Read Mixed User Reviews for The Northman

6

benjanzenMay 13, 2022

The Northman is a brutal and gritty Viking tale, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. And though I was impressed by its spectacle and craftsmanship, I feel it lacked any heart or emotional depth. I didn’t find myself invested in theseThe Northman is a brutal and gritty Viking tale, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. And though I was impressed by its spectacle and craftsmanship, I feel it lacked any heart or emotional depth. I didn’t find myself invested in these characters nor this story; I didn’t FEEL anything. At the end of the day, while it’s a film that I can appreciate, it just wasn’t for me.… Expand

9 of 9 users found this helpful90

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5

BroyaxJul 9, 2022

« L’Homme du Nord » revient se venger après bien des années, dans le bruit et la fureur… il s’appelle Hamlet… non, Amleth (!) et il porte sur ses épaules le poids du destin, du sang et de la haine… D’ailleurs, il pousse souvent son cri de« L’Homme du Nord » revient se venger après bien des années, dans le bruit et la fureur… il s’appelle Hamlet… non, Amleth (!) et il porte sur ses épaules le poids du destin, du sang et de la haine… D’ailleurs, il pousse souvent son cri de guerrier et c’est très impressionant, car en effet, il est un vrai Viking, élevé comme tel… dans le bruit et la fureur !

Le début du film est parfait, je crois qu’à vue de nez, ça doit faire un excellent premier quart : de quoi admirer (déjà) cette ambiance sombre, à la fois réaliste et ésotérique qui puise son inspiration régulièrement dans les mythes nordiques , d’ailleurs, les incantations ou autres cérémoniels sont en langue Viking, si j’ose m’exprimer ainsi, bref en langue des Hommes du Nord…!

Mise en scène fluide, plans-séquences étudiés, travellings soignés, montage judicieux, photographie magnifique… c’est du tout bon ! Les comédiens donnent le meilleur d’eux-mêmes, les comédiennes aussi (on aura remarqué l’énigmatique et fascinant visage d’Anya Taylor-Joy, l’égérie de la série Le Gambit de la Reine !). On aura également remarqué Ethan Hawk, étonnant et… -bien qu’elle assure dans son rôle, certes- Nicole Kidman ou une pseudo-Nicole Kidman, le visage déformé par beaucoup trop de charcudocs : seul son nez est resté d’origine… !!

Mais hélas, mille fois hélas, malgré ses qualités esthétiques et sa maîtrise, le film après son premier quart -ou un peu moins, sans doute une bonne demi-heure, je suppose- très brillant comme dit plus haut, le film disais-je, s’enlise dans une lenteur effarante !

Il faut dire que le scénario ne parvient pas à meubler une vengeance qui se traîne misérablement (deux heures et quart en tout) et pédale dans la semoule… L’impression demeure donc -après des débuts tonitruants- celle d’un théâtre en plein air… très beau mais ramolli et trop étiré. Cela fait penser à Valhalla Rising, l’autre film du Nord, qui misait tout sur son ambiance… et la note sera par conséquent leur second point commun : 5 ! des films très beaux et maîtrisés mais un peu trop chiants par ailleurs !… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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6

BrownerManAug 17, 2022

tolerable + action

It is watchable. As you watch it you wonder if you should continue. Don't.

stretched into more time

watch when free

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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4

ClayheadMay 26, 2022

Boring waste of time, file along with the other pretentious garbage the Green Knight

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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4

piglordofallhamMay 23, 2022

Why was the Valkyrie wearing braces? They didn't have that level of Dental technology back in 700 A.D. How ridiculous. 0/10 F- Terrible film from another terrible director that couldn't direct people to their seats in a movie theater ifWhy was the Valkyrie wearing braces? They didn't have that level of Dental technology back in 700 A.D. How ridiculous. 0/10 F- Terrible film from another terrible director that couldn't direct people to their seats in a movie theater if you paid him to.

Real talk? This was like "Conan" meets a documentary on Vikings dramatized TV show, so basically.. just like anything on television these days. Its extremely, shockingly, stupidly, bonecrushingly mediocre for what should've been a decent action movie. Then again, this is the guy who directed the "Witch" with double V's instead of a singular "w" in the title. The Viiiiitch, had a lot of similar problems, but it was much more compelling and was obviously more of fantasy film then anything based off an ancient culture like say- actual Vikings.

Witches aren't real, they never were, the family went nuts, and it doesn't really matter because its a compilation of a lot the microcosms and general issues people had going on way back when the pilgrim's came to North (or more accurately EAST) America. Viking action films inspired by Conan would be great, but this IS Conan except boring and bizarrely anti-climactic as well. Couldn't get into it, too many big names, too many pretty faces, too many shirtless men running around when we all knew that most of the time- they fought naked. A disturbing lack of nudity all around, which would've probably insulted real Vikings if they were alive today.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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6

OlivierPielMay 14, 2022

Enjoyable entertainment, that blatantly but aptly copies scenes from masters such as Tarkovsky (pagan orgy in the woods - Andrei Rublev) or Cuaron's long takes (Viking raid on the Rus - Children of Men) for instance and fuses them withEnjoyable entertainment, that blatantly but aptly copies scenes from masters such as Tarkovsky (pagan orgy in the woods - Andrei Rublev) or Cuaron's long takes (Viking raid on the Rus - Children of Men) for instance and fuses them with brutal Hollywoodian escapism. Why not, if it introduces young people to superior art?

