Good example of Arty Slow

The filmaking is excellent, Ingvar Sigurdsson's performance as the brooding Ingimundur carries the film along and the granddaughter (Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir) is also very good.

At times the arty-slow pace becomes almost tedious, but never quite tips over into self-parody. There are  a few oddities in the story-line which slightly mar the overall effect - but mostly these only become apparent when thinking about it afterwards as the film manages to gloss over them with its own logic.

Very reminiscent in style and pace of both The County (another Icelandic film) and Leviathan (Zvyagintsev's film set in Northern Russia) - if you enjoyed either of those you'll probably like this (and vice versa).

A Delicious Cocktail

A film that almost defies categorisation. Obvious elements of the Western, tinges of thriller and horror, all in all an tasty cocktail. From the opening there is something strange going on and you are never quite sure where it is going next (in a good way). Maybe ultimately it is about the power of community.