The Northman - My Thoughts 💭

This Vikings family revenge saga is written and directed by wunderkind Robert Eggers, the man behind “The Witch” (2015) and “The Lighthouse” (2019). “The Northman” stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Alexander Skarsgard, with appearances from both Willem Dafoe and Bjork.

Ethan Hawke plays King Auravanelil who is impressive in a smaller role - he can be quite transformative and here he’s no exception. I would love to have seen more screen time between Hawke and Kidman - two greats that have been in the biz for over 40 years and have never shared the screen together until now. Here’s hoping they are given another extensive opportunity down the track. In “The Northman” they are husband and wife (Queen Gudrun), with a son Amleth on the cusp of puberty - and his father teaching him the ways of the dog, man and god. His father is soon viciously murdered and his son sails away and vows to return to avenge his father and protect his mother when of age. Clearly the creators haven’t seen or read “Game of Thrones” - as young Arya at 9 or so years of age was already killing every Tom, Dick and Harry that got in her way!

Once grown, Amleth is played by Alexander Skarsgard becoming a pillaging Viking himself, and eventually makes his way to Iceland as a slave for his uncle’s and mother’s farm community - while obviously keeping his identity hidden. With a burning vengeance in his heart, he slowly bides his time, but it’s all destined to explode at the opportune time. Amleth also meets Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy) after one of his brutal pillaging fests and somehow after he and his Vikings clan completely destroy her commune (bar a few survivors) it leads the pair to a blossoming romance.

This tale is of course an adapted version of the Norse legend of Amleth. Allegedly, collaborators Eggers and Skarsgard decided on a more topical mythological story (significantly pinched from a fella called William Shakespeare for his play “Hamlet”). In this way, the director could also spend time focusing on the mystical elements of the story and Viking and norse folklore, whilst also having a strong narrative audiences are already familiar with i.e through “Hamlet” or “The Lion King”. Indeed, at the film’s best it feels like the bloodiest of ‘Shakespeares’ come to rich fire-breathing life!

The visceral tone and eliciting mood firmly plants audience members there, not just by the soundtrack and soundscapes intentionally set to blast volume, but the mystical visuals, the sweeping cinematography as well as the increasingly brutal violence that appears to be done without the help of any obvious CGI and filmed by one sole camera with many long takes. You’re enveloped in this world and the narrative whether you like it or not!

There are stakes of course, but there’s no real emotional core for the audience to care about most of these characters - I don’t like most of these people and as the line in the film goes, “evil just begets more evil.” There is drama, much bloody-action and suspense to be sure, but it leaves you a little cold. The film is more about being transported to this vivid world pain-stakingly created and having your senses assaulted both auditorily and visually. On these terms the film is an enormous success.

For me it is a long-standing tradition to see the new Nicole Kidman film at least within two days of its release, so this was no exception even though it’s a supporting role. The first half left me scratching my head as to why she was actually in this film with very little screen time, yet then her big scene comes shortly after and it is a strong and memorable one. While most of us know she’s frequently a wiz with wigs and accents, here she pulls it off again with such gusto, whilst the content of the scene is so gripping (using a long-take) as well as surprising that it left me reeling! It becomes clear, after all, why she was hired for this compulsively dark and gleefully sinister piece. It’s also, of course, a reunion between Skarsgard and Kidman after TV’s “Big Little Lies” - as here they play mother and son.

The film is also co-written by talented Icelandic Author Sjon, the lyricist behind “Dancer in the Dark” (2000) a film that will knock you flat and one of my favourites of all time. It’s a nice little surprise then to find out this little titbit as “The Northman” also has an appearance by Bjork who also starred in the aforementioned film.

For all the film’s frenetic and crazily violent energy, there is also impressive imagery that is more subdued such as the haunting scene involving Bjork as the Seeress, the simmering of volcanoes destined to explode, as well as scenes artfully occupying the realm of dreams, subconscious and Norse mythology.

With “The Northman”, Robert Eggers consolidates his talents for epic character-driven storytelling as well as his panache for glorious visuals and symbolism. Surely, he is one of the most exciting and intriguing directors currently working that will undoubtedly go very, very far.

I’m giving “The Northman” 4 Norsemen out of 5

Check it out in Cinemas now and also now available to stream on Digital

You can also view the extended film trailer here to get a taste of the film:

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