The Northman (2022)
7.13 /10
2937 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
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.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Amleth
... Queen Gudrún
... Fjölnir the Brotherless
... King Aurvandil War-Raven
... Olga of the Birch Forest
User reviews
First things first - there is virtually nothing original with the plot here. A young prince "Amleth" (Oscar Novak who later morphs into an effective Alexander Skarsgård) witnesses the murder of his father "King Aurvandil" (Ethan Hawke) and the capture of his mother "Gudrún" (Nicole Kidman) by his treacherous uncle "Fjölnir" (Claes Bang). Lucky to escape with his life, he escapes to the land of the Rus where he is soon a capable and powerful warrior. When he learns that the traitor was, himself, deposed and now lives in the inhospitable Iceland, he decides to impersonate one of a group of slaves being sent to his farm so as to wreak his revenge. There are a few twists to the otherwise largely predictable plot - he meets the enigmatic "Olga" (Anya Taylor-Joy) and comes into possession of a deadly sword that can only be drawn at night; but what really makes this stand out is the gritty, dark and enthralling production. The headlines actors actually feature pretty sparingly, though we get a little more Kidman towards the end, and that's no bad thing. It leaves us to enjoy a storyline that draws heavily on the compelling Norse mythology. Not just of Odin, Freya, Valhallah and the like, but of the whole cult of nature; of animalistic behaviour amongst man and beast alike. It draws on a symbiotic relationship with the environment that tests the faith of pagan and Christian alike. It is brutal, but somehow not gratuitous. That's how man treated man; women were little better than breeding chattels and children were even further down the food chain. Robert Eggers has put much more meat on the bones than almost any similar depiction from this hugely rich and enthralling vein of mythology that mixes fact, fiction, fantasy, mysticism and fear very well. It's 2¼ of well paced adventure that looks stunning on a big screen and is well worth a watch there before it loses much of it's grand scale potency on a telly.
Director:
Release Date:
2022-04-07
Run Time:
137 min
MMPA Rating:
R
Reviews of
The Northman
First things first - there is virtually nothing original with the plot here. A young prince "Amleth" (Oscar Novak who later morphs into an effective Alexander Skarsgård) witnesses the murder of his father "King Aurvandil" (Ethan Hawke) and the capture of his mother "Gudrún" (Nicole Kidman) by his treacherous uncle "Fjölnir" (Claes Bang). Lucky to escape with his life, he escapes to the land of the Rus where he is soon a capable and powerful warrior. When he learns that the traitor was, himself, deposed and now lives in the inhospitable Iceland, he decides to impersonate one of a group of slaves being sent to his farm so as to wreak his revenge. There are a few twists to the otherwise largely predictable plot - he meets the enigmatic "Olga" (Anya Taylor-Joy) and comes into possession of a deadly sword that can only be drawn at night; but what really makes this stand out is the gritty, dark and enthralling production. The headlines actors actually feature pretty sparingly, though we get a little more Kidman towards the end, and that's no bad thing. It leaves us to enjoy a storyline that draws heavily on the compelling Norse mythology. Not just of Odin, Freya, Valhallah and the like, but of the whole cult of nature; of animalistic behaviour amongst man and beast alike. It draws on a symbiotic relationship with the environment that tests the faith of pagan and Christian alike. It is brutal, but somehow not gratuitous. That's how man treated man; women were little better than breeding chattels and children were even further down the food chain. Robert Eggers has put much more meat on the bones than almost any similar depiction from this hugely rich and enthralling vein of mythology that mixes fact, fiction, fantasy, mysticism and fear very well. It's 2¼ of well paced adventure that looks stunning on a big screen and is well worth a watch there before it loses much of it's grand scale potency on a telly.
It took me a little while to get into it, but by its conclusion 'The Northman' had fully entertained me. Great film!
First and foremost, I'm delighted that I did indeed enjoy this film as my only previous experience of director Robert Eggers was the - in my opinion, and apparently my opinion only! - severely unsatisfying 'The Lighthouse'. It's unmistakable that this 2022 flick is made by the same person, but happily the outcome is far greater.
The cast are top notch. Alexander Skarsgård and Anya Taylor-Joy are the two standouts, the latter of which is doing big things lately; she is excellent in the most recent season of television show 'Peaky Blinders', fwiw. Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke and Nicole Kidman are all very good. Willem Dafoe too, naturally.
The story is super absorbing, even early on when I was a tad unsure I was still very invested in what was happening onscreen. The dialogue is a big reason for that, as is the thumping score. At times it can feel like it might become too talky and full of itself in regards to its own mythology and all that, though thankfully it never strays into those realms. It also delivers plenty of action, alongside some good ol' violence as well - the ending is quality in that regard, among other reasons too.
