The Northman (Robert Eggers, 2022) Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, Willem Dafoe; Amleth, a Viking prince, sets out on a quest to avenge the murder of his father
I didn't enjoy anything about this, and I'll leave the talking to the professionals:
Wikipedia (edited):
Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 89% based on 368 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A bloody revenge epic and breathtaking visual marvel, The Northman finds filmmaker Robert Eggers expanding his scope without sacrificing any of his signature style." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 based on 60 critics, indicating "universal acclaim." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak gave it a 75% positive score (with an average 3.5 out of 5 stars), with 56% saying they would definitely recommend it.
The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave a 5 out of 5 score, praising the film's nihilistic tone and performances by the cast, stating that "It's entirely outrageous, with some epic visions of the flaring cosmos. I couldn't look away." Digital Spy's Gabriella Geisinger gave a 5 out of 5 score and praised Eggers's visionary direction and the film's grisly and surreal atmosphere, claiming that "The world created in The Northman is so totally absorbing". MovieZine's Alexander Kardelo gave the film a 4 out of 5 score and particularly praised Skarsgård's performance and Eggers' direction. IndieWire's David Ehrlich called the film "primal, sinewy, gnarly-as-fuck," "grab-you-by-the-throat intense" and "never dull." Games Radar’s Matt Maytum commented that the film is a "truly distinctive, unmissable epic" in his review, ultimately giving it a 5 out of 5 stars. The Independent's Clarrise Loughrey gave a 5 out of 5 stars and stated in her review that the film was a "beautiful risk". RogerEbert.com's Robert Daniels gave a 3 out of 4 score and praised the direction, cinematography and cast performances, but found that the film "often stumbles when it searches for profundity." The Austin Chronicle's Richard Whittaker called the film an "extraordinary feat of cinema," commending the direction. The New York Times's A.O. Scott praised the world-building and cinematography, writing, "Eggers's accomplishment lies in his fastidious, fanatical rendering of that world, down to its bed linens and cooking utensils." The New Yorker's Richard Brody found that the film "offers no synesthesia, no evocation of any sense beside vision" and criticized Eggers's direction, ultimately concluding, "The Northman merely serves up its raw material both half-baked and overcooked." Rolling Stone's K. Austin Collins wrote that "It’s an oft-stunning visual feast," but added, "It is also an instructive example of how the most visionary intentions can’t always enliven an otherwise rote story."
IMDb.com page.
Wikipedia page.
Garry Gillard | reviews | New: 13 December, 2022 | Now: 13 December, 2022