The Wylde Review: THE NORTHMAN
Review by Alex Griffin
ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD, ANYA TAYLOR-JOY, NICOLE KIDMAN AND CLAES BANG STAR IN ROBERT EGGERS’ THRILLING BERSERKER EPIC.
Through The Witch and The Lighthouse, director Robert Eggers received universal acclaim for his often uncanny and sometimes downright frightening immersive visual style. With The Northman, Eggers now delivers a large scale, large budget historical epic. Unlike its two predecessors, the authenticity of the world Eggers seeks to conjure is created not through suggestive subtlety, but through a sheer onslaught of brutality and ambitious – sometimes outrageous – drive.
In the fictional Nordic kingdom of Hrafnsey, young Prince Almeth (Oliver Novak) witnesses the brutal murder of his father King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke) by his uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang). Amleth manages a narrow escape and flees across the water, vowing to avenge his father, save his mother and kill his villainous uncle.
Years pass and little Amleth grows into a spear-wielding, muscle-rippling force of nature (enter Alexander Skarsgård). He remains wholly focused on his quest for vengeance with ruthless single-mindedness and complete emotional detachment. We pick up with his journey somewhere in the “Land of Rus”; another semi- fictional province of a world rooted in savagery. Acts of horrific violence, murder and rape play out as though they are part of everyday life, whilst our hero remains largely desensitised. Unlike Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which is derived from the same source material, there isn’t time for indulging in existentialist angst. Life is simple; fate is decided and wholly unavoidable.
Amleth pays a visit to the Seeress (a perfectly cast Björk) and learns that his treacherous uncle has now taken up residence in Iceland. Masquerading as a slave, he is able to travel across the sea and integrate himself into the Chieftain’s extended household – a now much more modest setup. Here he finds his mother Gudrun (Nicole Kidman) living as his uncle’s consort, her true allegiance unclear. He also finds Olga of the Birch Forest (Anya Taylor Joy), a slavic slave girl intent on escaping through any means possible.
Amleth’s course moves towards its inevitable climatic confrontation (which takes place at the Gates of Hell, obviously). However, whilst the plot is undeniably predictable, Eggers doesn’t ignore the fact that real life is seldom so transparent. When Amleth finally comes face to face with his mother, her own story serves to complicate the simplicity of his convictions. Similarly, the thread of fate versus choice runs throughout. Olga tells Amleth that he is free to choose a different reality, to chose happiness over retribution. Amleth instead chooses to dive off a ship that carries love and life, in favour of violent vengeance. Perhaps it is his destiny, perhaps he just couldn’t stand the peace and quiet.
The Northman may be Eggers least subtle work but it is not without its sophistications. Jarin Blaschke, who worked with Eggers to create the eerie worlds of The Witch andThe Lighthouse again uses immersive cinematography to bring the audience within. The effect is disorientating stark realism; the best example of which is a frenzied raid on an unsuspecting village, which places the viewer flinching amidst the brutal chaos. The violence is relentless, though strangely never feels gratuitous. The cast is impeccable. Skarsgård becomes an avenging fury but still retains enough vulnerability to elicit our sympathy and interest. Claes Bang is flawless as his remorseless nemesis and Kidman is a perfect balance of ethereal grace and steely self-possessed resolve.
Whilst affecting varying elements of strangeness, the film falls short of creating the uncanny sense of unease that Eggers managed with his previous works. The veil between life and death is just as fine but here the interaction is much more matter of fact. Valkyries, premonitions, a magical sword are all just part of the course and it’s hard not to feel slightly disappointed by the lack of mystery. When all is said and done, The Northman succeeds by virtue of its sheer boldness. It is a continuously cruel, raw and visceral affair. It is not, however, unrelatable. It carries the same DNA as films such as Conan the Barbarian, Gladiator and Richard Fleischer’s original The Vikings. You might shudder at the brutality, but you are unlikely to be disengaged.
FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS