REVIEW: The Northman (2022)

The dawn of the Viking era of film and television exploded this year after the release of The Last Kingdom, Vikings and now The Northman. This newest Scandi noir blockbuster directed by Robert Eggers’ was released on 15 April 2022, and I only just got around to seeing it. If I’m being honest with you, I would never choose this, but my boyfriend wanted to go, so I thought maybe I’ll enjoy it, which I weirdly did.

The film follows Amleth, played by Alexander Skarsgard, through his traumatic childhood where his father, King Aurvand played by Ethan Hawke, was murdered by Feng, played by Claes Bang, his aggrieved uncle. Where he becomes banished from the kingdom he expected to take on. Amleth chooses a life of a warrior, which soon becomes overturned when he decides to follow his quest to get payback. His journey takes twists and turns of family betrayal and falling in love.

Throughout the film, we are placed in scenes of bleak violence terrorising villages and others rich with greenery and thematic views of the Icelandic valleys. The combination allows us to experience the beauty of the era, as well as feel the dire, cold vengeance of the Vikings.

The film sees an all-star cast of powerful female characters consisting of the iconic Nicole Kidman, who plays Queen Gudrun, the continuing star, Taylor Anya-Joy, who plays Olga and even a cameo from Bjork, who plays Seeress. The way these women were portrayed stood out to me within the context of Vikings. The way Viking society is typically depicted on screen is in ways that demoralise women. However, The Northman highlights their prowess and empowers them by the plot rather than just be degrading them. Some elements revert to the poor treatment of women with violence and human slavery. But I felt as if the film made a good attempt to discourage the continuation of these values, as they are just not needed in today’s cinemas.

I feel the market for this genre of film is currently so to produce something different is a challenge. Historically, the Vikings have no confirmed history in any written form, as they would solely convey information through cryptic poetry. So it makes sense that making a film like this features questionable action and scenes where we have no clue what is going on. I am talking about where King Aurvand and Amleth believe they are dogs for a good 20 minutes. The spirituality is well captured and taps into how many Vikings believed in their fate and relied on guidance from witches and jesters.

With it being an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s a nonsensical recommendation that features romance, feminism, stunning landscapes and violent chaos. I have to say for a genre I never tend to invest in this film was pure escapism and a good introduction to the Viking hype.

Edited by Jemma Snowdon