The Experiment

The Experiment

Year: 2010

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: Danish

Director: Louise Friedberg

DramaThriller

Set in 1951 Greenland, the film follows nurse Gert, newly appointed headmistress of a state‑run children’s home for sixteen Greenlandic youths returning from a year of schooling in Denmark. Tasked with molding them into Danish‑speaking role models for their community, Gert’s idealistic plan to modernize Greenland overlooks the emotional toll on the children, leading to tragedy when both the youngsters and the Danish authorities abandon the experiment.

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Timeline & Setting – The Experiment (2010)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Experiment (2010). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Isolated prison

An isolated prison facility used for a psychological study, surrounded by surveillance and strict rules. The 24-hour camera coverage and enforced routines create a claustrophobic environment where authority can quickly spiral into abuse. The setting is designed to strip prisoners of autonomy while testing the boundaries of institutional power.

👮 Containment 🕒 Surveillance 🧪 Experimentation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:17

Main Characters – The Experiment (2010)

Meet the key characters of The Experiment (2010), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Travis

A defiant prisoner who influences others and questions the legitimacy of the experiment. His anti-war stance and resilience make him a focal point for resistance, driving a clash with the guards. He embodies the conflict between individual conscience and institutional coercion.

🧭 Leadership 💪 Determination 🧠 Strategy

Barris

The guard captain whose initial authority slides into sadism as he justifies brutality as ‘commensurate’ punishment. He manipulates the other guards to maintain control, overlooking the moral costs of his actions.

👮 Power ⚖️ Authority 💥 Violence

Benjy

A graphic novelist whose illness and insulin need are ignored by the guards. His vulnerability exposes the human cost of the experiment and the consequences of neglect.

🩺 Vulnerability 🧪 Experimentation ⚠️ Danger

Nix

A former Aryan Brotherhood member whose background reveals the diverse temptations and risks within the prisoner group. He contributes to the tense dynamic and survival instincts.

💥 Violence history 🧭 Defiance 🤝 Loyalty

Dr. Archaleta

The psychologist who oversees the study and sets the rules, yet fails to intervene as the situation spirals out of control. His role raises questions about professional ethics and responsibility.

🎓 Psychology ⚖️ Ethics 🧭 Authority

Bosch

A guard who questions the rising brutality and attempts to resist some of the more extreme orders, illustrating the tension within the power structure and the cost of dissent.

🕊️ Morality 🧭 Dissent 🤝 Loyalty

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:17

Major Themes – The Experiment (2010)

Explore the central themes of The Experiment (2010), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👮 Authority

The guards' ascendancy reflects how quickly institutional power can corrupt when unchecked. Commands become coercive tools, and obedience is manufactured through fear, humiliation, and selective enforcement.

🧪 Ethics

The experiment raises questions about the morality of using participants for research under manipulative conditions. The line between study and punishment blurs as participants suffer harm for supposed scientific outcomes.

⚔️ Dehumanization

Prisoners are reduced to numbers and their humanity is sidelined in favor of control. Violence and coercion erode empathy on both sides, transforming interactions into brutal power plays.

🤝 Resistance

Travis's defiance and the prisoners' growing dissent challenge the guards' authority. Small acts of solidarity escalate into collective action, highlighting the human drive to resist oppression.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:17

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Thrillers about dangerous experiments like The Experiment

Stories where controlled studies unravel into chaos, exposing the dark side of human nature.Find movies like The Experiment where scientific studies push human limits with disastrous results. If you enjoyed watching the breakdown of authority and morality in a controlled environment, these tense, psychologically intense thrillers are for you.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically begin with a structured, scientific premise that quickly devolves as the participants or conductors succumb to base instincts. The story follows the systematic breakdown of rules and ethics, escalating into a battle for survival and a stark examination of human behavior under pressure.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on the dangerous intersection of science and human psychology. They create a specific, unsettling tension rooted in the corruption of a seemingly noble goal, leading to predictable yet horrifying outcomes of abuse and dehumanization.

Movies about oppressive systems like The Experiment

Tales of characters trapped within rigid systems that crush individuality and hope.Explore films similar to The Experiment that depict the grim reality of life under a controlling institution. These dramas and thrillers share a heavy emotional weight, a tense atmosphere, and a critical look at how systems of power can lead to tragedy.

oppressiveclaustrophobicsystemic violencepower struggledystopiantensedehumanizing

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves individuals or groups entering a strict, confined system with its own rules. Conflict arises as the protagonist clashes with the authority figures enforcing these rules, leading to a gradual exposure of the system's cruelty and a fight for survival or escape, often leaving deep psychological scars.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their setting and central conflict: the battle between the individual and a corrupt or unforgiving institution. They share a claustrophobic, tense mood and deliver a powerful critique of systemic power, authority, and obedience.

Unlock the Full Story of The Experiment

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Experiment in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Experiment is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Experiment Summary

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The Experiment Summary

The Experiment Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Experiment with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Experiment Timeline

The Experiment Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Experiment Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Experiment

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More About The Experiment