AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Plustown
A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
Anoushka Slater
While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
stevenbeales
If you get a chance to watch this TV series, please do so as you will be well rewarded. More bizarre than Twin Peaks, this series of 8 episodes is eerie and unsettling throughout, always surprising you with the next unexpected, supernatural revelation. It is an early showcase for the talent Von Trier was to show in his later movies and contains many unforgettable characters from Stig Helmer to Udo Kier's baby calling for its mama to the precognitive Down's syndrome children.Stephen King's American remake Kingdom Hospital doesn't hold a candle to Von Trier's original.
Jackson Booth-Millard
From director Lars Von Trier (Breaking the Waves, Dogville), I spotted this Danish language title in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, so it was slightly strange to find out it was a mini TV series, but then again The Ten Commandments, also included, was a series as well, I was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer. It should be noted that this is the first of two series, the second called The Kingdom II, there was supposed to be a third and final series that would conclude all the story lines and answer all the questions, but one of the leading stars died, and as a result the series was cancelled, and it doesn't look like there will be a conclusion, but in a way, that sort of makes it more significant, maybe like Twin Peaks kind of stuff. Basically the series is set in a hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, called Rigshospitalet but better known as The Kingdom, it is the most technologically advanced hospital with quality medical science, many patients are cared for on the grounds and there is a good amount of staff. Throughout the show there are many strange things going on, such as a possible haunting, spirits or poltergeists of young patients appearing and disappearing, voices echoing through elevator shafts and corridors, two dishwashers who both have Downs Syndrome, and a female doctor becomes pregnant with the unborn child developing much faster than is natural. The main characters of the show include spiritualist patient Sigrid Drusse (Kirsten Rolffes), pathology professor Palle Bondo (Baard Owe) and recent appointee neurosurgeon Stig Helmer (Ernst-Hugo Järegård), and other characters include Rigmor Mortensen (Ghita Nørby), Jørgen Krogshøj (Søren Pilmark), Dr. Einar Moesgaard (Holger Juul Hansen), Mary Krüger (Annevig Schelde Ebbe), Bulder Harly Drusse (Jens Okking) and Porter Hansen (Otto Brandenburg). I will be honest and say that I could not follow any of the story lines going on, because I had to concentrate on the foreign language subtitles, and it was hard to follow the bizarre events, but I could certainly enjoy it being a little scary, freaky and in many moments funny, the rapid pregnancy and ending with the birth of the alien baby was the most fun to watch, so it was an interesting black comedy horror thriller. Very good!
Graham Greene
At the time of seeing the first series of The Kingdom (1994), and then later the second series (1997), the only films of Lars von Trier that I was familiar with were Breaking the Waves (1996) and Dancer in the Dark (2000). Certainly, I would rate both of these particular films incredibly well; however, after having seen some of von Trier's other films - such as his earlier, self-referential masterworks The Element of Crime (1984) and Europa (1991), and his more confrontational films The Idiots (1997) and Dogville (2003) - I can begin to better appreciate the context of which The Kingdom fits into his career as a whole.Really, The Kingdom is a transitional work between the visually elaborate and enigmatic films that made up the bulk of his work from 1983-1991, and the second, more celebrated phase of his career that saw the drafting of the Dogme 95 manifesto and the more minimal, forward thinking films of the last ten years. On the one hand, The Kingdom shows the early influence of Dogme with the use of hand-held cinematography and multi-camera cross-cutting, as well as the use of actual locations and the more naturalistic elements of the performances. Nevertheless, at the same time it brings to mind ideas familiar from The Element of Crime and the earlier self-reflexive, meta-textual horror/satire of Epidemic (1988), with the references to ghosts, death and an all encompassing, age-old evil. However, unlike any of his work for cinema - which often has a broader intent and more rigid sense of experimentation - The Kingdom is meant, first and foremost, as a work of pure entertainment. There's none of the more obvious sense of cinematic experimentation, polemic or emotional manipulation used so skilfully in his feature-length work, with the story instead relying on great characters, moments of absurd or entirely deadpan humour, and a continual sense of mystery and suspense.The Kingdom II picks up where the first series left off, and yes, it is vital that you see the first series before embarking on the second or you'll have no idea what is going on! Basically, it's more of the same, albeit it, much funnier than the first and with more violence. The ghosts - as you should remember from the first series - are now free to take a greater precedence over the plot, as Mrs Drusse fights her own illness, teetering on the brink of life and death but still trying to discover the secrets of the hospital. Elsewhere, von Trier regular, the late Ernst-Hugo Järegård, returns as the malevolent Dr Helmer, who becomes even more of a central figure to the proceedings as Dr. Moesgaard is forced into therapy. The real treasure of the cast however is Udo Kier, who not only returns as the evil Aage Krüger, but also as Little Brother, Judith's deformed baby, and spiritual brother to the tormented Mary Jenson.Because at least three of the principal actors have died since the completion of the second series, the question is; will there ever be an end? The last episode ends, much like the final episode to the first series, with a cliff-hanger. Lars' intention was that there would be a third series, making the Kingdom an effective trilogy. However, the plan has no doubt been scrapped given the loss of lead performers. Although neither instalment of the series offers any kind of ultimate closure, they still offer a great deal of entertainment; with the bold and atmospheric direction of von Trier and his assistant Morten Arnfred creating tension, terror and an eerie atmosphere that complements the dark aspects of the series perfectly.
Suomi_perkele
"Danskjävlar!" An arrogant Swedish doctor Stig Helmer has a new job in a hospital in Copenhagen that they call "Riget" or in English "the Kingdom". It was build on an old swamp and a gate hell is opening slowly. Things creepy as hell are starting to happen and everything isn't right in "Riget". Once you jump into Riget's world - you'll can't stop loving it.Lars von Trier truly is a genius. Not many people can put so much stuff in one hour. The mystery, the horror, the drama and the comedy in Riget are really something completely different. Acting is great. The mood is fantastic. The "expressionless" comedy of von Trier's mastermind reminds me a lot of the Finnish comedy, except I've never liked Finnish stuff so much as Riget. Riget walks behind other master - David Lynch, but still stands by itself. Well I really can't but it into words - watch Riget and you'll see something you'll never see again. Well, I'm speechless. The greatest Nordic TV-show ever and one the greatest all over the world. I'm proud to be Nordic. Now - when will we Finnish have Riget in DVD? I could buy Danish import which has Finnish subtitles but it would be a real culture act to publish Riget in Finland. Then more people could watch this masterpiece.Extremely highly recommended.
