REVIEW: ‘Stolen’ Explores The Isolation Of Speaking Up

Elsa (Elin Oskal) is a Reindeer Herder. A traditional career of the Sami people, it is all she’s ever wanted to do. But this way of life is under threat. As if the changing climates weren’t a big enough problem, illegal poaching and harassment make the work even more hostile. Regardless of a lack of support from her tribe, Elsa intends to be heard as she fights for her people’s way of life in Stolen (2024), also known as Stöld, directed by Elle Márjá Eira, and written by Peter Birro and Ann-Helen Laestadius.

Our understanding of protesting and speaking up is changing. Many of us were raised with the vision of “good” protests being tidy, polite affairs that bother no one. As times have gone on and injustice persists, many have come to understand that this isn’t how things should be. The public prefers a tidy, polite protest because it can be easily ignored. If you want to force an issue, you can’t allow others to ignore it even if the backlash will be far worse when you make others notice you.

This truth about social discourse is where Stolen (2024) delivers its harshest and best moments. Elsa’s refusal to allow things to continue as they have explores these themes wonderfully. Refusing to persist in submitting useless police reports that receive no follow-up, she begins rocking the boat harder. While this gets the expected response from the outsiders, it accuses and threatens; what hurts the most is how her people come to treat her.

As the situation escalates, Elsa finds the governing council of her people quickly turn against her. They see her work as turning the general public against them. That it grows hostility towards them rather than lessening it. But the public has never been on their side. Rather, it has been, at best, complacent. This isn’t helping them, it just makes the bleeding of their herds and way of life slower. Elsa’s refusal to accept this slow death comes across as nothing short of courageous, especially as more of her people come to disown her.

While Elsa always carries the courage of her convictions, Stolen (2024) is always careful not to make her out to be more than she is. This isn’t a mythical figure that bears beliefs and courage beyond normal people. She is always shown to be a regular person who has simply been pushed too far. What differentiates her from other Samis is that she sees no hope in playing nice. She tries not through courage, but fear. She fears what will happen if she doesn’t give her all to stop the slow death she sees creeping up on her people. This purposeful approach to her motivations keeps her as a relatable figure, even as she faces odds most wouldn’t stand against.

As Stolen (2024) nears the end of its narrative, the threats Elsa faces become more direct. The man directly responsible for many of the reindeer killings begins to seek her out directly, threatening violence against her. Culminating with a tense home invasion sequence, the low-key approach to the extreme danger Elsa faces is poignant. By not sensationalizing the sequence, the film makes the moment’s weight far more real. It convinces the viewer that if she is caught, she will die. There will be no movie styles escape out a window, or miracles save to stop the terrible from happening.

While the film explores what Elsa must go through is powerful, it won’t be for everyone. Long stretches of the film are slow, with minimal plot movement. There are also a couple of side plots that only feel semi-necessary. The events they portray help build upon the emotional pressures Elsa and those around her struggle with, informing their decisions. However, whether these moments bring enough to warrant the time they take in the film will vary from viewer to viewer.

Much like the overall all story, the cinematography does its best to deliver emotion while not sensationalizing the film’s moments. The basic style of camera work utilized here would generally feel distancing. However, given how down-to-earth the rest of the production is, this approach fits here.

Stolen (2024) delivers a strong narrative about the repercussions of speaking loud enough that people have to hear you. The way the film presents Elsa makes her inspirational while never losing her humanity. She is a person who has been forced to this place. She’d never choose it. Even though some spots get a bit slow, the ultimate message and point of the film make its shortcomings well worth weathering through.

Stolen (2024) is streaming now on Netflix.