"The Northman" - Film Review
Robert Eggers’ The Northman is a reimagined take on Hamlet. As a young boy, Prince Amleth (Oscar Novak) witnesses the murder of his father, King Aurvandill War-Raven (Ethan Hawke), at the hand of his uncle, Fjölnir (Claes Bang). Amleth watches helplessly as his father is beheaded and his mother, Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman), is taken from their home by one of Fjölnir’s men. Amleth overhears Fjölnir's call that Amleth should be found and killed. He manages to escape on a rowboat and vows to return to his home, Hrafnsey, and “avenge [his] father, save [his] mother, and kill Fjölnir.”
Amleth (portrayed as an adult by Alexander Skarsgård) was found and raised by a group of Vikings. He grows from a small boy at the beginning of the movie into a hulking force of power and destruction. The Vikings travel from village to village, ravaging the land and taking the residents as slaves for royalty. In his travels, Amleth comes across a Seeress (Björk) who prophesizes that he will soon exact revenge on Fjölnir. Back at camp, Amleth learns that the last village they attacked will supply slaves to Fjölnir in Iceland, where he is hiding after being run out of Hrafnsey.
Amleth, spurred on by the Seeress’ vision, stows away on the slave ship that’s en route to Fjölnir. Onboard he meets a young woman, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), and they develop a sense of camaraderie. Amleth even trusts her enough to explain why he’s going to Iceland, and Olga makes him promise that he will help her escape from slavery. When they arrive in Iceland, Amleth sees Fjölnir, his mother, and their new child, Gunnar (Elliott Rose). Amleth quietly begins to plot his revenge.
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Even with such a deeply personal story at its core, The Northman is distinctly hollow. Hamlet is all about family betrayal and blinding revenge, but this film is too sleek to encompass Shakespeare’s original themes. There are moments of pure brutality that may leave more squeamish viewers wishing they’d picked a different movie, but the fight scenes and acting are obviously choreographed. Skarsgård’s movements in the fight sequences feel rigid and unnatural. Like he is thinking more about the moves he needs to perform instead of looking effortless and in the moment. The only actor who truly shines is Willem Dafoe as Heimir the Fool. There’s an eccentricity in Dafoe that always rings true, and he’s used perfectly in this film.
It was disappointing that Taylor-Joy was relegated to a love interest for a man nineteen years her senior. Her past performances in Eggers’ far superior The VVitch, Cory Finley’s Thoroughbreds, and other work have shown that Taylor-Joy is one of the most exciting, versatile actors working today. Not only is the character of Olga unfortunate, but it is by no means a good use of Taylor-Joy’s talents.
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The Northman is the longest of Eggers’ works, and it shows. The story moves aimlessly about with no real sense of urgency. It’s regrettable that Eggers took his time leading the audience to the inevitable showdown between Amleth and Fjölnir. By the time the movie gets there, all the tension has dissipated. One of the strengths of Eggers’ debut, The VVitch, was his ability to draw out and maintain tension and dread, but that movie clocked in at barely 90 minutes. The Northman is a story that’s been told many times over, and save for showcasing the stunning scenery of Ireland, this adaptation is nothing to write home about.
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