Ladies & gentlemen, today, we are going to be going into some Viking mythology. It involves a Viking tribe, and stars Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, and other cast members. So now, let’s discuss the one, and only, The Northman.
Plot: Prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgard) sets out on a mission to avenge the death of his father, former King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke), and rescue his mother (Nicole Kidman), and his tribe from the tyrannical rule of his evil uncle Fjolnir (Claes Bang). With the help of some former slaves, including love interest Olga Of The Birch Forest (Anya Taylor-Joy), can he succeed in his mission?
Well, to start things off, the setup is well done. You have some good characters who have family, or friends that betray them, as well as some interesting twists mixed in. Sounds like a Lion King, or Hamlet type of story, yes? Well, it basically seems to be, but with some convoluted stuff going on as well. And right off the bat, I will just come out, and say there is the phenomenal score by Robin Carolan, and Sebastian Gainsborough. Man, do they do really good with mixing in folklore music, and weaving it into the story in a way that basically makes the story feel all the more engaging, and as strong as it can be. The visuals are also really beautiful, particularly when the afterlife that’s part of this mythological story is briefly shown. There’s also a surprisingly good love story that maybe could have been a little better, but was very good for what it was. The acting was also really great, especially in the beginning, when the film had a few more characters shown. Of course the acting was great even after the beginning as well. As for Prince Amleth’s actions, you can understand where he’s coming from, even if you may not always agree with some of the decisions that he makes throughout the course of this film.
Still, The Northman isn’t without it’s flaws. First of all, there is way too much vulgar nudity at points in this film. I mean even in the climax, you’ll likely find yourself thinking, “Really?” Okay, yes, I understand that this is rated R. Still, is this a trend that Hollywood is going to continue on with at least their R-rated films? I mean come on! Also some of the character development could have been tweaked out at certain points too. Additionally, the film is most likely way too depressing at times. Truthfully, I’m not sure that one will want to watch this film quite nearly as much after seeing it even the first time around, you know? And overall, the film doesn’t seem to feel quite as uplifting. Finally, you’ll most likely leave the theater wondering if any of our characters learned any valuable lessons.
And that’s my review for The Northman. it is an okay film that has great acting, a mostly good setup that could have probably been better, a great score, and some other things too, along with quite a few flaws. Definitely see it at least once, and see what you think!
Final Grade: C+
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 