King of Devil's Island

Review by Anthony Morris

The year is 1915, and sailor Erling (Benjamin Helstad) has been shipped off to Christian reform school on Devil’s Island off the coast of Norway. There the governor Bestyreren (Stellan Skarsgård) rules over a community of boys punished with hard labour and abused by the people supposed to care for them.

After six years of obedience Olav (Trond Nilssen) is set to be released in a few weeks, but being exposed to Erling’s scorn for the island and its rules – the first thing he does is plan an escape, even if no-one's successfully left the island before – opens his eyes to just how inhumane the system he's become a part of is, and when the abuse one of the boys is suffering becomes obvious he's torn between finally being freed and standing up for what he knows is right.

This isn’t an over-the-top tale by any means. Instead it’s a picture of a life that crushes by constant low-level brutality and cruelty without cause or reason.

The bleak, snow-covered island is a perfect setting for this grim existence, while the cast is excellent throughout – Helstad is perfect as a thug who’s blunt views on life prove to have merit, while Nilssen is just as good at showing his character’s growing moral awakening.

Grim tales of a child’s harsh up-bringing aren’t hard to find on film, but this one stands out for all the right reasons.

It’s hauntingly effective.

4 out of 5

King of Devil's Island
Australian release: 3rd May, 2012
Official Site: King of Devil's Island
Cast: Stellan Skarsgård, Benjamin Helstad and Kristoffer Joner
Director: Marius Holst