“Stolen,” a Swedish film, hit theatres on April 12, 2024, offering viewers a thrilling blend of drama and crime. Directed by Elle Márjá Eira, the movie runs for 1 hour and 47 minutes, providing a captivating cinematic experience. For those who prefer streaming, “Stolen” is available on Netflix. The film is an adaptation of the novel “Stolen” by Ann-Helén Laestadius, bringing the compelling narrative of the book to life on the big screen.
Plot Summary
This movie centres around a young girl named Elsa, whose deep affection for reindeer stems from her close connection to animals while living in the snowy wilderness. One fateful day, a man arrives on a snow scooter, prompting Elsa to hide, only to witness him ruthlessly kill her beloved reindeer. With a menacing gesture of silence and a throat-slitting motion, he warns her not to speak of what she’s seen before fleeing with his stolen loot.
Consumed by grief and a thirst for justice, Elsa spends the next decade relentlessly pursuing the culprit, though lacking concrete evidence. Her determination leads her to a chilling discovery: a storage room filled with the remains of reindeer, confirming her suspicions. As she emerges from the room, she finds herself face to face with the perpetrator, his scooter idling menacingly nearby.
In a desperate bid to escape, Elsa confronts him, triggering a heart-pounding chase across the icy terrain. As the man becomes ensnared in the frozen landscape with his scooter, Elsa, wielding a gun, confronts him. The tension mounts as the ice begins to crack beneath them, culminating in a harrowing moment where Elsa attempts to save her adversary but tragically fails, resulting in his demise.
Subsequent police investigation uncovers the truth about the man’s criminal past, particularly his heinous acts of animal cruelty, shedding light on Elsa’s quest for justice and the poignant resolution to her journey.
- Elsa, a girl in love with reindeer, witnesses her beloved animal’s murder by a menacing man.
- A decade of relentless pursuit leads Elsa to a chilling discovery: evidence of reindeer slaughter.
- Confrontation on icy terrain ends tragically as Elsa’s quest for justice takes a dark turn.
Who was the mysterious man on the snow scooter, and what drove him to commit such a cruel act against Elsa’s reindeer?
After the horrific incident of the man brutally killing Elsa’s reindeer, she and her father brought the case to the police. Unfortunately, without concrete evidence, the police couldn’t take decisive action. However, during a visit to the station, Elsa saw the man laughing with a German shepherd dog, a stark reminder of his cruelty.
Further distress unfolded when Elsa’s brother captured footage of the man torturing another reindeer, leading to its tragic demise. The siblings followed a trail of evidence to a barn, prompting police involvement. However, the man cleverly deflected suspicion by claiming the blood belonged to a hare he had hunted earlier.
In a heart-wrenching conversation, Elsa expressed her guilt over the reindeer’s deaths. The root of the man’s cruelty stems from the unprofitability of reindeer herding and perceived entitlement issues within the community. Feeling marginalised by regulations, he resorts to violence for profit, as revealed by Elsa’s discovery of a locked barn filled with evidence of his grisly business practices.
Why Lasse Committed Suicide?
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Tragically, Lasse takes his own life in an abandoned mine, hanging himself from an excavator, leaving everyone devastated. Even during their final encounter, Lasse appeared deeply despondent, discussing the loss of hope. As they conversed about branches being cut off, symbolising dwindling options, Elsa suggested jumping to another branch, but Lasse bleakly remarked on the scarcity of branches left. His life story reflects a profound sense of despair, shaped by the oppressive realities of societal constraints and lack of freedom.
What were the reasons behind the community’s opposition to the reindeer herders?
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The opposition stemmed from the bans imposed on various activities to protect the reindeer. Fishing, hunting, and even snowboarding were prohibited due to the disturbances they caused to the herders. Despite proposals to create new jobs and benefit the community, these ideas were rejected. The escalating death toll among the reindeer, caused by the killer Richard, fueled further anger from both sides. This clash of opinions intensified tensions within the community.
Does the movie conclude on a positive note?
Yes, the movie concludes on a positive note. With Richard, the animal slaughterer, no longer a threat, the police gather substantial evidence implicating him in the reindeer slaughter. This brings a sense of peace among the community. Elsa also imparts a valuable lesson to a young boy about the responsibility of caring for animals, emphasising the importance of nurturing them with care and respect rather than ownership.
