#the northman review | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

space-blue · 2 years

Text

The Northman — film review by yours truly

I cannot stress enough how gorgeous and visionary this film is. It is a cinematic experience like few others. It's story telling at its best, even revisiting such a well trodden story.

Amleth = Hamlet = Lion King = Revenge on bad uncle.

We all know how it goes, and yet I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Eggers managed to bring such a vivid world to life that I was lost in the culture and its influence on the characters and left with baited breath waiting for each plot beat to present itself.

Do NOT go watch this movie if you struggle with intense violence and gore. It's seriously R rated. It has cut noses, swords slowly pushed through heads, decapitations, spilling guts, intense beatings, human sacrifices, dead kids... It has too-realistic viking pillages that don't shy away from the horrors that implies, and the most true depiction of the slave system the Norse depended on ever put to film. If you're so-so on gore, as I am, I can guarantee you that it's usually well telegraphed, and you can look away most of the time. The worst is off screen.

Honestly, I recommend it anyway.

One of the most incredible elements, as usual for Eggers, was the blending of reality with myth, visions and beliefs with every day life. He truly managed to make these people feel alien—as they should. They practiced human sacrifices and had berserkers, ffs, they are alien to us now. And Eggers just nails it! You see rituals, visions, and a people doggedly set to fulfill their preset destinies, without ever blinking at the lack of agency or free will it implies.

Everyone seemed to operate by these ancient rules, only half shown and hinted at, reconstructed from what we know and can guess... And it made for a world I could touch and taste and feel lost in. I've not been so engrossed in a movie in a long time.

Eggers managed to make his depiction so unflinching, he somehow shot the most intense revenge porn since killbill, and the best viking movie ever, and still glorified neither violence, nor vengeance... nor vikings.

The story feels surprisingly not all that character driven. The dialogue isn't Shakespearean, but it has a strange, ancient lilt to it, keeping you from connecting with anyone fully. It made me feel like a time traveler. I still felt quite strongly for Olga and Amleth... But there's so much to peal back from the characters, even when they have few lines. There's so much sweet meta...

This film is an oddity. It's so atmospheric, so terrible, so gorgeous... It's too much. Also. OmG. Sweaty Claes Bang tiddies... Too much indeed.

I think it's a masterpiece. My rating still goes The Lighthouse > The Northman > The VVitch, but I'm basically an Eggers fangirl for life at this stage. The man can do no wrong. He said he'll return to indie films after this, but I'm grateful to the studios that decided to trust him with this wild ride anyway. It'll become cult, even if it bombs.

*sigh* just go see it. Go see this strange, odd film that somehow proves cinema isn't dead.

Also it has Willem Dafoe in a loincloth, barking. Like, that and Claes Bang's bare butt, IDK what else to tell you to sell you on this genius film!

Oh wait, yes, ETHAN HAWKE nude and barking on the ground with Dafoe. Like. I'm telling you it's wild and you need it in your life.

#the northman #robert eggers #Amleth #alexander skarsgard #claes bang #nicole kidman #Olga #the northman review #the northman spoilers #film review #gushing #anya taylor joy #ethan hawke #willem dafoe #more like #willem dafriend #film

55 notes · View notes

neowitcher · 2 years

Text

THE NORTHMAN | FILM REVIEW

THE NORTHMAN (2022) ★★★★

Action/Historical, 2h 17m

Dir. Robert Eggers

Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe & others

Summary:

Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy’s mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who’s on a mission to save his mother, kill his uncle and avenge his father. (Letterboxd)

My review (spoiler-free):

Robert Eggers is back with his third feature film and he does not disappoint. Bringing back familiar faces such as Anya Taylor-Joy and Willem Dafoe, he manages to create a film that perfectly fits his oeuvre yet seems a lot more appropriate for wider audiences.

The Northman takes a little bit of the creepy weirdness of The Lighthouse and some of the historical mystery of The Witch and combines it into a perfectly crafted Vikings film that is easy to identify with Eggers’ style. It doesn’t shy away from uneasy scenes and horrifying murders but still leaves room for important character development and relationships. Many scenes were predictable but that didn’t take much away from the overall enjoyment. As per usual with Eggers’ work, the sound and cinematography really carry the film and elevate the experience to the max.

