Saturday, April 23, 2022

The Northman

The Northman (2022)

Directed by Robert Eggers

Screenplay by Sjón and Robert Eggers

Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Ethan Hawke, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Elliott Rose, Olwen Fouéré, Eldar Skar, and Björk

After my lukewarm response to The Lighthouse, I wondered if this movie was going to be the same. Thankfully that is not the case.

It is a classic revenge story. It has been done a million times before the Kill Bills, John Wicks or Gladiators of the world. The same could be said with adapting a million Shakespeare plays. We know what is going to happen.

I believe that director, Robert Eggers made something different. You can see with the trademark of having birds help or spell the doom of a character that he wanted you to be in the shoes of Amleth (Skarsgård) as he exacts his revenge on his uncle, Fjölnir (Bang) for killing his father, Aurvandil (Hawke). He wanted you to feel the hatred burning within him as Amleth makes his odyssey.

The movie is visually breathtaking. Were there things that shocked me in this film? Yes. Eggers wants to make you have visceral experience. It felt like it was almost there with his last outing, but with this you can feel his laser focus vision coming through.

 

Rating: 9/10

 

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