[Fantasia 2026] FILM REVIEW: No Rest For The Wicked

No Rest For the Wicked - Fantasia World Premiere Review

Director: Kasper Kalle

Starring: Egor Venned, Pilou Asbæk, Sofia Nolsøe, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kjartan Hansen

Written by: Rasmus Birch

Produced by: Lars Bredo Rahbek

Cinematography by: Jacob Møller

Original Score by: Hettarher, Torleik Mortensen, Andreas Tykjær Restorff

Synopsis:

A fisherman who falls in love with a rugged whaler in the isolated Faroe Islands.

Thoughts:

Kasper Kalle's debut feature film is hauntingly beautiful and at times painful to watch as it addresses the forbidden love between two men in a community of deep religious beliefs and masculinity in the desolate hills of the Faroe Islands. And there's a bit of vampirism involved too.

Egor Venned plays Baldur, a young fisherman bound to these islands and a way of life that is continously tough beyond all measure, sets out one morning on his fishing boat seeking a large catch when an ominous mist decides to descend upon his path. Somewhere on the crest of this mist, a voice lingers and Baldur feels compelled to explore. Baldur's boat hits some rocks and he is in trouble. But the voice, who is now a man called Helge, saves him and a strong connection is made, stronger than either of them will ever really understand.

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Set in 1862 and shot against the gloriously idyllic sharp mountains and lush greenery of the Faroe Islands, 'No Rest For the Wicked' is a feast for the eyes. Visually, it's instantly engulfing, using the natural pastures of the roaming hills and crashing seas as a strong base and then conjuring up a sinister looking mist to help invoke a gothic atmosphere throughout.

Adding to the gorgeous cinematography is two very strong lead performances from Egor Venned and Pilou Asbæk, who throw themselves into their respective roles without hesitation, elevating the film to another level, a poetic plateau so to speak. Asbæk plays Helge with a confidence Baldur could only dream of, so there's definitely an element of classic "envy equals lust" going on here. But Egor's silent, introverted performance also thoroughly highlights the difficulty queer men have just trying to co-exist and be themselves. Something that is still an issue in modern times.

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The gothic horror and folk horror sensibilities are showcased perfectly when religious aspects are brought in via Baldur's mother, which in turn opens the gates to a more supernatural direction. Vampirism has always been heavily linked with lust and/or love, both authorized and forbidden and it's dealt with so well here by Kalle. It isn't about being a monster, it's about being immortalised, just like their love for each other.

Tragic and evocative, 'No Rest For the Wicked' isn't full of scares, instead it uses its gothic visuals as its canvas to paint a story of everlasting pain and eternal love.

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

-Gavin Logan

'No Rest For the Wicked' received its World Premiere at Fantasia '26 on July 22nd