TOP 210 Performances of the 21st Century: Mads Mikkelsen as Lucas in "Jagten" / "The Hunt" (#9)

The moment you look at Mads Mikkelsen, the general first impression is how much he looks like the stereotype of a movie villain, yet you'll change your mind about it when you watch The Hunt. The movie is hard to watch because of how harsh it deals with rumour and how it might poison a man's life! And that's exactly what happens to Mikkelsen's character, Lucas - he's a victim of a rumour that pursues him wherever he goes, all the time. The actor uses this tale about the social murder of a once respectable man as his most striking acting showcase ever! There's a key scene set in a church where you can see Mikkelsen open his character right in front of your eyes: his fear, his desperation, his anger, his sadness...! It's THE SCENE of The Hunt and delivers such a punch thanks to the actor's magic. Stripped away from the sex symbol in his 40's status, Mikkelsen creates one of the most empathetic characters you'll ever seen - he's flawed, he's human, but he convinces you he's innocent and then you share his sadness with him!

The cast delivers a great ensemble performance, but there's no way to deny it is Madds Mikkelsen who holds the movie's center. It's a truly charismatic performance - playing a man who's dead in almost every aspect of his life except the physical one requires a certain degree of self-consciousness as an human being and a certain knowledge of true desperation. I don't know what Mikkelsen might have lived at some point of his life or if his performance is simply an artificial product, but it feels real and authentic!

For his performance as Lucas in Jagten / The Hunt, Mikkelsen failed what would have been a well-deserved Oscar nomination , but he scored some prestigious wins:

Cannes Film Festival Award - Best Actor (win)
European Film Awards - Best Actor (nomination)
Danish Academy of Film - Robert Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (win)
Bodil Awards - Best Actor in a Leading Role (win)
Chlotrudis Awards - Best Actor (win)
Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards - Best Actor (win)
Critics associations/groups awards - 4 nominations

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