The Northman
I did not realize Vikings had such bright and shiny teeth,
but that underscores my lack of Nordic culture. This film is one of the most brutal
and gory movies I have seen in some time. The movie has elements of Norse lore,
Shakespearean and Greek tragedy. The plot is simple; Prince Amleth seeks revenge
for the murder of his father by his uncle. The story is about the quest for
this revenge. Fantasy is in the mix with dead Vikings coming to life with dead eyes
and a magical sword that can only be drawn at night. Unless you are a Norse scholar
you should brush up on your Viking history. An outstanding feature of the movie
is the breathtaking scenery. The story is supposed to be in Iceland but most of
the filming was shot in Northern Ireland.
A very buffed Alexander Skarsgard (a.k.a Tarzan) plays Prince
Amleth. He is a brooding killing machine, which he does well. William Defoe is
Heimer the Fool barely recognizable under his hair; his screen time is brief.
Nicole Kidman is the queen and Amleth’s mother. Her character does provide a pivotable
twist in the movie. Anya Taylor-Joy (a.k.a The Queen’s Gambit) is Olga the
Slavic slave girl who becomes Amleth’s wife. Ethan Hawk is King Aurvandill
War-Ravin Amleth’s father; again too much hair and hard to recognize.
The film received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89. The
production cost was about $90m but the worldwide box office was only $53m; it needed to make $200m to breakeven. For
the target male audience, Thor is easier to digest.
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