Our take
While best known for his provocative, existential dramas, Lars von Trier also made a provocative mini-series with surprising supernatural horror. Set at Denmark’s leading public hospital, The Kingdom takes familiar medical drama conflicts in handheld camera and sepia tone, but infused with an unsettling understanding of how the finest minds can fail, and how small science can feel in the face of the unexplained. That being said, the horror is much more wacky than spine-tingling or terrifying, but it’s played off through von Trier’s signature absurdism, taking a more humorous and sardonic approach. Riget may be an unexpected entry for those who have heard of von Trier, but it’s a must-watch for the auteur’s fans, showing a different side to the notorious director.
Synopsis
Set in the neurosurgical ward of Copenhagen's Rigshospitalet, the city and country's main hospital, nicknamed "Riget", a number of characters, staff and patients alike, encounter bizarre phenomena, both human and supernatural. This film is assembled from firsr season episodes of the Danish TV miniseries The Kingdom I. It does not include episodes from seasons 2 or 3.
Storyline
At the neurosurgical ward in Copenhagen’s Rigshospitalet, weird, inexplicable phenomena occur, leading the doctors to believe that the place is haunted.
TLDR
Maybe I shouldn’t have watched this the day before going to the doctor…
What stands out
The sepia tone. Usually sepia is used for nostalgic scenes of the past or perhaps historical scenes, but it’s an interesting contrast to the modern hospital.