Why The Northman is a MASTERPIECE | Video Essay
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- Опубліковано 21 кві 2022
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🎬 In this FilmSpeak video essay we discuss Why The Northman is a MASTERPIECE
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Robert Eggers new Viking epic starring Alexander Skarsgard has arrived and simply put...they don't make movies like this anymore. The Northman is a masterpiece, it's Robert Eggers' best film to date and the craft on display is enough to make you believe artistry is still alive when it comes to Blockbuster cinema. By adapting the story of Amleth, aka the story of Hamlet, Eggers is able to use a familiar story to immerse the audience in this visceral tale of fate and revenge with as much authenticity and attention to detail as we've ever seen in a piece of Viking media. Because that's the thing, The Northman is undoubtedly the DEFINITIVE piece of Viking media we've ever gotten. Better than God of War, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Vikings, The Lost Kingdom, and more. It's a movie that examines humanity's vicious, cyclical nature, and the belief that we are captives to our own fate. The Northman is the best movie of 2022 because, similar to The Batman, it made me believe in blockbuster cinema again, that the landscape doesn't have to be dominated by comic book movies or interconnected universes. Sometimes all you need is a filmmaker, an auteur, with an exciting vision to tell a great story in the unique way they know how. That's why the Northman is my favorite movie of 2022. Northman is going to inspire so many up and coming cinephiles. It's going to blow their minds and rock their worlds. It's exactly the kind of film I'd be DYING to see at the age of 15 or 16 and I guarantee you after I left that theater I'd be declaring the northman is my favorite movie of all time. The Northman, The Batman, and Everything Everywhere All At Once are game changers. They're going to inspire an entire generation of film fans and make even the most cynical movie watchers believe that big budget entertainment CAN have meaning, it CAN be expertly crafted and premium. Griffin (@griffschiller) gives you his The Northman review and The Northman analysis and explores how a $90M Viking Movie changed cinema, why the northman is a modern masterpiece, and why everyone needs to see the northman! Enjoy!
#TheNorthman #TheNorthmanReview #VideoEssay #RobertEggers #AlexanderSkarsgard #Vikings #TheNorthmanMovieReview
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🎞 About The Northman 🎞
Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy's mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who raids Slavic villages. He soon meets a seeress who reminds him of his vow -- save his mother, kill his uncle, avenge his father. The Northman is co-written and directed by Robert Eggers and stars, Alexander Skarsgård; Nicole Kidman; Claes Bang; Anya Taylor-Joy; Ethan Hawke; Björk; Willem Dafoe
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Yikes... Raid
Just saw it last night and I still can't sleep... it is THE MASTERPIECE OF CINEMA!
Bruh you smoking too much loud if you think this is a masterpiece. The Witch is Eggers masterpiece and if you want to watch a film similar to the northman but better, watch Valhalla Rising
@@joed7185 I HAVE WATCHED BOTH MOVIES YOU MENTION AND FIRST OF ALL WITH THE NORTHMAN EGGERS HAS MASSIVELY IMPROVED HIS WORK FROM WHAT HE DID WITH HIS FIRST MOVIE AND SECONDLY YES, VALHALLA RISING IS A GREAT MOVIE AND MIKKELSON DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THE ACTING BUT AT TIMES (FAR TOO OFTEN I WOULD SAY) THE PACE BECOMES VERY SLOW AND THE LACK OF DIALOGUE DOESN'T HELP AS WELL, THE NORTHMEN HAS EVERYTHING MASTERFULLY DONE AND KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT THE WHOLE TIME
Many combs were found in the graves of Vikins, and depicted in the book The Viking Age by Paul B. DuChaillu, available for free online. Thus the messy-haired look is debunked.
I want every film studio to acknowledge the fact that when you give creators freedom they create epic shit like this
Yes film studios definitely acknowledge that
Funny thing is the studio did get involved and made him cut 30 minutes out his original draft
Amen!!
The ironic thing about this comment is that with this film there was actually studio interference involved, so much so that the director has decided never to work with big studios again
@@adityadas5820 I never wanted to see a director’s cut so much!!!
The way Amleth killed Fjölnir is the same way Fjölnir killed Amleth's father; and the way Fjölnir killed Amleth is the same way Amleth killed Fjölnir's wife. Hearth and Head. Reason and feelings, both crossed by the sword. It's really cool.
The last shot of him getting rode to Valhalla was awe inspiring. I almost shed a tear, the visuals and music of this movie is something else. They don’t make them like this anymore
They make them like this and more all the time. You need to watch more movies and research, there critics list every year that have obscure non popular movies like this... .