Personally, I wish it had been even weirder but I appreciated that there was more plot than with his previous two films as it makes it more enjoyable for the casual film viewer. The ending also was his weakest yet but it still suited the main character so I’m not too upset about that. Overall, I’d recommend this to any fan of adventurous historical films, especially ones set in Viking times. Gorgeous film beginning to end with the ability to make your skin crawl from time to time.

4 notes · View notes

filmsfromreel · 1 year

Text

7 Great Films Snubbed at the 95th Academy Awards

This year’s Academy Awards was a controversy-free celebration. Many of the awards handed out went to deserved winners, there were feel-good moments as Ke Huy Quan and Brendan Fraser accepted their awards after years away from the spotlight and there was no doubt that Everything Everywhere All At Once’s historic 7 wins were warranted. But, like all years at the Oscars, there are some omissions that deserved to be included. While we think this year’s winners were a wonderful collection of films, it would be remiss of us if we didn’t talk about some of the great films that were barely included.

1. Decision to Leave

Director: Park Chan-wook | Crime, Drama | Language: Korean

Arguably one of the best film’s from 2022, Chan-wook’s unique Crime Drama solidifies why he’s one of the most distinct Directors working today. The zippy pace and attention to detail are what hook you to Decision to Leave but the Director’s approach to storytelling is wholly unique – even when compared to the films nominated at this year’s Oscars.

Park Chan-wook’s storytelling is akin to that of Paul Thomas Anderson, while they are both dramatically different in style both filmmakers often tell their stories with an enigmatic quality that, although you’re not sure how or why, you are left completely in awe of the talent on show. Decision to Leave may not be as groundbreaking as Oldboy or as pitch-perfect as The Handmaiden, but it still stands head and shoulders above a lot of films released in the same year and while it’s been nominated numerous times over the award season, it feels like a shame not to see it honoured on the big night.

2. The Northman

Director: Robert Eggers | Action, Drama

The only logical reason that Robert Egger’s Viking epic could have been snubbed entirely for this year’s Academy Awards is that it was released so early in the year that it slipped everyone’s minds come voting season. Whether it was the striking score, beautifully constructed sets shot with stunning cinematography, captivating performances not only from the lead Alexander Skarsgard but Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe, to the bold and inventive directing, there’s so much worthy of high praise.

Arguably the only aspect lacking compared to Egger’s previous outings is a uniqueness that something like The Lighthouse held – but it’s no excuse for excluding one of the best films of the year from the Oscars, especially when there is so much across the film’s production to celebrate.

3. Nope

Director: Jordan Peele | Horror, Sci-Fi

It’s difficult to pinpoint where exactly Jordan Peele’s newest film fits into the Oscars, potentially for its enigmatic screenplay, wonderful creature design or even for the scene stealing performance by Keke Palmer. But, regardless of where it fits, it seems a shame not to honour such a unique film.

The natural response to seeing one of his films is to compare it to Get Out, the film that won Peele his Oscar and became one of the most important films of the 21st Century. While Nope doesn’t feel as instant in its quality there is good reason to believe that in a few years, audiences will relish Nope for its singularity and also for Peele’s aptitude for storytelling. This is a wonderfully complex, funny and incredibly tense film that despite being snubbed for a lot of awards, will hopefully gather an audience for years to come.

4. The Woman King

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood | Action, Drama, History | Languages: English, Portuguese

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical tale got two nominations at the BAFTAs, one for star Viola Davis’ powerhouse performance and also a nod for the Director herself, leaving to wonder just why it was left out at the Oscars. Davis’ performance, while commanding, was up against a number of fantastic Leading Actress performances this year. But, Bythewood’s lack of nomination seems to be a misstep from the Academy.

There is an argument that structurally The Woman King isn’t much different from a number of action films we’ve seen but what’s more important is the representation and celebration it’s giving to it’s story. In recent years the world has been imploring Hollywood to create more diverse and dynamic roles instead of changing old ones and The Woman King does exactly that. It’s just a shame the Academy wouldn’t celebrate the film as much as we did.

