<< Revenge

Last weekend I spend some time with the Danish-German film Under Sanden (2015), which relates the story of German POWs after the liberation of Denmark in WWII. 

The plot introduces us to a crew of young men as they rid up the Danish coastline of planted mines by the occupation forces. This particular group (which has an average age of 15 years), works under Sgt. Carl Rasmussen: A war toughened veteran that, as the movie progresses, has to overcome his own prejudices and desire for revenge as he sees these young lives vanish before his own eyes.

Blinded by his own rage, the sergeant sees itself transfixed into a token of violence, not seeing the value of the human life of mere children, transforming in turn into an echo of the occupying forces, inflicting pain through indifference and rage. 

Seldom is human conflict black and white. We live in an interpreted world which we rarely grasp outside of our meanings and values.

A never ending struggle that tempts us constantly with power at the price of becoming that which we fear or despise. Our righteous indignation and claim for justice can easily become worse than the evil it so seeks to punish.

The deep exploration of this beautiful film is a living testament to Nietzsche’s well known warning: 

He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster.

And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.

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