Nah, it definitely reminds me of Gladiator.
“awe inspiring”
A evil uncle killing his own brother while the son will take his revenge
Yeah they make those movies all the damn time 🤡
Nah, shed a tear for this, grow up
I think Oscar Novak's performance as Young Amleth is massively under mentioned here. His a great introduction to the character and gives us an idea of who Amleth is under the rage and thirst for vengeance. His performance did a lot of heavy lifting for me when it comes to caring about the King's death. Yeah, he's shown to be a caring guy, but seeing Amleth's admiration for his father and pain as he watches him executed made me really feel the loss. I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt that way, but I think he should be credited more than just mentioning "the boy".
He perfectly sells the kiddo who sees his dad as an absolute hero.
Yeah 'the boy' was what snagged me at the beginning. He was a wonderful son and as a grown up when he did something vengeful or mean it brought me back to the boy's plight of seeing his father killed...great movie.
I saw it last night and holy shit this movie was insane. 10 minutes in and I was hooked. When the movie ended nobody said a word it was like everyone was still trying digest what they just witnessed. Absolutely incredible!
Lucky! I just watched it and some rude-ass people were talking through the whole movie, even the climax.
@@marcusaurelius3614 welcome to my world. People always talk when I see movies. They did during fantastic beasts 3. Annoyed the hell out of me
Exactly. I'm rarely short for words but was speechless at the end. There was no clapping, no "holy shit", no "well, what did you think?". Everyone sat there trying to take it in. Was truly bizarre.
@N7Andy hahaha I had a guy start booing the movie when the credits started rolling the second time I saw it. Not a film built for everyone and that’s fine, what you saw in the trailers is what the movie delivered and it was epic. Simply not made for the soft minded 🤷🏻♂️
I had the same experience, everyone just sat and digested in silence afterwards. That’s definitely a sign of something special
"Your strength breakes men's bones..my cunning breaks men's minds" in the trailer gets me everytime
YES one of my favorite lines in the film!
I’ll take her shrooms tho
It also highlights the difference between Men and Women, which is nice to see in 2022.
@@Hero_Of_Old Its not exactly true on a blanket level.
@@leonmayne797 what do you mean?
I was so blown away by the near-shakespearean dialogue and acting. I miss seeing acting like this. All the dialogue in modern movies is witty and snide...the dialogue here is something else, it's poetic, it's dramatic, it's truly artful...I want more of this!
the dialogue was amazing, I was also blown away with the accuracy of the VIking settlements, the armour, clothing, weapons and tools were all well researched and accurately sourced. This coupled with the dialogue really made the movie feel out of this time. Like a step back in time to see an old Norse myth as it was meant to be seen,
HARD AGREE. It's so poetic and epic
Agreed. But look at all the MCU adhd fiends in here saying the dialogue was horrible. They wouldn’t last 2 days in that old world
The dialogue was great but was forced to be changed by the studio. Eggers and company were forced to change it post production. Which was done supremely well by the way because you can't really notice it. Even with something like that Eggers shined. I hope we get a director's cut with the original dialogue. The original had alot more Nordic to it
@@shiftyidog- where did you get that? Eggers has said this is the only cut
This is the most historically accurate piece of "Viking" media ever produced. What a beautiful film.
???
I think authentic is a better word, but still it’s pretty accurate.
Hahahah no, no it is the most INACURATE. Its a 19th century 14 year olds idea of vikings.
@@Spartan-hu2go its not accurate nor authentic.
@@86Corvus Care to elaborate?
When he caught that spear mid air and hurled it back at the soldier, killing him my god that was the coolest shit I’ve ever seen in a movie.
Is this your favorite movie of the year so far?
Didn't that happen in the Troy movie? Brad Pitts character catching a spear on the battlefield and throwing it back to kill a guy riding a horse.
@@GameChanger-xi4iy Achilles threw a spear like a mile away, didnt catch it though. Still badass though
@@GameChanger-xi4iy Achilles threw a spear like a mile away, didnt catch it though. Still badass though
That was the only good scene of the movie
Saw it last night and this movie BLEW my mind. I was in awe, it was disturbing and very intense but beautiful as well. The film ended, the lights immediately came back on and most of the room just stayed dead silent, that was when I knew some people were blown away and others were disturbed by what they saw
All the women hated it when I watched it. Women only understand Rom Coms and other shallow BS
Same at the theater I attended. Great film
@@scythianking7315 This has to be a troll comment 😭
@@scythianking7315 Because they cant accept something based on realism.
