It is really sad when reviewers can not get past their prejudices to objectively review a film. Yes there was a great first version. Yes there are the beloved books. However whether you love the film or not, it is not a 1 or 2! I saw with a group of diverse people and all very much enjoyed, including the teenagers. We saw beauty, drama, loss. Congrats to all involved.
22 Reviews
A new version of two classics
dakjets9 January 2023
I have recently seen the original films with Liv Ullmann and Max von Sydow, and now this one from 2021. And I have read the many negative reviews here.
I disagree with much of the negativity written here and elsewhere about this remake. Yes, it lacks Liv and Max, but Gustav Skarsgård and Sofia Helin make an honorable effort to show life in the Swedish countryside and what drove people to flee for a better life.
What the film suffers most from (and as most negative reviews point out) is that here are two major film works from 71/73 compressed into a new film. Then a lot is lost. Among other things, supporting roles we got to know in the original, as well as more about the pressures the couple faced when they arrived in their new homeland.
Considering that this is a remake, I think the film still manages to convey the message in a good way. And I think the actors manage and manage to convince me at least of how this life must have been. Besides, surely part of the point of the remake line is to show something in a new way? And not copy what already exists?
I disagree with much of the negativity written here and elsewhere about this remake. Yes, it lacks Liv and Max, but Gustav Skarsgård and Sofia Helin make an honorable effort to show life in the Swedish countryside and what drove people to flee for a better life.
What the film suffers most from (and as most negative reviews point out) is that here are two major film works from 71/73 compressed into a new film. Then a lot is lost. Among other things, supporting roles we got to know in the original, as well as more about the pressures the couple faced when they arrived in their new homeland.
Considering that this is a remake, I think the film still manages to convey the message in a good way. And I think the actors manage and manage to convince me at least of how this life must have been. Besides, surely part of the point of the remake line is to show something in a new way? And not copy what already exists?
Creating a nation
chamithkandamby7 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The main character of the movie is Kristina the beloved mother and wife who had a highest respect for the religious matters and the traditions of her nation. She carried an enormous burden for being a dutiful wife to her husband and to her Swedish society. And above all she was always act for her children's safety and wellbeing. But ultimately, she decided to let all the burden to be released and feel the life for the sake of herself.
There are so many movies about the early settlers in the America and the hardship they were gone through. The settlers migrate to this mystery land following a dream of creating a better life than they had before and end up creating a one of the most powerful nation in the world. Yes, the America was built by the brave fathers like Karl Oskar who would risk everything in his life for this journey and mothers like Kristina who would sacrifice everything she loved and ultimately even her life.
There are so many movies about the early settlers in the America and the hardship they were gone through. The settlers migrate to this mystery land following a dream of creating a better life than they had before and end up creating a one of the most powerful nation in the world. Yes, the America was built by the brave fathers like Karl Oskar who would risk everything in his life for this journey and mothers like Kristina who would sacrifice everything she loved and ultimately even her life.
A masterpiece
perswartz25 December 2021
Doesn't make the books justice
tobiasdernbrant21 January 2022
The story i way to complicated to cover in just over two hours. The story feels rushed and there is no time to build up the characters. Poppe has lade a lot of changes from the books for the worse. The actors for Karl-Oskar and kristina doesn't have any chemistry, it doesn't feel like the love story of the books at all.
Don't waste your time, read the books or watch the old films in stead.
Don't waste your time, read the books or watch the old films in stead.
Coming to America
Minnesota_Reid20 May 2022
This version of the classic story centers on the wife, rather than the husband, and it works very well. You get a real feel for the scariness and loneliness of being the first homesteader in an area. You also get a strong feel for the contradictions of a tight-knit faith community: its enforced conformity versus the sense of belonging.
I was surprised by the many negative reviews of this movie on IMDB. My only criticism was that the actor playing the husband was completely uncharismatic.
Good movie, recommended.
I was surprised by the many negative reviews of this movie on IMDB. My only criticism was that the actor playing the husband was completely uncharismatic.
Good movie, recommended.
DON'T watch this movie! Read the book or watch the musical!
rasmusalinks6 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I really, really wanted to love this movie, but I found myself angrier than I have ever been from watching a movie.
Imagine a movie adaptation of Romeo and Juliet where they skip the part when they met and fell in love, and focus the whole movie on them nagging in the kitchen. When they finally drink poison, you think that, hey, maybe it's for the best, I never really cared about those guys anyway, and they certainly didn't seem to like each other.
