No. 32 (2022) THE NORTHMAN April 20th.

 

Film No. 32  (2022)  April 20th.  6:45 PM  HOYTS CINEMAS,  VMax 1   Karrinyup.

"Your strength breaks men's bones. I have the cunning to break their minds" (Olga solidifies her allegiance to, and love for, Amleth. Together they are a force).

Director Robert Eggers (THE WITCH, THE LIGHTHOUSE), has surprisingly, never before made a film of the epic complexity of the likes of THE NORTHMAN. Which makes it all the more surprising how competently this body of work comes to the screen. The film is a tour de force. A powerhouse of a film. A film I won't be recommending to my mum, but will be recommending to anyone who likes their films big, brilliantly designed, dramatic, legitimate and ultimately, BLOODTHIRSTY. Yes, it is very bloodthirsty, they were bloodthirsty times. My mum does not like Blood Thirstiness.

Who better to cast as our hero Amleth than a Skarsgard, Alexander in this case. We are talking serious Viking times 800AD ish. We meet young Amleth, the son of King Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke), a son who craves to be around his dad. The king spends way too much time (6 months at a time) away from his wife Queen Gudrun, son and kingdom. On his return (where this story begins) he's in for a rude shock.  The King's very nasty brother, Fjolnir (Claes Bang) decides that he should rule this kingdom and so begins the first of many bloodthirsty scenes. Amleth escapes across the seas to grow up and return to seek revenge. 

Well, the words "Years Later" appear on screen 15 minutes into THE NORTHMAN and, sure enough, a powerhouse of a man in the form of Skarsgard as Amleth  is seen contriving his  return to his homeland to fulfil his mission. Other than a few twists along the way in relation to his target, Fjolnir and his mother, Queen Gudren (plus the meeting of love interest Olga of the Birch Forest perfectly played by Anya Taylor-Joy) things go 85% to plan.

Storyline to this fable is inconsequential. The fantasy elements are distracting, a passing reminder that we are dealing with a mythical fable. The characters and their chemistry (disregard Kidman's accent) hit the mark, but more importantly the scenery, effects and design make THE NORTHMAN a triumph. See it soon. I suggest you try to find the best large popcorn and fizzy drink deal aligned with the biggest screen complex. Remember, however, it is very BLOOD THIRSTY!  10GUMS.