Harry Situation Reviews: The Northman
"I will avenge you, father. I will save you, mother. I will kill you, Fjolnir."
The Northman is a Viking epic film directed by Robert Eggers, best known for having directed critically acclaimed films The Witch and The Lighthouse. It stars Alexander Skarsgard, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, and William Dafoe.
When a Viking named Amleth (played by Alexander Skarsgard) was a boy, he watched his father, the king, (played by Ethan Hawke) be murdered by the hands of his uncle (played by Claes Bang), his mother (played by Nicole Kidman) forced to become his uncle's queen, and his kingdom be taken from him. Having now grown to be a brutal warrior he strives for revenge against his uncle.
It this premise sounds familiar to you that because the character of Amleth is in fact the inspiration for William Shakespeare's Hamlet, which in turn inspired The Lion King. Although, could you imagine young Simba be like, "I will avenge you, father. I will save you, mother. I will kill you, Scar."
Regardless, this movie is fucking awesome.
The cast is great and all deliver strong performances. Hawke, Kidman, Taylor-Joy, everyone. Though probably the big standout in this movie is Skarsgard. As I understand he's been wanting to make Viking movie for years and I'm glad he got the chance to do so. This guy was a beast in this movie.
Robert Eggers is already proving himself to be an outstanding film director of our time. Having already directed two incredible movies, The Witch and The Lighthouse, how he directed this one is just as epic. The thing I like about Eggers' directing skills is that he knows how to make an artsy film but make it so that the story is engaging. However some audiences don't really see the art Eggers is presenting, only because they're expecting something they've already seen but that's not what Eggers is going to deliver.
The musical score is also amazing. A great use of strings and percussions, as well as incorporating Viking chants as a chorus.
Speaking of Viking, the film really embraces the Norse culture. You can see it in the production, the set designs, the music, and even the customs. There are Viking songs and dances, sports, and rituals that actual Vikings would perform. You may think that some of their customs are pretty brutal but keep in mind that that was their customs at the time. I'm sure a thousand years from now an advanced civilization would look at us and think that we were savages. Plus, it's just really cool to see how practical and historically accurate this film is.
Overall The Northman is an incredible experience to check out. It might not be for everyone if you're expecting a two hour long battle sequence. This is a more character driven story set in the brutal age of Vikings. However, I guarantee you may end up liking and charging towards the gates of Valhalla.
Positives:
-Strong performances
-Eggers' Direction
-Production
-Powerful music
-Use of Norse culture
Negatives:
-None
Final Grade: A+
So those are my thoughts on The Northman. Have you seen it? What are your thoughts on it? Please be kind, leave a like and comment, and check out more reviews here on Prose!
Best Quote:
Fjolnir: "I will meet you at the Gates of Hel, where you will die by the hand that killed your father."
Amleth: "At the Gates of Hel, you will find me."
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