The Northman, the latest Robert Eggers epic that opens in theatres this weekend, transports you to 9th-century Scandanavia. The Northman, inspired by the tale of Amleth, which served as the basis for Shakespeare’s Hamlet, features Alexander Skarsgard as a Viking warrior monarch in the year 895. As Prince Amleth’s father, the emperor (Ethan Hawke), is injured in war, he is handed duties and becomes prey for those wanting power. There is a lot of harsh survival and deadly warfare.
The Northman, which also stars Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Björk, and Willem Dafoe, opened last month to tremendous acclaim at the Rigoletto Cinema in Stockholm. It will undoubtedly be a harrowing, transforming event that you will not want to miss.
The Northman: Our Review
The Northman isn’t precisely a victory, but with its many high points, it represents a significant leap forward for the film’s relatively young director, Robert Eggers, who is working with a massive budget for the very first time.
It’s a fantastic bit of time travel. Eggers is successful in conjuring up a universe ruled only by family feuds and geographical implications. And Skarsgard, who helped kickstart the project, plays Amleth brilliantly.
It certainly feels true — there’s a continual uniqueness to what we see on the screen, but there’s no feeling of fabrication — and that’s what matters. Everything seems odd, violent, and unmistakably foreign.
While Rotten Tomatoes proceeds to rate the movie an 89%, for us, it’s a 3.75/5. The movie certainly is an adventurous affair that makes it a solid mediocre film.
The Northman: Should you ‘Stream it’, or ‘Skip it’?
In our opinion, on a lazy weekend with a bowl of popcorn and your favourite soda, it’s a movie you should stream. The visuals and sound effects will take you on a wild ride, and you’ll enjoy these bits. We suggest turning up the Sound System to enjoy the film to its maximum.
However, if you think this is a movie you want to find time for specifically, we’ll stop you there. If you were a fan of movies like 300 and Troy, go ahead and give it a watch.
Where to Watch- The Northman?
The Northman does not yet have a digital or VOD release date, and it’s unclear when the Robert Eggers film will be available to stream. Having said that, you might not have to wait too much longer.
The Northman is a Universal film, like other Universal films, such as Wolf and Licorice Pizza, also arrived on VOD around a month after their theatrical debuts. If The Northman takes a similar path, you should be able to rent the film on VOD around mid-to-late May 2022.
However, other Universal films, such as the Aretha Franklin biography Respect, were released digitally after only two weeks in cinemas. Other Universal films, including the M. Night Shyamalan thriller Old, took more than two months to release.
The Cast
Alexander Skarsgårdplays Amleth, the young prince facing the horrors of a family feud. Nicole Kidman stars as Queen Gudrun, and Ethan Hawke is cast as King Aurvandil Warraven, Amleth’s father.
Claes Bang plays Fjölnir the Brotherless, Anya Taylor Joy plays Olga of the Birch Forest and Gustav Lindh as Thórir the Proud. William Dafoe glimpses in Heimirthe Fool and Elliott Rose as Gunnar.
