Film Review : King Of Devil’s Island (2010) | OUT OF FRAME
Life on Bastoy Island
The island is a prison. Bastoy masquerades as a home away from home for troubled boys, the ones who have been deemed as miscreants. They are set to work in the fields doing manual labour. Brathen, the master of Unit C, has been there for years, serving under Hakon (Stellan Skarsgard) with little to show for it. When Erling and Ivar first arrive, they only have one goal—to escape.
In Bastoy, you are taught that if you are well behaved, if you obey, that you will be released. You are taught to be subservient to authority, to look the other way when needed. Hakon and Brathen make up the good cop, bad cop dynamic, even though it’s really Hakon using Brathen to whip the boys into shape. The rule of law belongs to them alone, and it seems to keep the boys in order. However, the weak are soon made targets, and those with power seek to leverage it. Ivar, with his scrawny stature, makes for easy pickings from the likes of Brathen.
Branded as misfits by society, and exploited by the people who see them merely as numbers and free labour, they can only rebel. One can argue that they might deserve their sentence for their crimes, but even punishment has to find its limits. Those who can see the light at the end though, are less keen. Olav, who is soon to be released, is hesitant to support Erling’s plans, but the two end up finding comfort in an unlikely friendship.
Who are the Real Villains?
I think it’s easy to get caught up in branding the boys as vigilantes or rebels, and to view Hakon and Brathen as sadistic and evil. While that might hold some truth, that dichotomy underscores the real issues—the system that brought about this exploitation. It’s that which perpetuates the vicious cycle that exists on Bastoy, which turns boys into the very same power hungry men.
The spark that ignites the flame is often a dull one, but it sets the kindling aglow and slowly builds, stoked by the winds of change. A raging tempest brews among the boys who yearn to rise up against their masters. When they finally get the chance, they lash out, but they are just boys among men. The calvary is called in, and the culling begins again. Erling and Olav manage to escape, but barely.
What the Film Says About Society
The King of Devil’s Island is a microcosm of a corrupt society, where servitude is performed only out of acquiescence. If there’s one thing to take away, it’s not that rebels and revolts prevail, but that society is a complex web of relationships, and we can either choose to live shielded in our bubble, or dare to swim against the current, even if it might cost us dearly.
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ABOUT THE FILM CRITIC:
Ivan Chin has a penchant for Hong Kong cinema and science-fiction films, but enjoys anything from blockbusters to the avant-garde. His favourite directors include Johnnie To, Denis Villeneuve and Stanley Kubrick. He also fervently hopes to see local films blossom. In his free time, he can usually be found wandering around cinemas.
