‘The Northman’ Review: A Visceral Revival of an Epic Revenge Tale
If there is one defining feature of director Robert Eggers’ films, it’s his uncanny skill at blending historical authenticity with supernatural horror. He proved it with ‘The Witch’ and ‘The Lighthouse’, and now he is back with his first big-budget film ‘The Northman’. Starring Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, and Anya Taylor-Joy, the film is a loose adaptation of the same ancient Scandinavian legend which inspired William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Amleth is a young prince raised by his mother Gudrun (Kidman) and Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke). Aurvandill is murdered by his own brother, Fjölnir (Claes Bang), who takes Gudrun for his own and the two marry. Amleth barely escapes with his own life, fleeing to the sea as he swears to avenge his father, save his mother, and slay his uncle. Years later, a grown Amleth (Skarsgård) has joined a group of berserkers who raid the east for slaves and plunder. However, due to the intervention of a seeress (Björk) Amleth is reminded of his oaths. He also discovers that his uncle has set up a new home for himself in Iceland, where he is a minor chieftain raising a growing family. Amleth embarks for Iceland, joining forces with a slave named Olga (Taylor-Joy). Although she becomes his accomplice in the name of securing freedom for herself, she also presents Amleth with an alternative vision of what his life might be like.
As with his previous films, The Northman is a period piece, and it’s clear that Eggers went the extra mile in researching said period. There are tiny nods to Ancient Norse society, as well as the Icelandic sagas. This 9th century Scandinavian world is brought to life through Eggers’ attention to detail, whether it’s in the re-enacted rites to honour the different gods, or through the everyday tasks on an Icelandic homestead. All of this is done to ground a hyperbolic and surreal story within historical realism. The screenplay was co-written by Eggers and Icelandic writer Sjón. Together, they capture the feel of the ancient sagas in its dialogue and also its story structure.
And just like Eggers’ previous films, it is within this violent, gritty atmosphere that the supernatural horror abides. Eggers once again performs a balancing act where we do not question the characters’ faith in the supernatural, but we ourselves are left wondering how real these spirits truly are. Amleth is guided on his path to vengeance by the seeress, and later a he-witch (Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson), but their guidance is not necessarily benevolent. Indeed, all the characters in this film grapple with forces beyond their control. Whether it manifests in the flesh and blood of ordinary people, or something else entirely, Fate is clearly something to be feared, maybe even hated. As a boy, Amleth dreams of glory in battle, and then he swears vengeance for his father’s murder; both these desires fuel him throughout the story, but they are no less destructive to himself than they are to his enemies.
Speaking of those enemies, Eggers weaves this ancient and well-known tale of revenge in an interesting way. A lesser film would have framed Amleth’s journey to vengeance as simple heroism to bring justice to those who did a terrible thing. The Northman is not satisfied with such a simplistic narrative. Amleth might be seen as a figure of righteous vengeance, but the film allows other perspectives to rear their heads. One wonders how much control Amleth truly has over his fate, and how justified he really is in his mission of death and violence.
Besides these themes and the deft storytelling, the film is a breathtaking display of cinema. The film’s story takes us through lush green forests, stormy seas, and varied Icelandic landscapes. The Scandinavian soundtrack echoes a bygone age, complimenting every scene. The actors embody their characters, without a single false note to be seen. Skarsgard is more beast than man at times, hunched over as if he’s literally carrying the film on his back. Taylor-Joy is alluring and mysterious, Hawke is almost unrecognizable as Amleth’s doomed father, Björk and Willem Dafoe steal the show albeit briefly, and there are a plethora of cameo appearances. These include legendary strongman Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and Vikings supporting actor Tadhg Murphy. The most multi-layered performances, however, belong to Bang and Kidman as Amleth’s uncle and mother, respectively.
Whether you’re familiar with the story of Hamlet, or even the original source material, this film is well worth the price of admission. Many audience members will likely be reminded of the Shakespearean Hamlet, and there are some fascinating parallels between those works, with a bit of Conan the Barbarian thrown into the mix. It’s a wild rollercoaster which delves deep into old Scandinavian lore, no matter how unsettling the implications.