Go watch!
_The Northman_ is a bloody and ferocious battle cry of a revenge film. The action is brutal and the performances are extraordinary. This is Robert Eggers at his most savage and masterful.
Full review: https://boundingintocomics.com/2022/04/25/the-northman-review-a-gory-viking-epic-forged-in-boisterous-greatness/
I was expecting more from this movie, but it turned out to be a big disappointment.
First of all Vikings in this movie were represented more like an animals, acting like a rabid animals rather than humans and Vikings we have seen in popular TV shows, but the reason why I'm giving such a low score to this movie is simple - boredom.
Character development was poor. I didn't care for any of them. Story was a typical vengeance story, nothing special or unique and the movie itself was very slow, lacking action and I almost fell a sleep. At first it seemed a realistic movie, but then they started putting supernatural things, so it wasn't realistic, but wasn't a typical unrealistic movie (like Marvel and DC) either. It was just a poor attempt of mixed jumble. It's sad to see such a great actors wasted in this boring movie, but even they couldn't save it if script was so poorly written and executed.
It's was a terrible movie
Visually arresting with great sound design and respectable production design has its moments (many downright bizarre), the film also features good performances from Alexander Skarsgard and Anya Taylor-Joy, however I wasn't fully immersed with the story but that has more to do with having little interest in Viking-centric stories. That said, it's worth one watch at least. **3.0/5**
**Full analysis at Spotamovie.com** - **Intro** - The Northman is one of the best movies of 2022. It’s a masterpiece of photography and cinematography. And probably it’s the closest film about the Vikings era and culture. Is it perfect? Almost. But we will tell you more in our analysis. - **The Story** - In the North Atlantic of the 895 a.d., a story of betrayals and revenge happened. The protagonist is a little prince, Amleth, who will live his existence in the shadow of vengeance. His life's goal is to fulfil his desire to take back what someone else stole from him: a father, a mother and a kingdom. But, unfortunately, pain and revenge can transform a boy into a brutal wolve. Therefore, Amleth begins his journey, guided by Odin, because justice is what moves our God's desires. But what happened to Amleth? Where is this journey lead him? And what are we going to take back with us after this incredible adventure? - **FULL ANALYSIS AT https://www.spotamovie.com/the-northman-review-and-explanation-movie-2022/**
One of the worst movies I've ever seen this year. A pretty dumb story that full of random illogical moments and nothing more.
Even though the story is very bare bones, Robert Eggers brings in fantastic visuals with great details that it is still a joy to watch. There are so many interesting shots that leave the viewer questioning what reality is. Although that can lead to a bit of confusion, I was still able to keep up with the ideas presented. The acting in this film was amazing all around. I really enjoyed Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgård performances. The romantic relationship between Alexander Skarsgård and Anya Taylor-Joy did feel a little half baked and underdeveloped though. The action in this movie is few and far between, but when it does peak its head out it in brutal and visceral leaving audiences gasping at the bloody details and gore. The action was done really well, with not many cuts and incredible choreography. Overall, this film was really great and I wish I would have watched it in the theaters.
**Score:** _87%_
**Verdict:** _Excellent_
**So so so so bad. Spare yourself.**
“I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!” I keep reading all these reviews that claim this movie is gruesomely violent, action-packed, and well-paced. Did we see the same movie? This movie was the furthest from those three things! The Northam is dreadfully slow, with hardly anything happening, and when the few action scenes did happen, they were very poorly done! The only cool part was him catching and throwing back the spear, and I saw that in the trailer. I will say that the visuals and atmosphere of the movie were super well done, but that was it. Do not waste your time!
MORE SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/
"The Northman boasts a brutal score worthy of the biggest blockbusters, tremendously elevating a revenge journey filled with Norse mythology and impressive one-take sequences. The typical heavy slow-burn that will bore many audiences hoping for an action extravaganza - it's indeed too long and uneventful - but it remains a must-see of 2022.
A strong contender for best cinematography (Jarin Blaschke) of the year. Robert Eggers remains on the right path to becoming a renowned filmmaker. Alexander Skarsgård completely transforms himself into one of the best roles of his career.
Highly recommended!"