A couple of guys just said "I'll say it's a 6 out of ten.", What, are you YMS? XD
Amleth's belief in fate over choice is the most viking thing in this film, it's core to viking religion and culture. This valkyrie gives the film 10/10
That ritual scene right before the raid on the village was probably my favorite part. So beautifully choreographed and visually stunning.
The director has knocked it out of the park three movies in a row!
Eggers is truly one of the best working today. Incredible filmmaker!
@@FilmSpeak He truly is; especially since his films so far are all original stories. Best of luck to him.
@@aleaanderson6600 technically no. This film is based on the story that Hamlet was BASED ON. As in Hamlet took its inspiration form the the story in this film.
Watch him bomb the next one, fourth time’s usually the dropping point.
@@KidKingdomHearts hamlet is based on a viking story lol
This film is exactly what I want to see from big budget films nowadays
Ethan Hawke’s monologue to Fjolnir right before he died was so chilling and awesome.
This whole movie is just a love letter to fans of Robert and Norse(ish) mythology.
Amazingly performed, shot, composed and written. This movie lived rent free in my head for almost a whole 24 hours now since I’ve seen it.
True masterpiece for sure.
Agree 100%. I was very exicted for this (Eggers) but also assumed it probably wouldn't deliver to my hype, yet it blew my expectations out of the water.
Came out of the movie theatre about 2 hours ago and I can't remeber last time when I was speechless/in shock after a work of fiction like I am now. This will sound pretentious but I mean it sincerely, I think this movie is a profound piece of art.
imagine Robert Eggers doing a Greek epic like the Odyssey or John Milton's paradise lost and maybe dante's Inferno. it would be nice to see a movie about it someday.
Damn if he did a Paradise Lost film that would be epic.
Just saw this masterpiece. Can't imagine it being as good viewed at home when it becomes available for it. Anyone reading this, if you haven't seen it in theatre yet, DO IT. FilmSpeak is absolutely correct when he describes this as the modern day spectacle film. It is worthy of the greats and deserves being viewed in the theatre.
Everything is called a masterpiece these days. I am not a movies guy but I love video games and everything is called a masterpiece and the truth is that those games are just mediocre. I don't know, what do you like in this movie the most?
@@michadomeracki5910 trust me... just go and watch it, you'll thank us later
No, this film and its director are not special and to compare them to the all-time greats is a joke.
@@michadomeracki5910 Anya Taylor Joy gets naked a few times so that’s cool. But on a serious note it’s one of my favorite interpretations of the typical revenge story in a long time.
@@michadomeracki5910 If someone's opinion of a game or movie is "masterpiece", then it's firing on all cylinders, so to speak...so it's hard to say what I like the most. What I can say is this movie is unique in how it balances the surrealism of the Scandinavian legend/mythologies that inspired it with the gritty visceral realism of a historical adventure. Escapism at its finest. None of the main characters are one-dimensional either. They develope often in unexpected ways as the story throws adversity at them. The performances are stellar.
I loved the night scenes, where there is no colour, like in reality.
Yessss, it had color but the saturation was so low it was nearly black and white. Also the landscape shots were so good.
I was fangirling over the low saturation night shots too
The night shots were fantastic
Going to look amazing in 4k 💯
His use of black and white in lighthouse and the night scenes here make me so excited on the rumors that he might be remaking nosferatu
The score was beautiful and haunting, the cinematography was the best I’ve ever seen, the action was reserved but intense and the acting was perfect. 10/10
Highly insensitive to POC and many other communities. It has been proven that children’s self esteem gets influenced by role models in movies. Children need inclusion, and that applies POC and LGBTQ+ youth.
@@chamade166 Wot
@@chamade166 It's a period piece. It should be historically accurate. Parents need to parent their children.
I think you missed the part where Amleth had a premonition that Fjolnir would come back and hunt him down if he didn’t go back to kill him. At the end it was no longer about revenge but securing the safety of his unborn children.
Exactly. He was willing to abandon the revenge quest until he realised his new family would never be safe for as long as Fjolnir lives.
I took that as amleth trying to further justify his revenge.
Can’t even describe my love for the movie. I just hope it make its money back and more
It won’t! It made 1.5 million first day and it cost around 90million! A lot of people have been walking out and hating on it. They don’t understand it truly is a masterpiece. I’m going to see it again before it leaves theatres!
@@LukeSchaeferFilms apparently it's made about 24mil worldwide so far. Hopefully the buzz can boost them so it's close by the end. Maybe it will win some awards too and make the whole project worthwhile to the movie makers. I freaking loved it. We need more movies like this.
@N7Andy that’s because people have lost their capability of understanding and appreciating art. Those are the people who prefer synthetic sounds over the real instruments. Disconnected from their roots, dreams, imagination….
