Review of The Northman (2022) by Rebecca31 — 22 Apr 2022

From the mind that gave us films like The Witch and The Lighthouse, director Robert Eggers has given us a ferocious version of Amleth that really needs to be seen on the big screen to be fully appreciated.

A young Viking prince witnesses his father’s murder and his kingdom stolen from him. Years later and now a man, Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) consumed by rage and hatred now seeks to avenge his father. This is a Viking movie unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. It’s a visually spectacular, blood drenched revenge thriller. There will be scenes scarred into your brain forever as only Robert Eggers can do (yes I’m still mentally scarred from The Lighthouse).

The Northman is by far my favourite film from Robert Eggers, I may not have been a big fan of either The Witch or The Lighthouse but I liked how well they were directed and looked. Eggers has a very unique style and vision and honestly I’m always curious to see what he’ll do next so I wasted no time booking tickets for The Northman. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope the other 20 people in the screen enjoyed it too, although I think we might all be left with hearing damage from the whole experience. Now before any of you accuse me of acting like an old lady, the place was literally vibrating from the noise I thought the ceiling tiles would start falling down on us, thank you very much Odeon (yes I did mention the sound issue to the staff, no it didn’t make any difference). My ears may still be ringing but I still loved the film, even if it was a little dragged out in places.

Egger’s previous movies have always felt very authentic, especially the dialogue, (for anyone worried if the dialogue is too Shakespearean to follow everything that’s happening, rest assured that is not the case). The Northman is no different and it definitely feels like a lot of research went into making this as realistic as possible and wow does it sure show. Immersive cinema at its best, you could hear a pin drop in the screen. Incredibly tense and will have you on edge for the entirety.

The Northman is everything I’d expect from a Robert Eggers Viking movie, a very dark, brutally violent and mental gorefest. Film fans be sure not to miss out on this one because it’s a cinematic experience you won’t want to miss. Two hours and twenty minutes of roaring blood-soaked Vikings won’t be to everyone’s tastes, I’d suggest anyone unsure of this should watch the trailer first as it gives a pretty good taste of what’s in store. Highly recommended for all the Robert Eggers fans.