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Godland (2023): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Godland (2023) movie poster

Godland is a 2023 drama directed by Hlynur Palmason, starring Elliott Crosset Hove as Lucas, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson and Friðrik Friðriksson. It runs 2 hours 23 minutes and earned $1.6 million worldwide on a $5 million budget. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best International Film at the Spirit Awards 2024. Critics gave it 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
92%
worldwide gross
$1.6M
award nomination
1
Echo Score
78
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Godland (2023) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 23m (143 min)
Director
Hlynur Palmason
Genre
Drama
Original language
Danish
Budget
$5M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Godland About?

The premise of Godland without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In 1850s Iceland, a young Danish priest named Lucas undertakes a challenging journey to establish a church on the remote coast. As he traverses the rugged landscape, his faith and resolve are tested by the unforgiving terrain, intense isolation, and the unsettling beauty of the natural world. Confronted by both primal desires and the suspicion of the local population, Lucas's mission evolves into a profound and unsettling exploration of colonialism and self-discovery, revealing the darkness within himself and the land.

Godland Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • priest
  • iceland
  • journey
  • male full frontal nudity
  • death
  • missionary
  • colonialism
  • camera
  • photographer
  • male nudity
  • male frontal nudity
  • bare chested male
+38 more
  • interpreter
  • guide
  • written by director
  • boat
  • rowboat
  • sea
  • beach
  • horse
  • horseback riding
  • dog
  • tent
  • singing
  • river
  • river crossing
  • waterfall
  • telling a story
  • nightmare
  • falling off a horse
  • drowning
  • death from falling off a horse
  • death by drowning
  • funeral
  • snow
  • volcano
  • volcanic eruption
  • piano
  • candle
  • sister sister relationship
  • language barrier
  • translating
  • hen
  • killing a hen
  • building a church
  • marriage
  • horse killed
  • dead horse
  • murder
  • blood
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Cast & crew

Godland Cast & Characters

Elliott Crosset Hove leads the cast as Lucas, with Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson and Friðrik Friðriksson as Friðrik. Directed by Hlynur Palmason; 13 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Hlynur Palmason

More films directed by Hlynur Palmason, best-rated first: A White, White Day and Winter Brothers.

Full filmography
Ratings

Godland Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Godland 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 81 on Metacritic. Our Echo Score gives it 78/100, strongest in art & craft (92) and weakest in story & flow (58).

78 /100

Godland Echo Score Breakdown

Godland presents a visually striking meditation on faith and colonial legacy, anchored by exceptional cinematography and atmospheric design. While the film’s narrative pacing and character development draw mixed reactions, its artistic ambition and sensory immersion remain compelling. Reviewers note the harsh Icelandic landscape as both a narrative driver and aesthetic triumph. The cumulative effect yields a film that rewards attentive viewing despite occasional narrative sluggishness, positioning it as a noteworthy but imperfect work of contemplative cinema.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 92

    In terms of direction and cinematography, Godland excels with meticulous framing and a haunting visual palette. Critics highlight the masterful use of Icelandic terrain to reinforce thematic depth, and users repeatedly commend the striking, ghostly aesthetics. Even the lone negative review acknowledges the film’s ambitious scope. The artful composition thus emerges as a primary strength of the film.

  • Character & Emotion 78

    When it comes to character depth, performances elicit divergent responses. Some reviewers praise nuanced portrayals of the priest’s crisis, while others find the acting uneven and the characters under‑developed. The film’s emotional resonance is appreciable but not uniformly convincing, leading to a moderate yet respectable assessment of character work.

  • Story & Flow 58

    Regarding plot and pacing, Godland divides opinion. Critics commend its thematic ambition and contemplative structure, yet many viewers cite a sluggish, fragmented narrative and clichéd elements. The two‑part structure and ambiguous resolution contribute to a sense of uneven storytelling, resulting in a mixed evaluation of the story’s coherence and engagement.

  • Sensory Experience 90

    In the sensory domain, the film delivers a powerful auditory and visual experience. Reviewers consistently note the immersive soundscape, atmospheric colors, and the synergy of photography and music. The aesthetic cohesion amplifies the film’s meditative tone, making the sensory dimension one of its most lauded attributes.

  • Rewatch Factor 73

    Rewatch value is moderate to high; the film’s visual richness and thematic layers invite repeated viewings. While some audiences find the length and pacing demanding, the compelling cinematography and lingering questions about faith and colonialism sustain interest on subsequent watches, suggesting a respectable, if not universal, replay appeal.

Plot

Godland Plot Summary

What happens in Godland from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In the late 19th century, Danish priest Lucas Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson is dispatched to Iceland—then a Danish territory—to oversee the construction of a church in a Danish settlement. He brings along a camera to document the new land and travels by boat with a small group of Icelandic laborers and a translator, the latter serving as his only ally and link to the rest of the crew. The party is led by a wary guide named Ragnar Friðrik Friðriksson, whose suspicion of Danes casts a chill over the voyage. The translator goes with them, Hilmar Guðjónsson, ensuring that language isn’t a barrier to survival and cooperation.

Full summary

The whole story of Godland, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Godland Box Office & Budget

Godland grossed $1.6 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, 31% of what it cost. $60,735 came from the US and Canada and $1.5 million (96%) from the rest of the world.

2023 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.6M

31% of its budget back

US & Canada
$60.7K
International
$1.5M
Budget
$5M
US & Canada 4% Rest of the world 96%
Awards

Godland Awards & Nominations

Godland earned 1 award nomination, including Best International Film at the Spirit Awards 2024.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

Godland Trailers & Videos

8 videos: 3 trailers, 2 teasers, 1 clip and 2 featurettes.

All 8 videos
US Trailer [Subtitled]
  • Trailer Official UK Trailer [Subtitled]
  • Trailer Trailer [Subtitled]
  • Teaser Official UK Trailer #2 [Subtitled]
  • Teaser Now Showing [Subtitled]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Godland?

9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 9

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered

What is Lucas's profession in the film?

Details

Godland Also Known As

20 alternative titles, including “Volaða Land” and “Dievzeme”.

Also known as
  • Volaða Land
  • Dievzeme
  • Vanskapte land
  • Kutsumus
  • 갓랜드
  • ゴッドランド/GODLAND
  • Godland - Nella terra di Dio
  • Zapomenutá země
  • Земля Бога
  • 创造之地
  • Η Χώρα του Θεού
  • 神選之地
+8 more
  • Isten földje
  • Terra de Deus
  • Božja dežela
  • ארץ האלוהים
  • Tanrının Unuttuğu Yer
  • แดนพระเจ้า
  • ゴッドランド/GODLAND
  • Prakeikta žemė

Seen Godland?

FAQ

Godland FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Godland, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Godland?

Godland runs 2 hours 23 minutes (143 minutes).

When was Godland released?

Godland was released on February 3, 2023.

Who directed Godland?

Godland was directed by Hlynur Palmason.

More films by Hlynur Palmason

Who is in the cast of Godland?

Godland stars Elliott Crosset Hove as Lucas, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson and Friðrik Friðriksson as Friðrik, among 13 credited actors.

How much did Godland make at the box office?

Godland grossed $1.6 million worldwide ($60,735 domestic, $1.5 million international) on a budget of $5 million.

How is Godland rated?

Godland has 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 81 on Metacritic, 68% on TMDB and 3.9/5 on Letterboxd.

Was Godland nominated for any awards?

Godland received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does Godland have a post-credit scene?

No. Godland has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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