5. Broker

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda | Comedy, Drama, Crime | Languages: Korean

Many people have compared Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest film to his 2018 drama Shoplifters. In some ways it’s a spiritual successor (Kore-eda himself calling it a companion piece), skirting some of the same themes of class structure and social standings, as well as the functionalities of family and what makes a ‘traditional’ family. Broker manages to talk about these same issues as well as infusing discussions of parental responsibility whilst keeping the mood light and fun – no easy feat.

Alongside this, Kore-eda somehow manages to make you sympathise with human traffickers – not the most malicious or intelligent, but pursued by the police for their crimes nonetheless. It might not be the home run Shoplifters was, but Broker still manages to inject some incredibly human and joyous moments in a strange tale of selling a child, all in his non-native language of Korean, not missing a step in cultural references either. Whether it was for Best International Film, Original Screenplay, or even an argument can be made for Best Director, the Academy missed a gem of a film this year.

6. Aftersun

Director: Charlotte Wells | Drama

Charlotte Wells’ nostalgic drama is less of a snub due to Paul Mescal’s touching performance getting a nomination, but the film’s quality lies in much more than its performances. At the BAFTAs the director accepted the award for Outstanding Debut and described the film as a eulogy to her Father – something that she achieves with a visceral and subtle reflection of watching someone you love suffer in silence.

As a distinctly British product it’s understandable that this film didn’t shake the Academy voters as much as the BAFTAs, but the film’s gorgeously told story is one of the best of the year. Many films that tell a ‘personal’ story rarely achieve the emotional connection that Aftersun achieves, and while it was a shame not to see more limelight shed on the film as a whole, there is no doubt that everyone will be eagerly awaiting what Wells does next.

7. Bones and All

Director: Luca Guadagino | Drama, Horror, Romance

The most obvious reason for not including Luca Guadagino’s latest film could be the fact it’s a love story road trip about cannibals – but it’s for that same reason it seems like a missed opportunity to open up the wonderfully weird story to the mainstream. With films like Everything, Everywhere All at Once making waves it seems like the Academy are changing their tone to quirky independent cinema, branching into the originality out there.

Whilst it might not have won many awards the performances from Timothee Chalamet, and more notably Taylor Russell and Mark Rylance, are enticing and exciting, bringing a grounded and relatable edge to a story that could have easily been disconnected and unrelatable. Guadagnino balances David Kajganich’s script with ease and a certain aesthetic beauty that many people first noticed in Call Me by Your Name – despite being in an unusual narrative, comes together in an intoxicating (and sometimes terrifying) coming of age tale.

#decision to leave #the northman #nope #the woman king #broker #aftersun #bones and all #jordan peele #robert eggers #charlotte wells #film review #film list #movie review #movie list #oscars 2023 #oscars #academy awards #oscar snubs #filmsfromreel

28 notes · View notes

rookie-critic · 1 year

Text

Rookie-Critic's Top 25 Films of 2022: #25: The Northman (dir. Robert Eggers)

This film based on the Scandinavian legend of Amleth, which is the story that inspired Shakespeare to write Hamlet, is a bit of a departure for director Robert Eggers. His previous two films, The Witch and The Lighthouse, are heavy on the abstract, with The Lighthouse especially leaning heavily into imagery over storytelling. That's definitely not a knock on those films, I'm a fan of both, but Northman definitely felt like something more akin to straightforward storytelling. Eggers manages to slip in sequences of his signature style, and there's still tons of metaphor playing around within the walls of this story, and that way that is played off of some of the greatest cinematography of last year, culminating in an absolutely gorgeously shot climactic battle that had my jaw firmly on the floor. If you can handle the gorier bits of this, then it is well-worth the watch and further cements Eggers, Alexander Skarsgård and Anya Taylor-Joy as talents to follow. I can't wait to see what Eggers does next. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Read my full review of The Northman here.

