THE STORY – As a result of the legal purge, Vidkun Quisling is sentenced to death for his collaboration with Nazi Germany during their occupation of Norway and is held in Akershus Prison as he awaits execution. Meanwhile, minister Peder Olsen is tasked with attempting to have Quisling condemn his actions, leading to a mental and spiritual war between the two men.
THE CAST – Gard B. Eidsvold, Anders Danielsen Lie, Lisa Carlehed & Lisa Loven Kongsli
THE CREW – Erik Poppe (Director), Anna Bache-Wiig, Siv Rajendram Eliassen & Ravn Lanesskog (Writers)
THE RUNTIME – 146 minutes
In the aftermath of the collapsing German war effort during World War II, allies of the Nazi Party became exposed. Hitler’s death left many under his protection wondering what would come next. One ally of the Third Reich, Minister-President of the National Government of Norway, Vidkun Quisling, soon turns himself into the police as a display of peace, only to realize the process isn’t as ceremonial as he expected. “Quisling – The Final Days” follows the aftermath of Quisling’s arrest and how he slowly comes to grips with the consequences of the crimes he committed. The film is carried by an exceptional performance by Gard B. Eidsvold, who transforms into our titular character and brings Quisling’s narcissistic and larger-than-life personality to the screen. It’s absorbing to watch a man so filled with hubris slowly chip away at himself as he begins to realize that he’s only getting closer to his eventual demise.
Filmmaker Erik Poppe’s approach to Quisling’s life, while inquisitive, attempts to share no sympathy for the man despite him being the story’s central figure. The film is never shy to overtly remind audiences of Qusiling’s association with Hitler and the atrocities committed by the Nazis. In fact, he frames the film at times like a horror film. Poppe’s direction sells some of the more horror elements attributed to Quisling’s mental state during his incarceration as audiences see Quisling slowly becoming enveloped with his demons from his past, haunting his subconscious. It’s interesting to see it play out in the moment, but it doesn’t feel as balanced with other aspects of the script. It does help that Jonas Colstrup’s score is fantastic, helping create a perturbing atmosphere that lingers throughout the film’s entire duration.
For the most part, the framework for “Quisling – The Final Days” is staged as a courtroom drama. It’s never as compelling as it aspires to be despite some solid monologues delivered by Eidsvold. The screenplay is most fascinating when exploring Quisling through the lens of Peder Olsen (Anders Danielsen Lie), a priest tasked with getting Quisling to rebuke his actions to aid the court proceedings. Olsen’s naive nature is put through the wringer as his sessions with Quisling test his core beliefs and faith in God. Olsen becomes engaged in multiple debates with those closest to him about Quisling’s wavering morality and how it’s even altering his views on mankind. When Eidsvold and Lie share the screen together, the film is firing on all cylinders. Yet, it is only fleeting as there are plenty of films where the characters are separated from one another as soon as the sessions end. Every other character doesn’t make a lasting impact as the film prioritizes the duality between Quisling and Olsen. Each relationship in Olsen’s life is only there to fuel the fire of his doubts and create a dialogue of speaking points to rattle off. As for Quisling, it’s the opposite, as the few characters that visit him, such as his wife (Lis Carlehed), are there to bolster what seems to be slipping away from his personality.
What also doesn’t help is that the pacing for “Quisling – The Final Days” is inconsistent, making an already two-hour-plus film feel even longer. It’s an uneven experience that only satisfies in moments. Certain technical aspects of film also don’t live up to the grandness the story wishes to achieve. The cinematography by Jonas Alarik is well constructed and framed, but the somewhat nauseating color grading can often come off a bit distracting. The production design, though, is quite solid, especially with the recreation of Akershus Prison. That set does an exceptional job of helping to create the claustrophobic environment in which audiences see Quisling trapped in. Besides that, not much really stands out about the film, as it feels like another biopic tackling a larger-than-life figure and the ramifications of his life’s work.
Choosing to structure the film at this point in Quisling’s life makes for an exciting concept but also leaves plenty out that would add contextualization to the character itself. In real life, despite his horrid actions, Quisling was quite pathetic, an insecure man failing upward in life only to be bailed out by powers perceived to be higher than his. Much of this is lost to translation in “Quisling – The Final Days,” we see a lackluster attempt to describe this man. The film could have been a powerful examination of how faith can waiver and how authoritarianism blinds those desperate for a morsel of influence. Instead, audiences have merely a solid biopic that never excels at the one thing it strives to achieve.