Sucks even more he’s not making another blockbuster film after this one
@N7Andy Lol
Great takes. I really hope it gets the praise it deserves. We live in a time full of blockbuster CGI action movies and this movie may be a let down to some. I believe this will follow a path similar to Bladerunner, which wasn't very successful when it released but became one of the most studied and praised films as time went on.
What did you enjoy about this movie so much?
That’s what I’m thinking, too. So far they haven’t made much at the box office, but it’s got fantastic staying power for certain
@RT-106 Music
Spoilers
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to me, it’s a treatise on generational trauma/curses and how we try to undo them. The main character was fucked up from watching his Dad get murdered, and his mother, who was enslaved, perpetuated the same conditions that led her to be traumatized in the first place. Olga was able to see a better life for herself after escaping Iceland. That’s what I got out of it, anyway.
@@megamikethemovieman The cinematography was great, while the acting was entertaining and of high quality in my opinion. The soundtrack was compelling but not overblown, and the plot was grounded and mysterious thanks to the added mysticism of the supernatural/spiritual. Personally though, my favourite part was the animalistic nature of the violence and combat. It felt gritty but not forcefully gory, while still being violent enough to be gruesome. The aggressive screams and the chanting of that ritual/dance around the fire were so crazy and wild, and I think it was evocative of the roaring energy that warriors like these would exude. Loved the film for these reasons.
@@ca44444 This is how I understood it as well!
It’s the most historically, violent and spiritually accurate Viking movie of all time. This is coming from a guy who loves everything about Vikings and their culture. The Kóryos war bands, the cultural transition of Old God worship to new God worship, the primary use of spears and shields in combat that TV shows misrepresent, the dark brutal honor of enslavement yet not actually raping women “unless” they were “compliant” as one specific scene showed, the spiritual psychedelic connection they felt with their ancestor’s and the “ritual of the Kings”, the undying respect and honor of fate that a Seer would profess, the altered states of conscious-being to “fight” a draugr in order to obtain relics from tombs, the women being the foresight of the Gods along with Seiðr magic’s origin being of women, and Amleth’s declaration of never harming a woman directly. The mistreatment of slaves was actually more shunned than what was depicted in the movie, but that is my only critique of the film.
Also, Amleth isn’t simply continuing the violent cycle. He is honoring his father’s last words; “avenge my death.” He is honoring his father, in turn honoring his forefathers before him. It’s much deeper than him simply choosing to follow fate, he see’s no other way and their is debatably no other way to end his quest based on his own experiences up to that point where he could live as a free man or die in fates honor.
It is Viking cultural masterpiece.
The werewolf hanging from the tree of kings
Couldn't have said it better myself, I'm a heathen who worships the all father ᛟᛞᛁᚾ
@@mjolnirmilitia569 Heil ok Sael brodr!
@@thorgeist Heil Sæl the all fader
Is it just me or was his kid implied to be St. Olga? The timeliness adds up and thematically her story has many parallels to this movie. Maybe I'm crazy 🤪 lol but I feel like I'm onto something
I liked how even though he's huge and an experienced fighter he doesn't just pull up and fight him with brute strength but instead he takes his time and uses stealth and subterfuge to wage psychological warfare before choosing the right time to strike
Great film. Eggers is probably my favorite director right now. The VVITCH and The Lighthouse are classics, and The Northman doesn’t disappoint.
No, they’re not.
@@curly_wyn I think there’s a new comic book movie coming out for you and your fellow neckbeard army to salivate over.
@@curly_wyn that’s just your terrible opinion
him and Ari Aster for me at the moment.
What a STUNNING film. Once again though, Eggers has been screwed over by the marketing of this film. The trailers do not give you any sense that it was going to be like this. So many casual viewers are going to go into it expecting an action flick and get this.
My thoughts exactly. The ratings themselves show this
I couldn’t agree more. I walked expecting the runtime to produce a number of sequences resembling the berserker raid but left thinking and admiring what I maybe 30 mins in realized was a retelling of Shakespeare which I can admit I would not have gone opening night with said knowledge as my theater experience was filled with a number of patrons leaving or vocalizing there disapproval as the movie transitions once Alexander enters slavery.
Exactly, I thought it’s was going to be and action epic
i went in as a casual viewer, like someone said below, expected some sort of game of thrones type flick - i just like viking culture a lot and thought it’d be cool. my god was i wrong, but i am so glad i was. what i expected couldn’t possibly hold a candle to what i got from this movie. best film i’ve ever seen, granted i’m not a big film person, but 100% the best i’ve seen.
