The Northman

Director Robert Eggers is an interesting artist and I love the amount of variation he's been aiming to achieve in his career thus far. 

The VVitch (which I wasn't a huge fan of, but it made its mark) was a 1600s slow-burn horror around witchcraft. Next, The Lighthouse - one of my favorite films of 2019 - was a black-and-white descent into madness between two lighthouse keepers.

Now, with The Northman, we get his most mainstream film to date, a revenge actioner with a big budget and awesome premise of a Norse seeking to kill a bunch of people. 

That's an eclectic starting trio and The Northman easily continues to display Eggers' quality and weirdness as a director. 

One of the things I loved about The Northman the most is that it's straight forward. "I will avenge you father. I will save you mother. I will kill you Fjolnir." Despite how weird the film gets at a few points, there's always this underlying mission that builds the tension and the direction and it keeps Northman focused. Those "weird" segments are where I take some issue (to a very minor extent) less because of how weird they get, but more driven by the fact they slow the film down and there's probably one-too-many. These are often reflected in the form of spiritual quests or ceremonies the Norse would participate in. Their inclusion is critical to learning the brutality of these people, but I struggle to wonder if all of them were needed and the swifter this film could be, the more intense it becomes. That said, I also remember I once said the same thing about Fury Road's "odd" moments and years later that feels like a very distant, long forgotten issue I once had.

The Northman is an incredible film, bar none. In true Eggers fashion, some will be too turned off by the weirdness, but there's also plenty of "mainstream" elements to enjoy. It's incredibly brutal and R-rated, in a way that makes it feel epic (among many other elements). The action is akin to Assassin's Creed Valhalla - much to the delight of anyone who played that game - and is skillfully brutal, and expertly crafted. The film doesn't shy away from its gore or brutality save for a handful of kills, and many are memorable, squeamish, and make you want to take a flagon of ale and shout some Nordic cry mid-sequence. A lot of this awesomeness (really no other adjective to use) is achieved behind camera, yes, but also by Alexander Skarsgard himself who is abso-f**king-lutley jacked for this role. It's a far cry from many other roles I've seen him in (e.g. Big Little Lies) and he dives in fully to all the screaming, yelling, etc. In a lot of ways the film reminded me of a less graphic-novel-driven version of 300 and Skarsgard is iconic as Gerard Butler was, in the main role. 

Outside of Skarsgard, the other performances are top-notch, as has been customary in Eggers films thus far. Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Claes Bang, and Willem Dafoe all bring weight and power behind their characters, regardless of screentime, with Kidman in particular having a powerful scene in a key moment. Anya Taylor-Joy does really well but I couldn't help but feel like she was miscast, feeling too young for the part she was playing. It doesn't harm the film in the slightest because she's so talented, but something about it just felt like there was a disconnect. 

Much like The Green Knight last year - of which this film draws a lot of parallels with - all of the technical elements are superb and likely to be some of the best of 2022. Our original score is fitted with many instruments from the era and are driving, epic forces in their own right, much like they were in Valhalla as a videogame. I wish there had be a "theme song" for the Northman himself - almost like there was in Batman, but not used as much. Our editing and pacing and camera work is near perfect too with fights and many scenes being given plenty of time to breathe. Action sequences in particular are a good mix of impressive extended takes and editing, showing the Eggers has the chops for bigger things (Marvel, you watching? James Bond perhaps?). The cinematography is as breathtaking as the battles, and if our cinematographer isn't getting a commission check from the tourism board of Iceland, then they're doing it wrong.

"Excuse me sir! I need to talk to you
about your extended horse warranty!"

Unlike The Green Knight from 2021, I don't think The Northman will be very divisive. It's less weird and it's got a lot more...ahem...killing (like a lot more) going on. I'd still highly recommend both, though The Northman is more accessible and, like some of the greatest films that I'm sure I'll watch several times over, I'd be willing to bet any issues I have with it now are forgotten memories several years from now. It's worth finding a big, loud theater for this one, 100%.

CONS

• The weird elements are fine, I just think there's one too many and they go on a little long
• Wish there had been a core theme "song" to accompany key moments
• Anya Taylor-Joy feels miscast (though she does wonderful)

PROS

• Deliciously brutal as expected
• Eggers direction is fantastic as pacing, editing, and just general storytelling are all in wonderful harmony
• Straight forward plot keeps the film grounded and purposeful the whole time
• Skarsgard is iconic (and huge) in this role
• Remaining cast is superb and Eggers has a 3-time showing now for really strong performances from nearly everyone
• Awesome action with perfect editing and camera tracking
• Weird elements of Nordic history/mythology are truly horror-esque, making the film a unique blend of what Eggers has done before
• Original score is incredible
• Cinematography is utterly jaw-dropping
• A flat out awesome film that will likely have a massive fanbase years from now

Rath's Review Score | 9/10