MovieChat Forums > Arn: Tempelriddaren (2007) Discussion > This is gonna bomb

This is gonna bomb

posted 17 years ago by AxeMarc
18 replies | jump to latest

Sweden has a grand tradition of being somewhat 10-20 years after the US in basically everything. From junkfood, TV-shows to movies. Alltough this works fine for us (I'm a swede myself), it is doomed when it comes to movies.

The movies produced here are only slow relationship-dramas, lame relationship-comedies and dull copmovies. Many of the movies made are produced with the intent of coming on TV in a miniseries 2 years later, and the quality is set by that factor so to speak.

Arn comes from a strong writer, who managed to bring some credibility so the swedish moviescene with Ondskan 2003, but other than that, Arn has nothing good going for it. Sure, 12 years ago, it would have been amazing, before Kingdom of Heaven, Gladiator, 300, Braveheart etc. But know the stakes in the swashbucklingdepartment is set so high that it is naive to think that the next big thing will come from a country with just 9 million inhabitants.

Maybe it will perform good within our borders, but outside it'll surely bomb.

What do you guys think?

[–] bogserbat 17 years ago

With "basically everything" you basically only refer to junkfood" and popular entertainment, right?

[–] AxeMarc 17 years ago

No, society in general. We adapt, wheather we know it or not, language (evry other word is a knockoff of american streettalk), traditions (halloween), patriotism is starting to be accepted here, which hasnt been the case for as long as I can remember. Increased problems with violence, racism, gangs, basically everything has been "done" in the US a few years ago.

[–] Stoker84 17 years ago

The sad thing isn't that we're 10-20 years behind the US in many things, it's the fact that we're trying our hardest to catch up.

[–] Warge 17 years ago

Sounds like you think that's a bad thing - personally, I'd preferred that Sweden was not trying to imitate the US in everything...

---
Top 5: Jaws, Shrek, Fucling Åmål. Add more if I find any top movies

[–] Pharazon 17 years ago

"patriotism is starting to be accepted here"

Are you serious?
If you officially say that you are a patriot it will take two hours and then you will get harassed/beaten by the state-sponsored terrorist organisation AFA. And if you are lucky you might not be fired from your job.

As late as the early 90's everyone was a patriot. If you where not, you where considered an idiot or traitor...

[–] AxeMarc 17 years ago

Five years ago that statement woulda been true, but know the masses has come to realise what immigration is doing to this country. Only politicians, the media and some leftgroups still has the nerve to claim that everything is hunkydory.

[–] Pharazon 17 years ago

You are mostly correct.
But much of the "masses" are in denial right now and seems more concerned with silly stuff like who is the best socialdemocrats, the new-moderates or the socialdemocrats...

The numbers for SD will not rise very much until the next election year, which is 2009 with the EU election. And the results from that will become VERY interesting.

[–] AxeMarc 17 years ago

I think if you look beneath the surface, everyone knows whats going on. Its just that the moralist and in-denial-lefties SEEMS to be the larger group because they make the most noise. Plus like you said, its not a smart move saying your anti-immigration out loud in this country.

Assume you're swedish? If you want, check out my blogg www.dovewithgun.blogg.se

It treats issues such as these in a lighthearted manner.

/Dove

[–] Rockafeller_Skank 17 years ago

Thats hilarious, Halloween as it is in the US is nothing like it is in Sweden, I´ve never been trick or treated in my whole life nor seen some kids doing it. Patriotism is generally not accepted here (unless by accepted you mean that our national day recently was appointed as a federal holiday). Crime and Street violence? Yeah thats so stupid I dont even bother to comment it...

but language I´ll agree with. We do adapt some american slang and we do it more and more. This is nothing new though, swedish is a small language wich frequently updates it self with new words and expressions from several languages. As well as all the other languages in the world do.

If you´ll ever go to the states you probably would take back your statements quick, what we adapt is just some *beep* from some dreamworld.. Swedes see something on tv/magazine/internet and adapt it fast as hell so that they can look as cool as they think they do in the USA. Meanwhile in 99% of the states no one gives a *beep* for two years, then when wall mart starts to sell bootcut jeans they´ll try it.

[–] AxeMarc 17 years ago

I've been trick or treated a bunch of times?