I agree the marketing does this a major disservice. I was 30 mins in when I realized "oh this is Hamlet"
I walked home from the theater and felt like I’d reconnected to some lost ancestors or something. Fantastic film, definitely going over som heads but more accessible
this was the genius of it imo. you dont just witness the story, you actually experience it as if you were viewing the world through the lens of a believer of norse mythology
There was no shortage of blood curdling screams. The visual and sound engineers pulled their weight. I liked how you got to see Viking customs and traditions and also didn’t shy away from showing how brutal some Vikings were. What a movie! Can’t wait to see it again
I really hope we get more films like this. I absolutely loved it. Saw it twice so far.
Is this your favorite Eggers film?
Sadly, we won’t. This movie had like a 70million budget and requires 1.5x the money to be profitable. It will be a box office bomb, unfortunately. It boggles my mind a bid studio gave Robert this much bank to fulfill his vision, because it would never make money to the studio since it is an original IP, not a sequel, prequel, remake or comic book movie- and I want to congratulate the studio for making it. In my book, The Northman is the best of this year yet along with The Batman and Everything Everywhere All At Once. It’s a fantastic movie, unlike anything else.
Was her mother laughing or screaming in that scene?
I've seen it twice as well and I will see it a third time. It has to be seen on the big screen. I saw the Joker three times in the theater as well and I haven't watched it once in its entirety at home. I really would like to know what the money behind this film had Eggers cut from this film cuz it's probably badass.
Same here. I just saw it and I’m gonna see it again maybe next weekend. There’s very few movies that come out like this every year.
I just left from seeing it , as much as I loved the Batman, this… is just objectively on a totally different level. This film has me speechless, the entire theater was packed and silent. I just witnessed a masterpiece
Can't wait goin to see it this friday
No, it’s not.
@@curly_wyn trippin
It's shitty....if you want a masterpiece film watch braveheart.
@@curly_wyn speak on that.
The first time I watched this I cried at the end. The second time I watched it I cried about 10 times throughout. I highly recommend watching this movie more than once, you pick up so much more the second time around.
I think Eggers might just become the best director of this generation
Wow, this WAS a TRUE cinematic masterpiece! Loved it!
Yessss so glad! It truly is
What was your favorite part of the movie?
Yeah dude I’ve seen it 3 times already 😭 just a masterpiece in my opinion. I almost want to say it’s a 10/10. Cinematography also is the best I think I’ve ever seen.
@@sharpshoota8274 Let me know if I did Justice in my review of the movie on my channel?
@@FilmSpeak no its a piece of trash you shouldnt be a movie reviewer...
This movie is amazing. I was blown away by the visual elements, the use of sound effects. At certain points, it almost looked 3d to me. The audio sometimes made the images pop from the screen. It blew me away. I've seen thousands of films, but I've never been so engrossed in a film's atmosphere. It was also very educational in that I learned about the adoration for wolves and the innately bestial quality of their worship. It was psychological in a way because I realized through the film that it was told from Amleth's point of view at times. When he went into the den to retrieve the sword from an undead warrior, he fought it inside of his mind. Then before, when he was on drugs, he saw his family lineage in Yggdrasil, which then ties into later in the movie with fate. But then, the movie throws a curve ball at you, and shows that it's indeed not just in Amleth's mind, in that the sword cannot be unsheathed during the day.
This movie was soft fantasy in a way. The gates of Hel, being essentially Mount Doom from LOTR. A volcano in constant eruption, which is mythical in itself as depicted in the film. But also in that seemingly everyone knows about it as it was briefly mentioned between Fjolnir and Amleth near the end, and they knew exactly where that was. But as the viewer, you kind of thought at the time "is that like saying, see you in the next life?" But no... it subverts that idea and it's an actual place. The same place you saw in the beginning of the film. And literally every shot, throughout all the chaos and carnage in this movie, was beautiful. I really cannot express how much this movie kicks ass...
So glad that my brother asked me to watch this movie yesterday. I didn’t know what’s it’s about. I love history and vikings so i said yes. Omg! It blew my mind! I love the musical scoring. It’s soo intense and the cinematography. I hoped we get more movies like this.
I saw a review that complained about the Valkyrie having braces….for those who do not know those are cuts on her teeth not braces…cutting of teeth was a very pagan right of strength and intimidation also showing you imperviousness to pain. Valkyries are bad asses way more brutal then they are shown but also as beautiful and further then they are shown in movies obviously. Good stuff though!
I literally spent like five minutes trying to freeze that scene to see if she had braces, and they didn't look like braces so I was quite confused. Thanks for the info, don't think I would have been able to find out what was on her teeth otherwise. It definitely caught my eye.