Look, I'm perfectly open to modern interpretations and new angles (Robert + Arvid = gay couple? Reversed roles between Karl-Oskar and Kristina to get a strong female lead?). But it must be a *well told* story!
This movie builds no suspense for anything which is exiting, dangerous or fantastic. The boat sequence is a good example. They go aboard. Next minute they are angry. Next minute a dead body is thrown over board. Next minute there is a party. Next minute more people are dead. Next minute there is a storm. Next minute they arrive. There is no suspense built and you don't feel any investment in the events, what so ever. The same theme applies to the whole movie. When it starts, it is already clear that they decided to emigrate. You don't get to follow their life, their love, their hardship except through short flashbacks which, again, fail to convey any kind of emotion. When their daughter dies, we don't really care because we don't really feel the hunger and despair which lead them there. When they arrive to America, it bares no meaning, since we don't feel what a change it is or what a horrible journey it has been. The list goes on.
The original story is an absolutely epic adventure with some incredibly lovable characters. Karl-Oskar is resourceful, but stubborn. He is always full of love for his wife and his children. Kristina is more worried, but also strong-willed, loving and ready to do anything for her children. Once in America she is home-sick and full of deep sorrow, but still cheered up by the gradual success of her family.
In the movie, Kristina is mostly a bitter, nag. She complains all the time, she won't hug her father goodbye, she betrays her best friend and at times she treats her children horribly. In one sequence she is worse than Mrs Dursely (Harry Potters foster mother) towards her daughter. The daughter runs away and then we get a looong sequence of Kristina sobbing and falling around in the forest looking for her (time better needed to build the story). She is portrayed as an unsympathetic, winey, weak girl. To me, this is a disgrace against the strong, deep, empathic female character portrayed both in the books and perhaps even more in the musical.
Karl-Oskar at least seems to care for the children, but on the other hand he keeps complaining to Kristina and to the other Swedes in America, like he has no social skills He is mainly working, in a grumpy mood.
Ulrika, which is an amazingly strong character in the books and the musical is rather lame (though admittedly better than the others).
The camera work is very strange. Most of the shots are very close and sometimes a single camera is used to cover a conversation, so it starts moving towards a character after he/she started talking. You almost get a bit seasick, and it generally feels rather claustrophobic. The camera is not used to tell the story or build suspense. There are 3 beautiful shots of the steam engine in the landscape in the middle, which are among the best things about the movie.
The acting is so-so. Sometimes it feels more like something from a theatre play than a movie. Sometimes it feels like a movie created by a drama high school class (but with a huge budget for clothes and props, which are generally good). It is hard to say if this is the actors' fault, though. It could be the direction, and most of all the script.
The script is the worst part. It is like they had the most amazing story to explore and then picked some segments from it at random and changed all the characters to unlikeable naggers. The title of the movie could have been "Random scenes from a couple who should have got divorced long ago, and their poor children".
They managed to make an epic story completely unepic. A loving story completely devoid of love. An interesting story completely boring.
Look how the Musical "Kristina from Duvemåla" managed to tell the whole story (*with* amazing music) and retain the full sense of world changing events, epic adventure, love, passion, hardship, despair, homesickness, and sorrow. To the musical I always cry in the end. To the movie I went home in anger and felt the need to write this massive warning to all of you.
It is a disgrace to name this movie "The Emigrants". It should have been stopped and revised many times, from the first draft of the script. Now I am afraid people who didn't read the book will watch this movie and think this is the essence of the story.
Imagine a movie adaptation of Romeo and Juliet where they skip the part when they met and fell in love, and focus the whole movie on them nagging in the kitchen. When they finally drink poison, you think that, hey, maybe it's for the best, I never really cared about those guys anyway, and they certainly didn't seem to like each other.
Look, I'm perfectly open to modern interpretations and new angles (Robert + Arvid = gay couple? Reversed roles between Karl-Oskar and Kristina to get a strong female lead?). But it must be a *well told* story!
This movie builds no suspense for anything which is exiting, dangerous or fantastic. The boat sequence is a good example. They go aboard. Next minute they are angry. Next minute a dead body is thrown over board. Next minute there is a party. Next minute more people are dead. Next minute there is a storm. Next minute they arrive. There is no suspense built and you don't feel any investment in the events, what so ever. The same theme applies to the whole movie. When it starts, it is already clear that they decided to emigrate. You don't get to follow their life, their love, their hardship except through short flashbacks which, again, fail to convey any kind of emotion. When their daughter dies, we don't really care because we don't really feel the hunger and despair which lead them there. When they arrive to America, it bares no meaning, since we don't feel what a change it is or what a horrible journey it has been. The list goes on.
