Directed by: Robert Eggers
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang
Running Time: 137'
Verdict: ⊗⊗⊗⊗⊗
Just like it's titular protagonist, The Northman is not especially clever, but is instead very dark, savage and barbarous. It follows Amleth (who was inspiration for Shakespeare's Hamlet), a prince somewhere on medieval North Atlantic, on his quest for vengeance, years after the murder of his father. It's much more of a revenge story, than one about Vikings, even though it's age and land play a big role in the movie. It blends fables, prophecies, myth and legend, and blurries them with harsh realities of the time, being effective even when it's obviously trying too hard. With some archaic, Shakespearean dialogue and well-rounded cast to sweeten the watch, no character is pure or really that likable, with that kind of being the point of the film. It compensates that with some amazing vistas, with large part of the story being set in Iceland, with good music and great sounds, and with ruthless scenes. It doesn't try too much to keep you engaged but is instead constantly maintaining it's fantastical, heavy atmosphere, and ramping it up with occasional brutality. The Northman is a well acted, beautifully directed, brutal epic that separates men from boys. Go watch it to see which one are you.
Rokin
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