCE MAJEURE get a theatrical release (albeit a limited one) and even more pleased to see it was made by one Ruben Ostlund, the director responsible for the bleak Play: a stark examination of the Darwin-esque world of Swedish adolescence that follows a group of North African immigrant teenagers mug and then psychologically torment another grouper of younger white kids. Rather than just focusing on how cruel children can be to one another, the film is a clever dialogue about race relations as the countless adults witness to what is happening rarely intervene for fear of being labelled racist and insensitive to the assumed plight of the bullies (they’re black so they must be poor). While not about race and class, Force Majeure continues Ostlund’s interest in the human need to be seen to be doing the right thing even if it’s against your natural instinct. This time round the film looks at ideas of masculinity. While Play looks at the battles in an urban playground, Force Majeure pits this human trait against nature. And nature wins.

During a controlled avalanche, there is momentary panic among guests of an exclusive ski resort as it appears that the avalanche has gotten out of control and is heading towards them. In the panic Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke), a husband and father of two grabs his iphone and scarpers leaving his wife and kids to their fate. When it’s discovered that there’s nothing to worry about the snow heading towards them is in fact just fog, Tomas returns to the table apparently unfazed by his actions and Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli), his wife’s, silent disgust. She is further infuriated with him when he ardently denies what he did rather than to admit to the perceived cowardice. The film follows the fallout from the event and Tomas as he collapses under the internal conflict between his  ideals of masculinity and his natural instinct and reveals to himself and his family that he is essentially a child – a very selfish one – at that.

The cinematography is what imposes itself on the audience first. Beautifully shot and narratively essential, the holiday destination for the rich symbolises the precarious structure of their lives. There are multiple night scenes of trucks and controlled explosions that serve to restore the picturesque scenes to perfection ready for the morning. But there is forever a rumbling of tension that threatens to explode and destroy all appearances. Which is pretty much what happens to the lives of the film’s central characters. They’re a good looking, young healthy family, seemingly content if one were to buy the film’s opening scene of their photos being taken by the resort photographer. It’s pretty evident that this is not the case quite early on the film so it’s no real surprise when the avalanche incident happens. Although it’s still spectacularly shot and the ongoing fallout a splendidly uncomfortable experience. Tomas’ attitude is not really much of a shock to the audience as he displays a distracted almost indifferent attitude to his family, even though there is love there. But it makes for glorious fun to watch Ebba’s growing disgust in her husband as the film progresses and his denial continues.

It all comes to a head when they are telling their experience to friends Mats (Kristofer Hivju looks like an actual viking. I kept waiting for the sword to appear and some sort of war cry. That’s what vikings did right?) and Fanni who enter the film as mild comic relief. While this part does weigh down the film somewhat with its talkiness, it also serves to extend the film’s themes to not just be so idiosyncratically about one man’s behaviour but to open up the idea of masculinity in general as the couple descend into arguing about what they would have done in a similiar situtation exploring the idea that age, build, intellect may all impact the decisions that one makes. It’s also telling the male’s perspective on masculinity, particularly the amount of denial that comes with a man not living up to the ideals of masculinity with Mats who becomes Tomas’ confidant tries to explain away Tomas’ behaviour by using the analogy that when there is a plan crashing that the parent or alpha person should put their oxygen masks on first so that they can be conscious and able to help children or those less able to help themselves. And in some ways Tomas was doing the same. He saved himself so that as protector he would return to dig out and rescue his family.

The acting is superb across the board but I especially enjoyed the performance of Lisa Loven Kongsli  as Ebba. A range of emotion is displayed that had me initially wary of her to sympathising with her realisation of her growing disappointment in the man she vowed to spend her life with. I especially like her scenes with Vera an unapologetic single mother who appears to be having the time of her life working her way through the eligible men at the resort. Vera embodies Ostlund’s assertion that not giving a toss about how society perceives you can be freeing. The two ladies tete-a-tetes provide a fruitful battle ground between these two standpoints as Ebba argues that Vera’s behaviour is selfish and unseemly, just like her husband. The idea that if everyone behaved in such individualistic way then society would fall apart. But Vera’s eloquent response firmly grounds Ostlund’s point of view on the matter; who does it really benefit always doing what others expect of you? And who are the others? Why do they need to be appeased all the time? And are people like Ebba who like to think themselves as selfless and sacrificial truly happy or rather envious of people like Vera?

The children are also good. Astutely aware of their father’s behaviour they take a different route displaying their disapproval of their father through looks and the occassional aggressive dismissal which to me cut deeper than the numerous conversations Ebba has with friends and her husband because there is no diplomacy in their reaction. A child’s reaction is pure and instinctive. It’s truly from the heart. That’s why I find children frightening. Their reactions to things are so visceral that if I were in Tomas’ position I would have just thrown myself off a mountain and be done with it.

Similarly open ended like Play but a little more defined and conclusive in opinion as Tomas is given an opportunity to redeem himself in his and his family’s eyes and ends with him seemingly more accepting of his real self as he accepts a cigarette from somebody while his son exclaims in amazement “You smoke Dad?” to which Tomas calmly states that he does. It seems Tomas and his family are learning to extradite themselves a little from the obsession of appearance being everything.

Force Majeure is a fantastic piece of filmmaking. Equal parts thrilling, equal parts visceral, the ripping bare of human nature is a sight to behold. Masterfully directed Ostlund has fully confirmed himself a formidable presence in filmmaking.

FORCE MAJEURE is currently on limited release in select cinemas across the UK.