The original story is an absolutely epic adventure with some incredibly lovable characters. Karl-Oskar is resourceful, but stubborn. He is always full of love for his wife and his children. Kristina is more worried, but also strong-willed, loving and ready to do anything for her children. Once in America she is home-sick and full of deep sorrow, but still cheered up by the gradual success of her family.
In the movie, Kristina is mostly a bitter, nag. She complains all the time, she won't hug her father goodbye, she betrays her best friend and at times she treats her children horribly. In one sequence she is worse than Mrs Dursely (Harry Potters foster mother) towards her daughter. The daughter runs away and then we get a looong sequence of Kristina sobbing and falling around in the forest looking for her (time better needed to build the story). She is portrayed as an unsympathetic, winey, weak girl. To me, this is a disgrace against the strong, deep, empathic female character portrayed both in the books and perhaps even more in the musical.
Karl-Oskar at least seems to care for the children, but on the other hand he keeps complaining to Kristina and to the other Swedes in America, like he has no social skills He is mainly working, in a grumpy mood.
Ulrika, which is an amazingly strong character in the books and the musical is rather lame (though admittedly better than the others).
The camera work is very strange. Most of the shots are very close and sometimes a single camera is used to cover a conversation, so it starts moving towards a character after he/she started talking. You almost get a bit seasick, and it generally feels rather claustrophobic. The camera is not used to tell the story or build suspense. There are 3 beautiful shots of the steam engine in the landscape in the middle, which are among the best things about the movie.
The acting is so-so. Sometimes it feels more like something from a theatre play than a movie. Sometimes it feels like a movie created by a drama high school class (but with a huge budget for clothes and props, which are generally good). It is hard to say if this is the actors' fault, though. It could be the direction, and most of all the script.
The script is the worst part. It is like they had the most amazing story to explore and then picked some segments from it at random and changed all the characters to unlikeable naggers. The title of the movie could have been "Random scenes from a couple who should have got divorced long ago, and their poor children".
They managed to make an epic story completely unepic. A loving story completely devoid of love. An interesting story completely boring.
Look how the Musical "Kristina from Duvemåla" managed to tell the whole story (*with* amazing music) and retain the full sense of world changing events, epic adventure, love, passion, hardship, despair, homesickness, and sorrow. To the musical I always cry in the end. To the movie I went home in anger and felt the need to write this massive warning to all of you.
It is a disgrace to name this movie "The Emigrants". It should have been stopped and revised many times, from the first draft of the script. Now I am afraid people who didn't read the book will watch this movie and think this is the essence of the story.
Great adaption of Mobergs masterpiece
cnspeeri26 December 2021
Embarrassing to watch
emiralkazhami4 March 2022
I sincerely believe this is the worst movie I ever have seen.
The original story is of love, determination, history and the hardships of life. I was hoping to find at least one of those characteristics in this movie, unfortunately that was not the case.
We're told the story off two childish and selfish individuals who constantly are nagging with each other over small irrelevant issues. The nagging takes focus over the story that moves forward somewhere in the background.
The lack of character building makes it so you simply don't care if the characters would get harmed or die.
The wierd conversations and the unreasonable reactions together with the bad script and acting makes you completely unconnected from the story throughout the movie.
The best way to describe this film is as a bad high school play with too much money.
The original story is of love, determination, history and the hardships of life. I was hoping to find at least one of those characteristics in this movie, unfortunately that was not the case.
We're told the story off two childish and selfish individuals who constantly are nagging with each other over small irrelevant issues. The nagging takes focus over the story that moves forward somewhere in the background.
The lack of character building makes it so you simply don't care if the characters would get harmed or die.
The wierd conversations and the unreasonable reactions together with the bad script and acting makes you completely unconnected from the story throughout the movie.
The best way to describe this film is as a bad high school play with too much money.
One of the best ones this year
kevinlindlago20 August 2022
Unnecessary film
multirational20 April 2022
A wonderful and exciting story of emigration to America
lotta-714768 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed the movie. Movie has different phases: The difficult times before the moving, the dangerous trip across the Atlantic and the challenges to build a new life in US - all these have their unique athmosphere and the viewer can feel their fear, passion, confusion and longing for better.
Beautifully filmed and acted. Especially Tove Lo's performance was excellent.
