Despite being one of Hollywood’s go-to guys for villainous roles,Mads Mikkelsenplayed perhaps the most valorous character of his career inThe Promised Land, the epic historical drama that’s on its way to becoming a streaming hit. On June 6, themovie outperformed three titles in the far more popular Mission: Impossible franchiseon the Paramount+ streaming charts, even thoughMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoningis generating interest in the series during its theatrical run.The Promised Landwas one of the best-reviewed movies of 2023, and it continues to hold a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than most installments of the M:I franchise.
According toFlixPatrol,The Promised Landfinished third on the Paramount+ chartson June 6. It beat outMission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning,Mission: Impossible, andMission: Impossible 2on the charts. However, it lagged behind long-time number oneGladiator II, and Cruise’s ownTop Gun: Maverick. Since its debut on Paramount+ a few days ago,The Promised Landhas accumulated a total of 359 points this month. Directed byNikolaj Arcel, the Danish-language movie holds a near-perfect 97%Rotten Tomatoes score, with the aggregator website’s consensus reading, “Mads Mikkelsen leads us through the savage terrain ofThe Promised Landwith a glimmer of hope in this epic Nordic tale with Western bones.”
In his review, Collider’sChase Hutchinsonwrote, “The film is beautiful to behold in many moments, but, much like how our own lives can be defined by striving for something approaching stability only to discover there is no underlying ground, it is also consistently bleak.“The Promised Landfollows Mikkelsen’s stoic character on an epic quest to build a settlement in the middle of nowhere. He faces opposition from a cruel local aristocrat, and thus begins a duel that tests his moral fiber. Arcel, who previously collaborated with Mikkelsen onThe Royal Affair, was coming off of his disastrous Hollywood detour,The Dark Tower.
Mikkelsen Has Made a Name for Himself Playing Hollywood Heavies
StarringMatthew McConaugheyandIdris Elba, the science-fiction Western tanked both critically and commercially, ending the possibility of sequels being produced. Mikkelsen broke out with the grimy filmPusherover two decades ago, and rose to fame through a memorable villainous role in the James Bond filmCasino Royale. He has since played bad guys in major movies such asDoctor Strange,Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, andIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny; he also headlined the television seriesHannibal. You should definitely check outThe Promised Landon Paramount+, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
The Promised Land
