Review of Erik the Viking (1989) by Mark N — 20 Feb 2012

First off, let there be no confusion - I am in no way suggesting you should watch this movie. It is a very poor movie and a waste of time.

That being said, as awful as the movie is, I have to comment on it because I think Terry Jones was attempting an exploration of the nature of faith. Erik has faith that there can be something more than the darkness that fills the skies and men's hearts. One of the main supporting characters throughout the entire film is a Christian missionary, the butt of a running joke about his inability to convert anyone to the Christian faith. Erik's love interest, Aud, asks him at a critical moment if he believes she loves him and if so, to act on that faith.

Over and over throughout the film, the issue of faith - what we place our faith in, how we act in faith, and what results from our perseverance in faith are recurring themes. They are inadequately explored, poorly fleshed out, and generally lost in a mish-mash of confusion. But they're there.

The missionary doesn't believe any of the viking ideas about the nature of the world or the afterlife. When they reach each of these points, he is completely unable to see them. His blindness is physically pointed out by his otherwise unkempt hair being frozen in place over his eyes. In the end, it's his faith and desire to be done with it all that ends up saving the rest of them from the fate they believed themselves consigned to.

There's not much else to say. It's not a good study in faith, but an attempted one. And perhaps it succeeds more in that vein than it does as an action/comedy/fantasy/adventure film.

Take my word for it, and don't watch the movie.