Movie of strong feelings.
Beautifully filmed and acted. Especially Tove Lo's performance was excellent.
Movie of strong feelings.
Pure waste of time - Watch the original movie instead!
vidar854 May 2022
I've both read the books and seen the original adaption of the books by Jan Troell. Now that adaptation has it all; great acting, evocative settings and fantastic cinematography. Amongst many things. This new adaptation lacks it all. Both Skarsgård and Carlehed (male and female lead) are theatrical in their acting, thus making their performance forced and unnatural. The pace in the narrative and shift of scenes is uneven. Crucial parts of the story telling that connects the plot and makes every piece fit together are missing.
The great side story about the brother of Karl-Oskar and his horrible trials in the new country has been cut out in its entirety. The characters developed by Poppe and the actors aren't credible and the acting is lacking honesty and vitality.
I started out with an open mind and with my hopes up. But ended up being disillusioned and embarrassed over how this great chance of doing something new and enriching was spoiled. Money and time wasted. Don't watch it, you are not missing out... Take the chance and enjoy the original adaption from 1971. It is still, so many years later a mind blowing masterpiece that makes you really appreciate how far we as Swedish people have come. And what a struggle our ancestors had to endure to bring us the high level of comfort and living we take for granted today.
The great side story about the brother of Karl-Oskar and his horrible trials in the new country has been cut out in its entirety. The characters developed by Poppe and the actors aren't credible and the acting is lacking honesty and vitality.
I started out with an open mind and with my hopes up. But ended up being disillusioned and embarrassed over how this great chance of doing something new and enriching was spoiled. Money and time wasted. Don't watch it, you are not missing out... Take the chance and enjoy the original adaption from 1971. It is still, so many years later a mind blowing masterpiece that makes you really appreciate how far we as Swedish people have come. And what a struggle our ancestors had to endure to bring us the high level of comfort and living we take for granted today.
How to destroy an epic masterpiece
spunkkalle12 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This movie has slaughtered the books an original series of Moberg just to update the story and strengthen the female characters and the diversity. The hooker is the smartest, the native Indians are helpful and peaceful. Alfred is true feminist. I am sorry but I am not a big fan of woke movies changing the reality of life in the old days.
The story of utvandrarna can't be compressed into a 2 hours movie without loosing connection to the characters and their struggles in life.
The story of utvandrarna can't be compressed into a 2 hours movie without loosing connection to the characters and their struggles in life.
Thumbs down!
elvis_sturesson25 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Worst movie I've ever seen. Missing a lot in the movie, which was in the book. Like, for example, Karl-Oskar's brother Robert and his friend Arvid or Kristina's uncle Danjel. Lucky I have the original films with Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann.
Terrible movie!
Terrible movie!
Terrible acting
diddo-6706017 July 2022
It is not the story you think of
mynameisniclas27 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This movie promises alot since it has borrowed its name from the epic story by V. Moberg. Although some of the characters from his book are in the film, this is another story, which is much much thinner.
Maybe it is unfair to compare with the books or the original movies from the 70s but I think this story really sucks. Filming and audio is better than the original so I give that an extra star.
Also, when you got the opportunity to make this film, you cast people with a strong, totally wrong swedish dialect that makes no sense, also, both Karl-Oskar and Kristina have bad personalities in this movie compared to the original story; removing the very important characters Danjel Andreasson and Robert/Arvid was also a mistake.
Maybe it is unfair to compare with the books or the original movies from the 70s but I think this story really sucks. Filming and audio is better than the original so I give that an extra star.
Also, when you got the opportunity to make this film, you cast people with a strong, totally wrong swedish dialect that makes no sense, also, both Karl-Oskar and Kristina have bad personalities in this movie compared to the original story; removing the very important characters Danjel Andreasson and Robert/Arvid was also a mistake.
It hurts..
peterkristiansson22 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'm so sad how they brutally destoyed the books and older serie. I could explain every small part that doesn't make sense or are worse then that, but I don't want to waste more time.
Don't watch this if you expect things from the past..
Don't watch this if you expect things from the past..
Ruined the books
sofia_stenroos18 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This film basically tried making a two hour movie out of four epic books, and failed miserably. The story is so convoluted that the only premise left from the books is that they emigrate from Sweden to America. Characters are cut, rearranged and now only the first couple emigrates. The moviemakers have basically ruined these books.
