Your Fate Is Sealed and You Cannot Escape It. 4.5 / 5
Directed by Robert Eggers.
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’s on a mission to save his mother, kill his uncle and avenge his father.
An unyielding and relentless journey of vengeance, The Northman engulfs the audience in Norse mythology and atmosphere as it causes havoc in the harsh Icelandic terrain.
Robert Eggers creates his most ambitious film to date increasing in both scale and budget to create his most ferocious folk tale. Where his previous films have been on a smaller scale but also mysterious slow builds, The Northman is a very different beast showing its ferocious nature early on. Though this doesn't stop Eggers from using his heightened budget to show off his trademark unrestrained visual style.
Alexander Skarsgård leads the film with feral rage, unquestionable commitment to the role, and shredded abs slicing his way through unsuspecting victims on his non-stop passage for revenge. The whole cast and visceral environments help transport you to an untamed world of tradition without limits or rules.
With a rumbling score and intrusive visuals, The Northman feels like the stuff of legend. A tale on an epic scale that provides brutal and bloody escapism at its best.
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