Based on a popular norse legend about a type of mermaid of the forests, "Thale" is, unfortunately, a little short of his enormous potential, because I believe that this folklore legend had the potential to yield a little more power and suspense to this movie, nevertheless, this fantasy product of Aleksander Nordaas is pretty good. He managed to create, with a limited budget, a slightly curious film that benefits a lot from the strong performances of the small but talented cast. The two main male actors, Erlend Nervold and Jon Sigve Skard, have to great performance, but the most mesmerizing performance in this movie belongs to one of the most promising stars of nordic cinema, Silje Reinåmo, which, without speeches or many screen time, was able to give her curious character a lot of energy and enigma. Unfortunately, Thale it is not given much space or time to grow and shine within a median plot that, apart from being practically free of active or violent sequences, unfolds, virtually in its entirety, within a basement, where Leo and Elvis try to learn more about Thale and realize what secrets and dangers hide behind this beautiful creature. The interactions between the three actors are a bit limited and, at the end of the film, we get the feeling that we didn't get to know very well the mysterious Thale or their violent "sisters" but, at least, we are given an good characterization of these mythological creatures that begin and end up a mystery to all of us, even though the movie give us a small explanation of its origin and some glimpses of their strength and real nature. It's true that the minimalist plot of "Thale" doesn't stand out the full potential of the legend that is in the core of the film, but it can't be said that this movie is a weak fiction/fantasy product, because it manages to entertain the audience and emerge us in a fantastic and tense world with some surprises. It's true that the plot should have focused a little more on Thale and should have also instilled a bit of suspense and action to this production but, taking into account the limitations and the essence of the film, I consider this "Thale" a reasonable cinematic product.
Review of Thale
