The Northman review: A brutal Viking saga by the visionary Robert Eggers

3.5/5

Story: King Aurvandil the War Raven (Ethan Hawke) returns from a gruelling war wounded but with clear plans for the future of his kingdom. He decides to teach his son Amleth the ways of the King and a warrior. However, Aurvandil’s brother, Fjölnir (Claes Bang), stages a coup, kills his brother and usurps the throne. He sends his men after Amleth but the young Prince escapes and vows vengeance against his uncle.

Review: The Northman tells a story that has seen countless iterations over the decades in novels, plays, films and TV shows. From nuanced critically acclaimed hits such as The Lion King (1994), Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014), and Haider (2014), to commercial cash grabs such as Bahubali (2015) and The Lion King (2019), these stories are reimaginings of William Shakespeare’s revered play Hamlet. While films like Bahubali might’ve been inspired by the 1994 animated film The Lion King and not directly by Hamlet, the core elements of the story remain the same.

Unlike some of the aforementioned titles, The Northman does not attempt to sugar-coat its primary protagonist as a man of virtue and righteousness. In fact, it amplifies the rage within its protagonist Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), making him more violent, painting a picture of an unhinged man blinded by hate. Considering the story of Amleth is from Scandinavian folklore, long before Shakespeare wrote Hamlet, one could argue that The Northman is the most authentic adaptation of this iconic story. And Shakespeare never attempted to hide the true origins of the story, the names Hamlet and Amleth are just the ‘H’ swapped from back to front, and the play written by the English playwright is set in the Scandinavian region of Denmark.

Understandably, filmmaker Robert Eggers faced a monumental task in making a familiar story appealing to audiences. The film’s domestic box-office reception in the US suggests that the Viking saga failed to intrigue the masses. However, it is certainly not for the lack of quality. Because Eggers has created a masterfully woven narrative steeped in Scandinavian folklore and with hints of fantasy and the surreal. The film’s screenplay resembles a play and accentuates the Shakespearean element of the film. But it’s the vibrant visuals and stunning frames aided with spellbinding sound design that truly sets The Northman apart from contemporary American films.

The rich technical aesthetic the film offers is layered in subtext and allegorical references, and it is a testament to Eggers as a filmmaker and a storyteller. Unlike some of his earlier films such as The Witch and The Lighthouse, The Northman is a bigger cinematic spectacle grander in scope and execution. The film also features great performances and brutal action sequences. And like most films by Eggers, some scenes will force the audience to be at unease. The themes also compel one to introspect the ideas of good versus evil. These are conveyed through Alexander Skarsgård’s Amleth. The women in the film played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicole Kidman offer contrasting characteristics just like Shakespeare’s Gertrude and Ophelia. And it is probably the first time since Katey Segal’s Gemma and Maggie Siff’s Tara in Sons of Anarchy that the archetypes of these characters have been brought to life with such care and accuracy.

From a broader point of view, the film offers a different perspective on the idea of a ‘hero’s vengeance. Amleth’s actions are just as cruel if not crueller than his uncle’s, and as the narrative progresses it asks the viewers whether Amleth’s quest for revenge is just a never-ending cycle of hate and violence born out of trauma, or if he truly is duty-bound to exact vengeance and restore his father’s honour. Ultimately the film is about a man’s evolution from a life filled with hate to one where he must compromise between love and vengeance. These twists and turns do at times unnecessarily slow down its pacing but it’s a deliberate addition by the writers to explore the several facets of Amleth's flawed yet complex character.

Verdict: The Viking saga by Robert Eggers is a genre-redefining cinematic spectacle that deserves immense praise for its execution. In an era where formulaic films have taken over the global box office, it is reassuring that groundbreaking cinema is still alive and well.