They've missed the deep meanings of the books and all its themes, and the characters are shallow shells of their formers selves. I absolutely hated this film from the moment I started watching it, and they're so far off how the books were written it's not even funny. I've never hated a movie adaptation of a book more than I hated this. Congratulations, you've ruined a masterpiece.
Watch the old version or the musical instead, those capture the books very well, unlike this garbage.
They've missed the deep meanings of the books and all its themes, and the characters are shallow shells of their formers selves. I absolutely hated this film from the moment I started watching it, and they're so far off how the books were written it's not even funny. I've never hated a movie adaptation of a book more than I hated this. Congratulations, you've ruined a masterpiece.
Watch the old version or the musical instead, those capture the books very well, unlike this garbage.
Historically Innacurate, Poorly Written & Acted.
Betzenberg9822 November 2022
As a Swedish-American from Chisago County who grew up loving Moberg's books and the Troell films, this film was an absolute shame to watch! It misses nearly every mark, from the filming locations to the acting and sequencing. Somehow, the characters of Karl Oskar and Kristina were made completely lifeless. All of Moberg's research and painstaking efforts from the 1940's that helped create an authentic version of the Swedish immigrant story gets thrown out of the window! Why are we shown huge mountain ranges, steep valleys, and waterways that bare no resemblance to Minnesota and the upper midwest? The actors failed to shed their 21st century mannerisms, unlike Max Von Sydow, Liv Ullman, and the rest of the original cast who were able to play the time period. It was like watching a bunch of high school kids with a sugar high put on a play for their parents. Awful film!
How to spoil a great book and an awesome movie.
gustafgusjonsson12 December 2022
The scenery and setting was great but then it died...
The old movie showed a great journey and hardship from poverty and religious persucation to finding a new home and freedom and oportunities.
This new movie didn´t feel finished. It limited everything, made it all about Kristinas choices when there were several that was important. Random flashbacks, sound and picture settings that made it out like a horror movie. Characters from the book that was very important for the story were completely left out.
To be fair, if it had been a completely new movie that was made without using Mobergs books to get attention it would´ve been average at best. Now it´s just a lousy adaptation of a great movie and even greater books.
There is no need at all to watch this when there are a way way way better version that actually captures the book and the journey and hardship. This was just...just...meh!
The old movie showed a great journey and hardship from poverty and religious persucation to finding a new home and freedom and oportunities.
This new movie didn´t feel finished. It limited everything, made it all about Kristinas choices when there were several that was important. Random flashbacks, sound and picture settings that made it out like a horror movie. Characters from the book that was very important for the story were completely left out.
To be fair, if it had been a completely new movie that was made without using Mobergs books to get attention it would´ve been average at best. Now it´s just a lousy adaptation of a great movie and even greater books.
There is no need at all to watch this when there are a way way way better version that actually captures the book and the journey and hardship. This was just...just...meh!
Painfully poor production
dariandemierre16 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is my first ever single star review... normally I can find some sort of redeeming quality for just about any production, but finally I'm stumped. Perhaps one star for the theme of this film, which enticed me to waste almost 3 hours of my life.
I don't think I've ever sat through anything more tedious and irritating. In fact, I had to leave 20 minutes before the end as it was getting so much on my nerves. The producer and director demonstrated all the competence of a middle school drama class - they couldn't succeed better in creating a more inane and pretentious piece of garbage.
A good start would be attention to detail: there are no prairies en route NY to Minnesota, and no, you can't see the mountainscape of Montana from Minnesota either - even on a clear day. Another tip, native North American tribes don't learn Swedish at school - it's not intuitive that Swedish immigrants would insist at speaking Swedish with them when in distress.
Perhaps worst of all, these incessent out of focus close-ups on the main female character as she babbled lines of self-involved nonsense... that's not drama, that's an indicator of incompetent scene direction.
I don't think I've ever sat through anything more tedious and irritating. In fact, I had to leave 20 minutes before the end as it was getting so much on my nerves. The producer and director demonstrated all the competence of a middle school drama class - they couldn't succeed better in creating a more inane and pretentious piece of garbage.
A good start would be attention to detail: there are no prairies en route NY to Minnesota, and no, you can't see the mountainscape of Montana from Minnesota either - even on a clear day. Another tip, native North American tribes don't learn Swedish at school - it's not intuitive that Swedish immigrants would insist at speaking Swedish with them when in distress.
Perhaps worst of all, these incessent out of focus close-ups on the main female character as she babbled lines of self-involved nonsense... that's not drama, that's an indicator of incompetent scene direction.
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