#The Top 25 Films of 2022 #The Northman #Robert Eggers #Alexander Skarsgård #Alexander Skarsgard #Anya Taylor-Joy #Nicole Kidman #Claes Bang #Ethan Hawke #Björk #Willem Dafoe #Oscar Novak #film review #movie review #2022 films

23 notes · View notes

survivethejive · 1 year

Video

youtube

The Northman - Esoteric Heathen Analysis NORTHMAN REVIEWThis is a much more in depth review than the one I wrote in April for my blog. This time I have added more sources and I have analysed each relevant scene meticulously. Watching this review will enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of the film nine fold!

#the northman #northman explained #robert eggers #film review #norse mythology #amleth #witchcraft #bjork #vikings #viking #heathen #asatru #odin #woden

39 notes · View notes

toriasimmons · 1 year

Photo

2022 fictional ladies of the year

Layla El-Faouly/Scarlet Scarab (May Calamawy, Moon Knight+) Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Northman) Nona (Nona the Ninth) Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz, The Batman) Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman, The Sandman) Sunny Starscout and Izzy Moonbow (voiced by Vanessa Hudgens and Kimiko Glenn, My Little Pony: A New Generation) KJ Brandman (Fina Strazza, Paper Girls) Jane Foster/Mighty Thor (Natalie Portman, Thor: Love and Thunder)

35 notes · View notes

bluevelvetcat · 1 year

Text

The Northman - Film Review

Sometimes I kick myself for not seeing a movie on a big screen during its cinematic run, and that’s how I felt after finally watching this ambitious, beautiful and brutal Viking revenge story soaked in blood and Norse mysticism. (more…) “”

View On WordPress

#Alexander Skarsgard #Anya Taylor-Joy #cinema #film #films #historical drama #movie #movies #Nicole Kidman #opinion #review #Robert Eggers #The Northman #thriller

19 notes · View notes

angelicardour · 2 years

Link

#Trust the Dice #Movie Review #The Northman #Robert Eggers #Vikings #Action #Fantasy #alexander skarsgard

28 notes · View notes

the-bitch-files · 2 years

Text

A selection of some of my favourite Willem Dafoe related letterboxd reviews since it's his birthday today. Happy birthday to Willem Dafoe!

#willem dafoe #letterboxd #letterboxd reviews #john wick #the life aquatic with steve zissou #life aquatic #life aquatic with steve zissou #the northman

41 notes · View notes

vena-amoris-darkness · 2 years

Photo

49 notes · View notes

rickchung · 2 years

Photo

The Northman (dir. Robert Eggers).

Not unlike Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy Hamlet, in which this medieval Scandinavian legend of Amleth was a direct inspiration, the primal film is an epic mythical retelling of royal betrayal familiar to audiences but with more naked berserker fights maybe. Starring Alexander Skarsgård as the title character, a Viking prince on a quest to avenge the murder of his king father, the lore is told stylishly and rather violently as bloodlines are crossed in the name of power.

Anya Taylor-Joy co-stars as a Slavic sorceress slave grounding the brutal action in between wildly bloody fight scenes with a tender warmth to her performance. Add Nicole Kidman portraying Amleth’s treacherous queen mother and the cast is filled with A-list performers absolutely hamming it up in the name of a poetic Norse legend.

Final screenings at the Rio Theatre on July 12 & 19.

19 notes · View notes

teamnefarious · 2 years

Text

Some Of Our Favorite Films Of 2022 So Far

Everything Everywhere All At Once

This film is about a rupture in interdimensional time that forces an unlikely hero to save the multiverse.

Hatching

Hatching tells the story of a girl who finds an egg and decides to try and hatch it and grow what's inside but when it hatches something out of this world comes out.

The Northman

The Northman is a Robert Eggers Viking movie. Enough said.

On The Count Of Three

This movie is about two friends who make a suicide pact and try to make the most of their last day.

We're All Going To The Worlds Fair

This movie is hard to explain and it's almost like an experiemental film but it was actually really good for the budget. Please have an open mind but check this out!

#movies #movie #movie review #favorites #on the count of three #the northman #were all going to the worlds fair #everything everywhere all at once #podcast #film #films

22 notes · View notes

douxreviews · 2 years

Text

The Northman (2022) Review

“I will avenge you, Father. I will save you, Mother. I will kill you, Fjolnir.”