Some say in pre-colombus america, this was a commom trend too, like a teeth tattoo
they are supposed to be scary though, the 'beautiful valkyries' were almost entirely made up by Wagner
Yeah, considering the lengths Eggers went through to make sure it's about as historically authentic as it could feasibly get, it'd be hard to think he would let something as obvious as modern braces right in a close-up shot of a valkyrie.
It's literally where the expression "cutting your teeth" comes from
10/10 this movie is a masterpiece. ive seen it 5 times already myself and each was as gripping as the first.
Stellar filming, cinematography, story telling and a phenomenal cast. Old school is back.
Skarsgard acting was so on point its insane, the end battle in particular, the stiffness of his movements coming from the fact his trapeze was most likely severed from the little brat in the closet was a spectacular detail. and the death scene was glorious to boot!
I thought ut was interesting how at the end they didnt show clearly which one of them was taken to Valhalla. if told from another perspective, Fjolnir was a hero who died killing the man who murdered his family. It left me thinking all night who was taken to Vallhalla
You see it from Amleds perspective i guess.. Both would go to Valhalla, the only requirement is getting killed while fighting... they both accomplished that.
You have a really good point! Not an expert, but exist diferents afterlives other than Valhöll (the most popular one) and Helheim, at least in the norse mithology. Because for most nordic people, maybe Valhöll would be like a curse and Helheim would be a blessing. Is very known they worship a certain god, base on his life and believes, of course.
For that matter, we know Ethan Hawke’s character Aurvandil, Amleth’s father, is a king and warlord, so it makes sense for his god to be Odin. And then Amleth has his daddy issues, which is probably going to keep him aligned with the cult of Odin. But also, as a berserker they are Odinic warriors.
So, Fjölnir, having a chip on his shoulder, is going to not want be a part of the same cult as his brother, the king. There were a lot of people who move to Iceland and worship Freyr (like Fjölnir in the film) He’s a fertility god. He’s an earth god. And if you’re living out an existence as a farmer, you were generally a worshiper of Freyr or Thor. So it made sense, to that Fjölnir would worship Freyr. I mean, Fjölnir is aware that he may die and we know he is a follower of Freyr, rather than Odin. And he may consider Hel (where he will be going) as a desireable afterlive rather than Valhöll. The channel of Ocean Keltoi have really good videos about all of this, if you are interested.
@@EmilReiko That's what I was thinking as well, we were seeing it through the main character Amleths eyes. Sword in hand, died in battle, technically they are both going to valhalla.
@@EmilReiko It's not the only requirement. Only the most courageous warriors fallen on the battlefield are chosen. And half of those belong to Freya, going to Folkvangr.
@@lillyshania2504 Everything you said is correct but in Norse mythology if you died in combat and were not buried you went to Valhöll without fail. Very strict circumstances for your spirit to get into any of the 8 realms outside of Midgardr. So if you met the requirements to go to one place even if you didn’t mean to, you went there. Valhöll was created so Odin could collect the bloodiest, most violent warriors throughout history so that he may use them during Rangnarök. It wasn’t something you could really debate with him. The only way you could override this is if you were a shaman or witch devoted to a specific God, because in a sense you belonged to them- and the way you died was less important in that instance.
Seen it already. Amazed by the atmosphere the film sets you in. This what movies should aspire to.
This film blew me away! I'm so glad I saw it in theaters. It was also refreshing to see something original. Wow, I'm excited to see what more this director does!
As a Norseman, I was SHOCKED when I saw this. Eggers and Sjón Sigurdsson really cared about authenticity to the Norse culture while also amplifying certain aspects, and it shows. So much better than those history channel shows, and definitely my favorite Eggers film. And I really like the more horror/psychological aspect of the film. And that first battle sequence … chef’s kiss. Best film of the year
This movie knocked me out. And I already loved Robert Eggers first two films.
But, “The Northman” was something else. It felt like a David Lean film, without the excessive extras. Huge settings, slow (but well worth) character development. So, so good.
Can’t wait for Eggers “Nosferatu”.
I had no idea Skarsgard had it in him when I saw this. Afterwards I'll never doubt his ability again
That whole family are brilliant actors!
He was great in the HBO series “Generation Kill”.