The "Hamlet" plot line is a bit simplistic but it is clear this film is not meant as a cerebral piece like, say, the excellent series Station Eleven that deals with the exact same topic. Second gripe: The lead female character is either miscast or just too thinly fleshed out. third: Too much Nicole Kidman and not Defoe and Hawk. Fourth: The resolution feels also a bit too "Star Wars" silly.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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4

puddingplunderApr 29, 2022

Who wrote this dialogue? Not convinced by the accents. Appreciated the grittier realistic scenes in the villages but the supernatural elements felt way over the top. Ironic that the much lower budget “The Witch” was more mesmerizing andWho wrote this dialogue? Not convinced by the accents. Appreciated the grittier realistic scenes in the villages but the supernatural elements felt way over the top. Ironic that the much lower budget “The Witch” was more mesmerizing and convincing.… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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6

JimmyCricketMay 17, 2022

I had high hopes for this film, but unfortunately the story was pretty basic and shallow. It's like a B-grade version of Vikings.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

ZuultaanMay 20, 2022

the movie was good it's just hard to look at nicole kidman with all facial surgeries and pretend she is from the 10th century or whatever. Its just weird they should have picked someone else but aside from that its bretty gud.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

ajaaxx123Apr 25, 2022

its a good movie if you want to hang out a while, but it has no relevance in movies historie or making at all. 6/10

4 of 9 users found this helpful45

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5

VonSporkApr 28, 2022

I understand what they tried to do with this, being an artisticly great. I just didn't enojy it and would have preferred a more straight forward Viking action film.

6 of 14 users found this helpful68

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6

DylanDavidsonApr 24, 2022

Found it to be a bit of a chore to get through. Action and set pieces are cool but it was hard to be invested in the characters and their motivations.

8 of 20 users found this helpful812

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5

qribba81Apr 26, 2022

This movie is both problematic, filled with tropes and manages to be predictable and boring at the same time.

6 of 16 users found this helpful610

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6

scoleyApr 22, 2022

Far to long starts well very boring in the middle and an average ending and the so called twist you can see coming a mile away not a bad film but definitely overated.

5 of 15 users found this helpful510

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5

WatchinMoviesMay 21, 2022

This is really slow and the story isn't told well. Lots of confusion and turns boring quickly. This isn't a good movie by any stretch of the imagination, and isn't even as good as the Vikings movie with Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh,This is really slow and the story isn't told well. Lots of confusion and turns boring quickly. This isn't a good movie by any stretch of the imagination, and isn't even as good as the Vikings movie with Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, and Ernest Borgnine in it.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

FadeBlackApr 22, 2022

Excessively, absurdly violent, with very little in the sense of story and developed characters to give said violence meaning and purpose. I appreciate the talent involved, but it is hard to understand what the film was looking to achieve. AsExcessively, absurdly violent, with very little in the sense of story and developed characters to give said violence meaning and purpose. I appreciate the talent involved, but it is hard to understand what the film was looking to achieve. As a mediation on viking violence and Norse lore it is mildly entertaining, but doesn't hold a candle to Valhalla Rising (2009). As far as plot and character go it is all rather one-dimensional, engaging in places, but meandering for the most part. The score was the best part. Overall would fall short of recommending it.… Expand

7 of 22 users found this helpful715

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4

moviemitch96Apr 22, 2022

From director Robert Eggers ('The VVitch', 'The Lighthouse'), this Nordic epic sees a vengeful viking (Alexander Skarsgard) out to find and slay his traitorous uncle who murdered his father (Ethan Hawke) and claimed his mother (Nicole Kidman)From director Robert Eggers ('The VVitch', 'The Lighthouse'), this Nordic epic sees a vengeful viking (Alexander Skarsgard) out to find and slay his traitorous uncle who murdered his father (Ethan Hawke) and claimed his mother (Nicole Kidman) years ago in order to seize the throne. Sounds pretty familiar right? That's probably because a story like that has only been told dozens of times ('Hamlet', 'The Lion King's, you name it!) And unfortunately this rather uninspired story makes it almost entirely predictable and not particularly interesting from start to finish. Production values and the choreographed fights throughout are undeniably impressive, but they're all loud, obnoxious, bloody, sweaty, etc. Me personally, I've never been a huge fan of sword and sandal epics such as this. Other films such as this and '300' for example are nothing more than tasteless exercises in flaunting men with chiseled good looks and meathead masculinity as we watch their blood, sweat, and tears, along with kill after kill. Like I said, it's obnoxious, and I can't stand films like that, and this one is no different. Even the performances I can't say much for, with the only true standout being Skarsgard's fierce and committed performance. Everybody else is relegated to distracting and corny accents and hammy performances all around. Overall, see it if you must for some stunning production value and cinematography, along with an always reliably solid performance from Skarsgard, but otherwise, it won't really appeal to many others apart from those who are into big, loud, bloody, and stupid muscly men doing their thing (and also finding some time to lay in bed with their Queen while they're at it.)… Expand