Rating: B+
Cast & Crew of
The Northman
Cast
... Amleth
... Queen Gudrún
... Fjölnir the Brotherless
... King Aurvandil War-Raven
... Olga of the Birch Forest
... Thórir the Proud
... Gunnar
... Heimir the Fool
... Hallgrímr Half-Troll
... Finnr the Nose-Stub
... Áshildur Hofgythja
... Hersveinn Battle-Hard
... Hjalti Battle Hasty
... He-Witch
... Young Amleth
... Hallur Freymundur
... Seeress
... The Mound Dweller
... Shield Maiden
... Helga the Nanny
... Halla the Maiden
... Halldóra the Pict
... Melkorka
... Völundur the Smith
... Audunn the Irish
... Grímr Skull-Hammer
... Eiríkr Blaze-Eye
... Hrólfur Split-Lip
... Thórfinnr Tooth-Gnasher
... Thórvaldr Giant-Crusher
... Captain Volodymyr
... Hákon Iron-Beard
... Gunnhildr Ship-Breasted
... Eysteinn
... Berserker Priest
... Valkyrja
... Fisherman’s Son
... Standard Bearer
... Hofgythja
... Kormlöth
... The Hird Officer
... Hallucinating Guard
... Burly Guard
... Fengr Shield-Biter
... Grani Battle-Screamer
... Ketill the Whale Sided
... Ragnar Cold-Mouthed
... Ivan
... Vasill
... Stanislav
... Lyudmila
... The Maiden King
... Jacky (uncredited)
... Rower (uncredited)
... Slav Villager (uncredited)
Crew
... Producer
... Producer
... Sound Designer
... Special Effects Supervisor
... Supervising Sound Editor
... Art Direction
... Supervising Art Director
... Executive Producer
... Unit Production Manager
... Writer
... Producer
... Director
... Producer
... Writer
... Production Design
... Set Decoration
... Assistant Set Decoration
... Director of Photography
... Makeup Artist
... Sound Designer
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Visual Effects Supervisor
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Editor
... Camera Operator
... Aerial Director of Photography
... Supervising Sound Editor
... Makeup Artist
... VFX Supervisor
... VFX Supervisor
... Art Department Coordinator
... Still Photographer
... First Assistant Editor
... Visual Effects Producer
... Costume Design
... Art Direction
... Visual Effects Producer
... Key Grip
... Art Direction
... Casting Director
... Location Casting
... Dolly Grip
... Assistant Art Director
... Makeup Artist
... Script Supervisor
... Sound Effects Editor
... Foley Supervisor
... Marine Coordinator
... Costume Coordinator
... First Assistant "A" Camera
... Makeup Artist
... VFX Editor
... Second Assistant "A" Camera
... Grip
... Payroll Accountant
... Thanks
... Art Direction
... First Assistant Director
... VFX Artist
... Production Assistant
... Aerial Camera
... Location Casting
... Costume Supervisor
... Graphic Designer
... Second Assistant Director
... Third Assistant Director
... Production Manager
... Assistant Director Trainee
... Assistant Director Trainee
... Sculptor
... Special Effects Technician
... Special Effects Technician
... Electrician
... Grip
... Best Boy Grip
... Camera Trainee
... Rigging Grip
... Transportation Coordinator
... Transportation Captain
... Payroll Accountant
... Production Accountant
... Executive Producer's Assistant
... Production Runner
... Assistant Accountant
... Travel Coordinator
... Post Production Accountant
... Assistant Accountant
... Production Assistant
... Assistant Accountant
... Production Secretary
... Production Secretary
... Production Coordinator
... Choreographer
... Assistant Accountant
... Color Assistant
... Original Music Composer
... Original Music Composer
... Production Sound Mixer
Videos & Photos of
The Northman
Videos (3)
Photos 38
Similar Movies To
The Northman
The Italian Job (2003)
6.752/10
Charlie Croker pulled off the crime of a lifetime. The one thing that he didn't plan on was being double-crossed. Along with a drop-dead gorgeous safecracker, Croker and his team take off to re-steal the loot and end up in a pulse-pounding, pedal-to-the-metal chase that careens up, down, above and below the streets of Los Angeles.
Release: 2003-05-30
Ju-on: The Grudge 2 (2003)
6.3/10
While driving , the pregnant horror-movie actress Kyôko Harase and her fiancé are in a car crash. She loses her baby and her fiancé winds up in a coma. Kyôko was cursed together with a television crew when they shot a show in the haunted house where Kayako was brutally murdered by her husband years ago. While each member of the team dies or disappears, Kyôko is informed that she has a three-and-a-half-month-old fetus in her womb.
Release: 2003-08-15
The Last Legion (2007)
5.599/10
As the Roman empire crumbles, young Romulus Augustus flees the city and embarks on a perilous voyage to Britain to track down a legion of supporters.