What was stupid about the violencecomment?! Wasnt it just a few days since a young boy in Finland killed 10 people in a schoolshootout? And no points on knowing the answer from where those events originates. But I guess its "too stupid"?

[–] Tjalvar 16 years ago

Seriously, no one takes these "patriot" Swedes serious! (Possibly only because some few people actually listen to them, but for no other reasons)

Theyr'e a bunch of bigots and xenophobians, the fact is Sweden will probably loosen it's immigration restrictions because we need more immigrants to fill jobs that will be vacant when an aging population start to retire.

Pfff... Yeah sure, it's all immigrations fault. That's some stupid crap.

[–] Thorberius_Caesar 17 years ago

I think there's great potential here. It could work. It should work with the right people doing it.

However, I don't have much faith in the Swedish movie industry right now... and the latest news about them cutting the film shorter to maintain an 11-year age-limit in theaters doesn't feel very reassuring.

Now, I know this won't happen, but as the books are actually about the founding of Sweden I could have seen the entire story told without showing Arn in the Holy Land other than in short flashbacks.

The first movie could have ended with him leaving, the second with him coming back. I think that would have been cool, and then it wouldn't have to bother about being compared to the likes of Kingdom of Heaven.

As you say it will probably be "big" in Sweden but not so much outside our borders. but who knows, maybe we'll get a pleasent surprise for once? Ondskan is a few years back and it's time for a new good swedish movie.

[–] AxeMarc 17 years ago

"As you say it will probably be "big" in Sweden but not so much outside our borders. but who knows, maybe we'll get a pleasent surprise for once? Ondskan is a few years back and it's time for a new good swedish movie. "

Indeed.

One thing I've noticed is that this project boosts a rather touchy group of fans. I guess every movie or book has it's fans, but it's quit amusing to see fans of the books (mostly swedes like myself) with no knowledge whatsoever of the Sedish moviescene, thinking this is gonna be huge and best and so on. You have to be able to look at this realisticly.

The book was a sucess, but that is not saying the films will go the same road. If the movie is cut as bad as the trailer, it sure will go down in history, but not for the reasons they hope :)

[–] Hejsvej4 16 years ago

Well.. As I consider myself to be a big fan of the books I'd have to say that you're mistaken about us "fans". Those who are truly interested in the movie tend to spend a lot of time searching the net for artikles, researching the cast and film crew and obtain as much footage from the film as possible.
From what I've gathered, I'm fairly positive that this will be a success. Not to say I didn't have my doubts.

You can watch some key-scenes from the movie here:
http://tv4.se/player/categories.aspx?treeId=3014

Just look for "Arn" in the scrollbar list to the right.

[–] ColinChapman 17 years ago

To OP. I know a couple of swedes that would shoot you down with good arguments quite easily.

[–] AxeMarc 17 years ago

Really? Where might they be? Not here, thats fer sure.

But I guess we'll just have to wait and see. In a few months we know who was correct.

[–] Blueghost 16 years ago

I don't know. It looks fairly decent to me. I think seeing French/Latin forces speak Swedish or Norsk will be a bit more jarring than seeing those same characters speak English. But that's a minor thing.

If the story is solid, and the action and portrayel are decent, then it'll do okay. I have to admit that this did look like a Swedish remake of Kingdom of Heaven at first glance, but I'll have to the film to really decide.

I think it's interesting that the music for the trailer is actually from Gladiator, a Ridley Scott film. The same man who produced and directed Kingdom of Heaven.

We'll just have to wait and see. I don't think it's going to bomb, but I think the international audience has already seen this film back in 2005. That'll put a dent in its popularity, but ultimately the film will have to stand on its own merits.

I think part of hte reason this film went into production was the popularity of the mini-series documentary Arns Rike. In that sense it's probably really meant for Scandinavian consumption, and not so much an international audience.

Still, as an American, I'm very interested in seeing this film.

[–] AxeMarc 16 years ago

You're right.

This will no doubt be a sucess in Scandinavia. The problem is, when it does, it sucess abroad is crucial for it not to flopp, since this is the most expensive swedish movie ever. And so far, it seems to travel the path that has already been made a few years ago. Maybe it will be enough, maybe not.