5 of 18 users found this helpful513

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5

brooke9113Apr 23, 2022

One of the most refreshing things I have watch in theatres. I wouldn’t even know where to start. Words cannot describe how beautiful this movie is. Must watch

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

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5

currer_bellOct 8, 2022

Not as soporific as "The Lighthouse", but overall it's just another tedious and boring Robert Eggers movie.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

muldjordJun 16, 2023

Kind of slow, spiritual and very symbolic in nature. I guess that's to be expected when you look at Eggers' previous movies. But it was too slow and too boring for my taste.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

RalfbergsJun 23, 2022

It lacked something for me or maybe was too much mythical stuff. Also disliked how much of it was shot in dark scenes. The story itself was good. Maybe not just for my taste.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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6

ArmitasJun 6, 2022

TLDR. From beginning to end you will feel nothing but apathy or hatred for every character in the movie. (except the girl) There are no cool or thoughtful sword fights, just murder assassinations, and some nonsense end fight by a volcano. TheTLDR. From beginning to end you will feel nothing but apathy or hatred for every character in the movie. (except the girl) There are no cool or thoughtful sword fights, just murder assassinations, and some nonsense end fight by a volcano. The story was as rewarding as Oedipus was to read. The movie portrays its story well...but the character choices in the story, and where it goes, are just "why" inducing. I developed no love for the character. There was not a single point where I didn't hope that every main character died (except the girl, who was the only intelligent person in the movie). They were all just awful human beings, who did nothing but evil, while complaining to their gods when its done to them. There is a bunch of mystical stuff in it, but it's senseless, you can't tell what is really happening and what isn't. This makes sense the first time it happens because they are hallucinating, but it just keeps happening without hallucinogenics. At one point there is a Valkyrie with braces, just why?

If the movie was to show just how dumb and senseless this particular culture was then it's a 10, if it was meant to make you feel something, then it failed. The only thing I felt was utter apathy.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

hnestlyontheslyJan 12, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Northman is a silly, cautionary tale about what happens when small indie movies have big budgets. The answer is a volcano fight.

I went in cold and didn't know it was going to be a gritty, Realistic (kind of?) retelling of the Hamlet story. Anya Taylor-Joy was in Robert Eggers's first film (The VVitch) and was underutilized, Friend and I both agree. There's this moment early on when she teams up with Alexander Skaarsgard and says that he can break people's bodies with his body and she can break men's minds with her mind, but then we never actually watch her do that. She uses her knowledge of the land to cause some problems, sure, and we see her run around a naughty little orgy, and be naked in a lot of places, but not that much mind **** Robert Eggers talks about how he's not able to watch The VVitch because he recognizes that his skills were not fully formed yet as a filmmaker, and my question is, what are the skills you fully formed where you feel like this is a film you can stand more proudly behind? It feels like Zack Synder but less stylized? He says it has to do with the amount of "grit" in the movie, but I think it's probably about the number of abs? We haven't even talked about white supremacy yet, and I'm not super interested in wading into whether that's even an issue worth considering.

The moments that are weird are great (Buzzfeed, of all places, has compiled a list I completely agree with about the top ten strangest, most distinctive choices in the film). The trippy scenes that diverge from reality are Friend's favorite moments, the sword fight in the catacomb, the oracle appearing upon his return, the crows and the noose. There's a single shot battle scene which is a thing of beauty for the objectification of violence. If I can give you a recommendation for something to look forward to, it's probably the Nordic haka after the hakunamatata scene when Amleth grows up.

But this is not that you need to rush to theaters for. I don't really know who this movie is for, except that it kind of reminds me of the Lighthouse in that it feels hyper masculine, macho, so if you're not into that you're gonna get turned off pretty quickly.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

JLauMay 22, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The plot of the Lion King set against dreary, Icelandic landscapes, everybody wants revenge and the main guy could've finished the film off about halfway if he had simply gotten on with it.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

psychomuseJun 19, 2022

Though it has a very ambitious script, it falls surprisingly flat with the dialogue and directing. Visually it hits the mark, but the acting is less than compelling, and the story often meanders into unnecessary tangents from the plot. ThereThough it has a very ambitious script, it falls surprisingly flat with the dialogue and directing. Visually it hits the mark, but the acting is less than compelling, and the story often meanders into unnecessary tangents from the plot. There are better revenge movies; and, most definitely, better shows about Vikings.… Expand