Hes been in a lot of movies but they where not block busters. They where also movies not considered politically correct. Such as this movie. It got railed by the people that made Hollywood suck. Glad this movie did well
I think his best work was Zoolander no cap
What did you guys think about the mythical parts of this movie? I loved how i kept asking myself “is this real or is this just the years of magic mushrooms talking to him?” Personally, i think it was real based on one scene. A guard tries to unsheathe his magical blade only to fail since fate won’t allow it to see the light of day. On the side, my jaw dropped when i saw the meat horse. If you love history and mythology, then this is the movie for you
The meat horse was awesome. Talk about sending a message.
@@kimpurcell8851 i had the same thought
Saw it this afternoon 10/10! Im very surprised how mixed the audience reviews are. Glad to watch someone who clearly appreciated the film as much as I did!
What a powerhouse of a film. Truly takes you on a ride full speed through a heeeeavy violent and emotional journey of revenge, pulls no punches in terms of tone and takes itself seriously.
The cinematography was outstanding, I found myself wishing for more cinematic setting shots but there are certainly a good amount. Probably just a personal taste thing, loved the long takes in combat sequences. Passing the camera into the longboat, scaling the walls into the village, the gates of hell fight, so many unique directory choices to appreciate and it was *full* of outstanding performances to accompany the vision Eggers had for the story. Will certainly be seeing this again
When I saw this movie in theatres, I was very torn about it. I thought it was a bit too weird for my liking, the pacing felt kinda slow sometimes, and I wasn't really sure who to root for. At the end, they all kind of felt like villains, and nobody was really right or wrong. My conclusion when the movie ended was, it wasn't a movie for me. Then something happened on the drive home. I couldn't stop thinking about this movie. Even when I got home, it was on my mind all the time. While I still thought the movie was a bit too strange for my taste, I couldn't help but feel like i'd just been on a very epic journey, and that I had just seen something unlike anything i've ever seen before. As the experience started to set roots in me, I began to go over the things I loved. The acting, the scenery, the violence, the total abscence of identity politics, the raw and brutal reality on dissplay from that time period, the fact that there really aren't any heroes or villains, just vengeful hatred and bloodlust. And the fact that it's an original movie. There are no Jedi's here. No superheroes, no terminators or an evil plot to rule the world or destroy it, and most importantly, there's no "MESSAGE" anywhere to be found. This was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise creatively bankrupt entertainment industry, that's all about remakes, reboots, superhero movies and hollow, flashy fluff that leaves you with nothing but a moment of rush that you forget about 5 minutes later.
The Northman surely is not for everyone, but I think that's a reflection of what the industry is as a whole today. When you constantly feed people with safe, predictable, hollow, politically correct garbage for too long, they're gonna forget what actual creative art looks like, and I think this movie will have an impact on everyone in a way few movies today has had. It might wake people up to what movies are all about again, because in general, people are more attracted to unpolished passion than finely polished fakery. This movie is now the best damn movie i've seen all year.
Don’t you just love it when a movie can impact you that way? Don’t have to necessarily like it in the conventional way, but just to be impacted in a theater beyond the standard comic book flicks is good to have at least a few times a year.
“Politically correct” oOOHoHo sooo scary
@@curly_wyn nope, just annoying and tired
You have taken the red pill , Brother .
the message is clearly about fate
This film is easily in my top 10 of all time. Absolute masterclass in storytelling, visuals, cinematography and acting. Eggers is my favorite director right now
I really enjoyed watching this movie in the theater, but I loved it when I watched it at home with the subtitles on. This movie kicks ass on multiple levels.
The unbelievable amount of chills I got from the He-Witch’s “Hello Puppy” line alone is what makes this movie a masterpiece alone, absolutely blew me away.
The more I think about this movie the more I love it and it's been only hours lol It's truly one of a kind for sure, simple in concept but wonderful and unique and ambitious in it's art and execution; incredibly realistic in it's world building of the period to where I would believe this is how people of the period would behave and act and intense and above all very epic tale.
The last moments and images of the film were literally so gorgeous and cathartic that I was shaking in my seat lol
I’m guessing your favorite movie of the year so far?
@@megamikethemovieman We are early in the year but it’s up there yes…
@@TheMinarus it was good, at least top 5 to 10 for me so far. I reviewed the movie as well on my channel. Feel free to stop my channel to enjoy some videos and so we can talk more movies my friend.
Eggers isn’t the first to show the duality/humanity of Vikings. Author Makoto Yukimura’s manga Vinland Saga; tells a similar revenge tell of Thorfinn Son of Thors. Throughout the series characters evolve beautifully and become more complex, the world of the Vikings feels genuine and the story grows in density. Yukimura definitely did his research and handled the Viking era. Hopefully this puts more people(fans of the Northman) onto this masterclass of a manga/anime. Even if you don’t like anime, if you were a fan of this movie, you’ll definitely love Vinland Saga
When I saw the first trailer I immediately thought of Vinland Saga😆
The Northman and Vinland saga capture the culture and Philosophy of Norse culture the best. In my opinion thors and amleth are mirrors of each other as they confront and accept their fate in order to free and protect their children from following in that same cycle/fate. 11/10 both Vinland and Northman.
