Imagine attending a sleepaway camp with the belief that you will enjoy fun leadership exercises, interacting with other campers, and living outdoors. This was the reality for a brief moment in time until a deranged extremist comes into the youth camp and shoots over seventy campers and camp counselors.
22 July is a Norwegian-American biographical crime drama directed by Paul Greengrass based on the 2011 Norway attacks and the aftermath of the deadliest terrorist attack in Norwegian history. These unspeakable acts were carried out by Anders Behring Brevik, a right wing Norwegian extremist. On July 22, 2008 Anders Behring Brevik set off a van filled with explosives outside of the office of the acting prime minister, killing multiple individuals. Then traveled to a youth camp disguised as a Norwegian police officer where he proceeded to kill over seventy individuals. The film follows the life of Viljar Hanssen after he has been shot multiple times, awoken from his coma, and crippled for life by Anders Behring Brevik.
The van prior to explosion
In the biographical film, 22 July, Viljar Hanssen is portrayed by Norwegian actor Jonas Strand Gravli. Jonas Strand Gravli puts on a magnificent and mesmerizing performance. He embodies the reality faced by Viljar Hanssen during the initial and aftermath of the attack. Being shot is one thing, but to be shot multiple times and left for dead is another. Actor Jonas Strand Gravli perfectly captures what it is like to be blinded and crippled for life, and have to learn basic skills such as walking all over again. Jonas Strand Gravli’s performance allows the audience to see the strength which was required from Viljar Hanssen, as well as the fear that he overcame to testify against the man who took away so much from him and others.
Viljar Hanssen testifying in open court
What is most impressive about this film is how emotionally driven as well as captivating the entire film is from start to finish. Norwegian director Paul Greengrass created a film that encompasses the very essence of what it is like to be a victim of a mass act of violence and terrorism. The film’s most rhetorically effective aspect was the inclusion of the brutally graphic and realistic scenes of the terrorist attack being carried out.
The main goal of the film was to share the event on July 22, 2008, that disrupted the way of life for many Norwegian families and the Norwegian government as a whole. Viewers of the film will be exposed to the hardships faced by Viljar Hanssen and his family following his near brush with death.
22 July is a biographical crime drama that tells the true story of Viljar Hanssen’s life after he was shot multiple times and crippled by terrorist Anders Behring Brevik. The use of brutally graphic and realistic scenes truly brings this “based on a true story” to life. Individuals who enjoy movies based on real life events and people will greatly enjoy this film. Due to the graphic and violent scenes, as well as indecent/offensive language the film should be rated R.
The director of the film did magnificent job at putting together a film to share the event that uprooted Norway in 2008. 22 July is emotionally riveting and is a film that I will most definitely be rewatching and recommending to others.
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