Release: 2007-04-19
Bad Boys (1995)
6.8/10
Marcus Burnett is a hen-pecked family man. Mike Lowry is a foot-loose and fancy free ladies' man. Both are Miami policemen, and both have 72 hours to reclaim a consignment of drugs stolen from under their station's nose. To complicate matters, in order to get the assistance of the sole witness to a murder, they have to pretend to be each other.
Release: 1995-04-07
Outlander (2008)
6.389/10
During the reign of the Vikings, a man from another world crash-lands on Earth, bringing with him an alien predator. The man must fuse his advanced technology with the weaponry of the vikings to fight the monster.
Release: 2008-04-24
Pocahontas (1995)
6.939/10
Pocahontas, daughter of a Native American tribe chief, falls in love with an English soldier as colonists invade 17th century Virginia.
Release: 1995-06-14
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
7.097/10
At the urging of his gargoyle pals, Quasimodo leaves Notre Dame tower against the wishes of his guardian, the evil Judge Claude Frollo. He ventures out to the Festival of Fools and finds his first true friend, a Romani woman named Esmeralda, who entrusts him with a secret. When the secret is revealed, Quasi soon finds himself fighting to save the people and city he loves.
Release: 1996-06-21
The Crow: City of Angels (1996)
5.493/10
After Ashe and his little son are murdered violently for no reason by Judah's men, he returns from the dead to take revenge. One after one, Judah's people face the power of the dark angel. The second film based on James O'Barr's cult comic.
Release: 1996-08-29
Psycho II (1983)
6.446/10
After years of treatment at a mental institution for the criminally insane, serial killer Norman Bates is finally released. Deciding to move back into his long-dead mother's infamous old house, he soon finds himself tormented by 'her' demands and begins to question his own sanity.
Release: 1983-06-03
Contract Killer (1998)
7/10
Financially troubled, a newbie hitman reluctantly takes the job of finding the plotted killer of a Japanese tycoon.
Release: 1998-04-03
The Fog (1980)
6.7/10
Strange things begin to occurs as a tiny California coastal town prepares to commemorate its centenary. Inanimate objects spring eerily to life; Rev. Malone stumbles upon a dark secret about the town's founding; radio announcer Stevie witnesses a mystical fire; and hitchhiker Elizabeth discovers the mutilated corpse of a fisherman. Then a mysterious iridescent fog descends upon the village, and more people start to die.
Release: 1980-02-08
The Fog (2005)
4.502/10
Trapped within an eerie mist, the residents of Antonio Bay have become the unwitting victims of a horrifying vengeance. One hundred years earlier, a ship carrying lepers was purposely lured onto the rocky coastline and sank, drowning all aboard. Now they're back – long-dead mariners who've waited a century for their revenge.
Release: 2005-10-14
Munich (2005)
7.129/10
During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israeli athletes are taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September. In retaliation, the Israeli government recruits a group of Mossad agents to track down and execute those responsible for the attack.
Release: 2005-12-23
Shrek 2 (2004)
7.205/10
Shrek, Fiona and Donkey set off to Far, Far Away to meet Fiona's mother and father. But not everyone is happy. Shrek and the King find it hard to get along, and there's tension in the marriage. The fairy godmother discovers that Shrek has married Fiona instead of her Son Prince Charming and sets about destroying their marriage.
Release: 2004-05-19
Ben-Hur (1959)
7.846/10
In 25 AD,Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners. Three years later and freed by a grateful Roman galley commander whom he has rescued from drowning, he becomes an expert charioteer for Rome, all the while plotting to return to Judea, find and rescue his family, and avenge himself on his former friend. All the while, the form and work of Jesus move in the background of his life...
Release: 1959-11-18
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
7.726/10
Cars fly, trees fight back, and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of his second year at Hogwarts. Adventure and danger await when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s magical abilities and courage.
Release: 2002-11-13
Hook (1991)
6.838/10
The boy who wasn't supposed grow up—Peter Pan—does just that, becoming a soulless corporate lawyer whose workaholism could cost him his wife and kids. During his trip to see Granny Wendy in London, the vengeful Capt. Hook kidnaps Peter's kids and forces Peter to return to Neverland.
Release: 1991-04-10
The Godfather Part II (1974)
8.6/10
In the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York. In the 1950s, Michael Corleone attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba.
Release: 1974-12-20
The Godfather Part III (1990)
7.417/10
In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in 1979 New York and Italy, aging mafia don, Michael Corleone seeks forgiveness for his sins while taking a young protege under his wing.
Release: 1990-12-25
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
6.374/10
The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman. While Spider-Man’s superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker, deals with nemesis Eddie Brock and also gets caught up in a love triangle.
Release: 2007-05-01