The Northman (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
"I will avenge you father, I will save you mother, I will kill you Fjolnir" -- this is our protagonist's mantra that we hear throughout 'The Northman' (directed by Robert Eggers, The VVitch, The Lighthouse). The film is steeped in Norse lore, and yet, this tale of one man's revenge against the treacherous uncle who killed his father to usurp a throne is something ripped straight from Shakespeare. Part Gladiator, part The Green Knight, part Macbeth, part Death Wish, among others, this movie begins in the North Atlantic, 895 AD. Revered King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke) has just returned to his seaside kingdom after a long absence to spend time with his young son, Amleth (Oscar Novak) and, to a lesser extent, his wife, Queen Gudrun (Nicole Kidman).
Heimir the Fool (Willem Dafoe), a he-witch, presides over a spiritual ceremony where father & son crawl & howl like wild animals; passing the torch of leadership from king to prince. But the next day, the king's brother, Fjolnir (Claes Bang), arrives, kills Amleth's father & tries to murder Amleth, who narrowly escapes by boat after watching his mother being carried away - thus starts the "I will avenge you father, I will save you mother, I will kill you Fjolnir" phrase. Years later, fierce Viking warrior Amleth (now a buff Alexander Skarsgard) makes his way via slave ship to the forbidding Iceland, where, having lost his kingdom, Fjolnir is living with Gudrun & their 2 sons. Amleth finds a lover & partner in vengeance with potion-loving sorceress, Olga (luminous Anya Taylor-Joy). But swift revenge is not on the agenda. Instead, they bide their time and scheme a protracted revenge involving multiple maniacal fratricides & bloody mayhem en route to their hopeful escape.
The final battle occurs on an active volcano in the black of night at a place nephew & uncle call the Gates of Hell. And boy, no truer phrase could describe what see on the screen. This film isn't going to win any awards for originality; it's basically Hamlet on steroids. But the devil is in the details. And while the script lacks Shakespeare's verbose language, Robert Eggers showers the proceedings with enough artistic vision, subtext & astounding visuals to propel the narrative forward. The movie is dark, twisted, feral & immersed in the supernatural. We empathize with Amleth, and yet, there are no clear-cut heroes & villains; as each character has a point-of-view that substantiates the justness of their deep-seated feelings & terrible actions.
I wouldn't call 'The Northman' entertaining in the way that Gladiator was, but it IS a wild, violent ride that is short on humor and long on mood & catharsis. Alexander Skarsgard is pretty darn great as Amleth. He transforms his body into a muscle-on-muscle killing machine, yet also imbues Amleth with a keen intellect about his lifelong obsession. Skarsgard lends a morally inconclusive presence; he loves Olga, but his hell bent desire to avenge could win out. And while Nicole Kidman isn't in the film much {sprinkled throughout}, she has a late-breaking scene that may make your jaw drop to the floor. Amleth learns with stunning exactitude how his enigmatic mother may not be worth saving after all. Claes Bang is carnally imposing as Uncle Fjolnir. Anya Taylor-Joy hypnotizes as the Nordic sorceress. Willem Dafoe lends a wonderfully wild eye & tongue to the he-witch role. And Bjork lends her quirk to the cameo role of a seeress. The whole cast impresses.
Robert Eggers filmed this epic saga in Iceland & Ireland with cinematographer Jarin Blaschke showing us breathtaking vistas, as well as some bleaker topography, & some stunning interior shots, as well. Everything looks dank, & grimy; punctuated only by moonlight or fiery blazes. The production designers, costumers & hair/make-up team create some amazingly authentic output for us to behold. And I also commend the sound & visual effects team for creating a visceral aural & visual experience. So, 'The Northman' won't be for all audiences {not for those who are squeamish or need more propulsive pacing}. But for those who appreciate 'I'm gonna kill you for what you did' revenge stories served with artistic flair, 'The Northman' greatly satisfies.
Heimir the Fool (Willem Dafoe), a he-witch, presides over a spiritual ceremony where father & son crawl & howl like wild animals; passing the torch of leadership from king to prince. But the next day, the king's brother, Fjolnir (Claes Bang), arrives, kills Amleth's father & tries to murder Amleth, who narrowly escapes by boat after watching his mother being carried away - thus starts the "I will avenge you father, I will save you mother, I will kill you Fjolnir" phrase. Years later, fierce Viking warrior Amleth (now a buff Alexander Skarsgard) makes his way via slave ship to the forbidding Iceland, where, having lost his kingdom, Fjolnir is living with Gudrun & their 2 sons. Amleth finds a lover & partner in vengeance with potion-loving sorceress, Olga (luminous Anya Taylor-Joy). But swift revenge is not on the agenda. Instead, they bide their time and scheme a protracted revenge involving multiple maniacal fratricides & bloody mayhem en route to their hopeful escape.
The final battle occurs on an active volcano in the black of night at a place nephew & uncle call the Gates of Hell. And boy, no truer phrase could describe what see on the screen. This film isn't going to win any awards for originality; it's basically Hamlet on steroids. But the devil is in the details. And while the script lacks Shakespeare's verbose language, Robert Eggers showers the proceedings with enough artistic vision, subtext & astounding visuals to propel the narrative forward. The movie is dark, twisted, feral & immersed in the supernatural. We empathize with Amleth, and yet, there are no clear-cut heroes & villains; as each character has a point-of-view that substantiates the justness of their deep-seated feelings & terrible actions.
I wouldn't call 'The Northman' entertaining in the way that Gladiator was, but it IS a wild, violent ride that is short on humor and long on mood & catharsis. Alexander Skarsgard is pretty darn great as Amleth. He transforms his body into a muscle-on-muscle killing machine, yet also imbues Amleth with a keen intellect about his lifelong obsession. Skarsgard lends a morally inconclusive presence; he loves Olga, but his hell bent desire to avenge could win out. And while Nicole Kidman isn't in the film much {sprinkled throughout}, she has a late-breaking scene that may make your jaw drop to the floor. Amleth learns with stunning exactitude how his enigmatic mother may not be worth saving after all. Claes Bang is carnally imposing as Uncle Fjolnir. Anya Taylor-Joy hypnotizes as the Nordic sorceress. Willem Dafoe lends a wonderfully wild eye & tongue to the he-witch role. And Bjork lends her quirk to the cameo role of a seeress. The whole cast impresses.
Robert Eggers filmed this epic saga in Iceland & Ireland with cinematographer Jarin Blaschke showing us breathtaking vistas, as well as some bleaker topography, & some stunning interior shots, as well. Everything looks dank, & grimy; punctuated only by moonlight or fiery blazes. The production designers, costumers & hair/make-up team create some amazingly authentic output for us to behold. And I also commend the sound & visual effects team for creating a visceral aural & visual experience. So, 'The Northman' won't be for all audiences {not for those who are squeamish or need more propulsive pacing}. But for those who appreciate 'I'm gonna kill you for what you did' revenge stories served with artistic flair, 'The Northman' greatly satisfies.