The Northman Social Reviews Call It Brutal, Ambitious, Cinematic

One of the most highly anticipated films of the year is Robert Eggers‘ Viking epic, The Northman. Eggers himself has commented on working hard throughout the production to maintain an elevated level of accuracy and intensity. The film follows Alexander Skargård as Amleth a Viking prince on a quest to avenge the death of his father King Horwendil (Ethan Hawke). Amleth spends his life dedicated to the following mantra: “I will avenge you, father. I will save you, mother. I will kill you, Fjölnir.”

The Northman boasts an impressive cast with Nicole Kidman taking up the role of Queen Gudrún, Amleth’s mother, Willem Dafoe as Heimir the Fool, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Olga. Taylor-Joy previously worked with Eggers’ on the A24 horror film The Witch — The Northman also reunites Eggers and Taylor-Joy with The Witch stars Kate Dickie and Ralph Ineson. Rounding out the cast The Northman also stars Claes Bang (The Square) as Fjölnir, Björk as Seeress, and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Game of Thrones) as Thorfinnr.

Eggers has been longing to bring audiences into the Viking era for quite some time, and with The Northman, it looks like his dedication to the story has certainly paid off. Eggers collaborated with Icelandic writer Sjón on the film, drawing inspiration from the original Scandanavian legend that inspired Shakespeare‘s Hamlet.

RELATED: ‘The Northman’ Trailer Stars Alexander Skarsgård in Robert Eggers’ Viking Revenge Tale

Eggers previously spoke with Collider‘s Editor in Chief about his excitement for the film he’s worked so hard on. “This movie really deserves to be seen on the big screen because it quite literally is an epic, and the scale of the landscapes and some of the action sequences, and also just it’s more immersive when you’re there,” said Eggers. The film has an R rating and a total runtime of 2 hours and 16 minutes. The Northman promises an impressive and expansive tale of love, family, and revenge, with many surprises in store for any movie-goer.

But what do the first reactions say about The Northman? Is Eggers able to deliver the compelling, heart-pounding saga he envisioned? Does Skarsgård command the screen in a captivating manner, or were fans let down by the empty promise of an epic tale? Check out some early reactions to The Northman below.

Here’s what Collider’s own Maggie Lovitt, and Ross Bonaime had to say:

Others have praised Eggers’ work with cinematographer Jarin Blaschke on camera placement for creating lived-in scenery and impressive landscape shots:

Audiences are also fascinated with the intense action sequences, the incredibly long shots, and the physical and emotional brutality of The Northman and Skarsgård’s performance:

The Northman is an ambitious and captivating tale soaked with Scandanavian lore and history that critics say is well worth your time:

The Northman hits theaters on April 22.

‘The Northman’: Release Date, Trailer, Cast, Plot, and Everything We Know So Far

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