Robert Eggers returns to the big screen after the critically acclaimed and public ally adored the VVitch with the Viking epic The Northman. A visceral tale of love, revenge, lots of mud and evicerations.
Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy’s mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who raids Slavic villages. He soon meets a seeress who reminds him of his vow save his mother, kill his uncle, avenge his father.
The Northman is a Viking epic like no other Eggers has not only captured the feral feel but the animalistic rage of the period with Alexander Skarsgård seething pure violence (and delivering it in the most violent ways at times too) throughout the lofty run time. Not once stopping to catch it’s breath, The Northman sears it way through all the rampaging, pillaging, mud and blood infested path to revenge.
The film grasps its Norse story roots enabling the mythology as part of the narrative that doesn’t ever feel hokey or detaching. Willem Defoe enters a performance that is even more unbalanced than the Green Goblin but while out there as the tribes mystic, he manages to generate a genuine guide for our protagonist.
Add the never dirty Nicole Kidman and Anya Taylor-Joy, which is somewhat of a miracle as they are surrounding but trenches of deep mud, blood and general carnage, which never at any point manages to mess with their hair or makeup. A small irritation in a sea of brilliance.
The Northman may take a little of getting used to for those who are expecting some form of Game Of Thrones type narrative, but let yourself go in this raw human revenge drama and you will be whisked away to a time long forgotten and talks of entering Valhalla while going out on your shield will envelope you in another excellent outing for Eggers.
The Northman is in cinemas nationwide now