Great Odin’s Raven!

In my opinion, a great movie need not be some completely novel thing. I believe The Northman, the latest film from auteur director Robert Eggers, is proof of that.

READ THE FULL REVIEW AT DOUXREVIEWS.COM

#the northman #alexander skarsgard #anya taylor joy #nicole kidman #ethan hawke #robert eggers #doux reviews #movie review

16 notes · View notes

thatgeekwiththeclipons · 1 year

Text

Happy 27th Birthday to Golden Globe Winning, SAG Award Winning, BAFTA Nominated, Emmy Nominated actress Anya Taylor-Joy! ^__^

2 notes · View notes

moviewarfare · 2 years

Text

A “QUICK!” Review of “The Northman (2022)”

The Northman has a simple revenge story. Yet it is somehow still a very unique film thanks to the director Robert Eggers. The Viking setting, the use of Norse mythology, the gorgeous cinematography and visuals, the way characters speak, the phenomenal performances, the bloody action sequences, the terrific music score, the historically accurate costumes and the set design, Anna Taylor's buttocks! All of these manage to elevate a generic story into some truly distinct and breathtaking.

The movie isn't going to be for everyone. The dialogue can feel a bit corny, the supernatural elements can feel a bit weird and the pacing isn't as intense as one would expect for a revenge story. Despite all that, I enjoyed what Robert gave us and it is definitely a Viking film to remember.

For more reviews like this visit:

https://moviewarfarereviews.blogspot.com/

#movies #films #Movie Reviews #Film Review #review #alexander skarsgard #anna taylor joy #the northman #the lighthouse #the batman

8 notes · View notes

philia95 · 2 years

Text

Just finished watching The Northman (2022). I'm obsessed lol ⚔️

I went into it blind without knowing anything about it and was pleasantly surprised to find it was similar to the beginning of Vinland Saga (an amazing anime that everyone should watch). Both are based on Norse mythology (Vinland Saga on the story of Thorfinn Karlsefin and The Northman on the story of Amleth). They share similar themes of revenge and guilt however I'd argue Vinland Saga is a lot more complex, exploring themes of growing up, adulthood, forgiveness, faith and more, all while weaving real life historical events into it's fictional story. That being said, it's not fair to compare a 2hr movie to an ongoing series of a completely different story so I won't. I just wanted an excuse to talk about Vinland Saga lol.

Back to the movie. Everything about it's presentation was amazing from the striking imagery to the breathtaking scenery. Some of the outfits were also a treat to look at e.g the blind witch. The acting was good and I loved the hyper-theatrical dialogue. Basically this movie just goes to show how interesting films can be when they aren't afraid to be over the top and creative. For example one of my favourite aspects of the movie was the strong fantasy elements depicting Norse Gods and spirits etc. I like that they leaned into it and show-cased them through strange and beautiful visions. Again the imagery was just so good. One example would be when the Goddess Valkyrie carries Amleth to Valhalla. My jaw dropped.

I can't think of any negatives other than the story is one we are already familiar with so you know how it will play out (it is literally based on a tale so iconic it inspired Hamlet). This goes for the characters too. But this isn't really a negative. If anything, they did a good job of retelling a well known story without making it boring. They kept it interesting enough that the 2hr runtime just flew by. I found it way better than The Green Knight that's for sure. It's a simple yet solid plot that contains a valuable lesson as old as time.

I also don't know how accurate of an adaptation it is to the original source material but I also don't care. The story is so old, it's probably been retold countless times in countless ways. This is just another way.

Overall, it's a great movie. If you like Vikings, Norse mythology or high fantasy I would highly recommend this movie. It can be pretty gory and violent but it's about Vikings so... what do you expect?? I'm just happy I can add it to my small list of historical fantasy media I like, alongside Golden Kamuy and Vinland Saga. 8/10

#The Northman #the northman 2022 #tai watches movies #Tai's movie reviews #Vinland Saga #movies #golden kamuy

9 notes · View notes