The Northman

From the director that brought you the VVictch and the Lighthouse. Does this story or Viking life and revenge live up to this directors reputation?

The Story

Like most of the original movies that Robert Eggers has made, The lighthouse and the VVitch, the Northman is a Viking Hamlet story that is mainly told through rituals and the outstanding performances of Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, William Dafoe, and Anya Taylor-Joy.

We start with following a return of a King from his pillaging, returning to a wife and a son. A son who endures a blood oath to avenge his father as his father before him has vowed. After this father son bonding moment the king is immediately killed by his brother and the son fleas for his life only to see his mother carried off by his uncle and all loyal men to the fallen king killed. He runs away and vows his revenge and rescue of his mother when he is strong enough to do so.

So basically the Hamlet storyline but what is done so well here is that the exposition of the story is really told through the various rituals that our protagonist experiences. Unlike the VVitch which teeters between supernatural and people just lying to each other. This has an authentic feel to it because all the characters believe in what they are doing and what they are seeing and being told.

The Sad Truth

The Northman is a great version of the Hamlet story. Has a bit more action and blood than Hamlet did and yet still told somewhat poetically through the beautiful imagery that we are shown. The sad truth though is this is also a slice of life for the Viking culture, which means there way of life was not sustainable in any way with cycles of revenge and violence. Vikings lived to pillage others take slaves as wives and have sons swear oaths of revenge. The killing begets more killing. While watching this movie I wanted our protagonist to succeed but the only success would be to kill everyone not just his uncle, because leaving the children alive would mean the cycle continues.

People like to fantasize the Viking life as one of community and keeping ones word but in the end their life style only wrote their own downfall. The entire plot of this movie is all started because the King took a slave girl and made her is wife. Her life was good but she did not love her husband, she loved his brother. If anything the underlining message in this film is that just because evil deeds or bad things are “just the way things are done now” doesn’t mean that everyone should accept it or will accept it. Being conquered and becoming a slave and then a queen did not deter the woman from plotting the demise of her conquers and letting his new husband repeat the process brought his own downfall.

Rating:

This is my favorite of this directors movies. Its one that was a joy to watch just from the beauty of scenes. Its not very often to find a film that is poetry in motion, and that is the best way to describe this movie. A sad realization of the Viking culture but a fair assessment of it. If you enjoy movies as art this is a must see. If you enjoy stories of Viking life then this is a must see.

I give this movie a 9/10. Loses a point for just being Hamlet but still a good movie to watch. Worth streaming. Available on Peacock and for sale on other streaming services.

Easter Egg:

If you want to make a connection to another fan favorite show. Alexander Skarsgard plays Amleth our main character, The Northman. His Vampire character in True Blood is named Eric Northman who all we know was once a Viking. Which make the Northman a possible origin story for his True Blood character.