As Bleak as It Is, This Drama Still Might Be One of the Most Visually Stunning Films of the Decade

One of the finest and most visually sumptuous dramas of recent times is Godland, a movie by Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason that opened in 2022 to rave reviews. It tells the story of Lucas (Elliott Crosset Hove), a Danish priest who, in the late nineteenth century, is tasked with building a parish church in a remote Icelandic settlement. However, when Lucas' translator drowns in an accident caused by Lucas’ insistence on crossing a swollen river, the priest is left without friends or a way to communicate with the rest of the party. As the church is built, Lucas forms a friendship with Anna (played by Azrael star Vic Carmen Sonne), the daughter of Carl (played by A Royal Affair's star Jacob Lohmann), his host; but it turns out the priest is not quite as moral a man as he seems. The leisurely pace is largely set by Pálmason’s magisterial approach to the film’s visuals, and cinematographer Maria von Hausswolff’s excellent work gives full rein to Iceland’s stunning, treeless landscapes. There is a multitude of reasons why this film looks so utterly incredible.