Blah blah blah, obligatory reference to similarities in theme to Berserk
I cant wait for season 2 too see the "farm arc" get adapted. The story and characters of vinland saga is incredible
I haven't even seen it yet and it looks like conan the barbarian to me. which actually massively influenced he manga berserk.
Wow. I’m so glad I saw this in theaters. This was seriously one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. I could go on and on about every detail I liked. I found my jaw dropped at the simplest of things. I can’t get over this movie
Amazing film, superb casting and acting, beautifully shot throughout, go see it on the big screen.
Also great review just found your channel from this and subbed great work
as a swede it makes me happy to see alex get recognition for his work. he also collaborated with robert on the script. like he came to robert with the idea
There were lot of moments that i liked in this movie but 2 scenes in particular stayed in my mind.
1. The scene in the boat where Olga casts her spell. The acting of Anya Taylor Joy in that scene is amazing, the raw emotion can be felt.
2. When they show the Valkyrie for the first time. The visuals, how mighty and frightening she looks and when she screamed i got GOOSEBUMPS!!!
Definitely mi favorite film of the year so far
A line that really got to me personally because of my difficult childhood was "He murdered my past" short but heavy line! This has turned out to be my favorite movie. Absolutely stunning in every aspect!
Wasn't it "she"?
I felt that too.
Just saw it last night, I agree with everything he said. All of you need to watch it in theaters, we need to fund it as much as possible to encourage studios to make more films like this.
I agree! Thanks for posting. Also saw the influence of "Apocalypse Now" and John Boorman's "Excalibur" (in addition to Milius' "Conan: The Barbarian)! 😎
I was enthralled from beginning to end. It was like an immersion into primal mythic consciousness so missing from current art. However, two separate couples walked out mid way through. Anyone else witness that? Made me sad for them.
There were approx. 15 people in my theatre when it started and about half that when it was over. I was sitting in a premiere seat, so I didn't notice anyone leaving.
Just saw this in theatres today. I promise it's really a movie to be seen on the big screen! Totally awesome performances and everything, it's definitely a masterpiece
This movie was so good. I was stunned and speechless but grinning from ear to ear
Movie surpassed all my expectations! Story, action, acting, music, scenery it's just a masterpiece. I have no complaints
Movie was incredible, went to go see it Monday and I had the entire theatre to myself. Absolutely epic film that’s a breath of fresh air away from all these movies coming out today that constantly try to shove the “message” down your throat.
Knowing that Robert Eggers implements Jungian psychology into his work, the quote that kept circling around my mind as I watched it was "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate" in reference to ones Shadow taking over your life if left unattended. With the theme of fate so heavily engrained into the narrative, I'd hit points where I could see the eternal question arise over and over throughout Amleths actions. "Could he just walk away? Live a better life?" But due to the culture of the time of Honor, Fate, glory of death and vengeance and his inability to live psychologically outside of that realm, he created a self fulfilling prophecy by the end. It's truly beautiful and complex
I just wish the movie showed more of Amleth as a Berserker, more raids because that raid and the preparation the night before is the most memorable part in the movie.
yup.
Saw this last night. Really awesome! I loved the huge scope and size of the film! It looks beautiful, it sounds beautiful, and it is beautiful! Eggers has nailed this movie! I LOVE The Lighthouse, and this might be on the same level or better!
I like how it gave glimpses into how people thought and what they believed in the past.
Superb film showcasing all seriousness of Viking mythology. Loved every minute.
His reaction speed and the way his body would execute moves without him even seeing them coming was amazing and really made him look like a battle hardened warrior
This movie was pure art. A master class in storytelling through film at its finest
Man, I haven’t watched the video or the movie, and now I wanna give it a go! I’ll be sure to watch after I see it 👀
Enjoy it! It’s such an experience
Walked out of the theater so moved I was sobbing at what a beautiful masterpiece I had just experienced in theater. I’ve never experienced anything like it
I saw this on a whim a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed every second of it. I’ve been itching to go back and see it ever since.
Just saw the movie in Theaters.
This movie put hairs on my chest.
This movie shocked me.
Thus movie is beautiful...
8/10 for me.
Truely a masterpiece. Skarsgard should recieve an Oscar for his performance. Brilliant. Loved Kidman also. She also played her role as a cunning (Viking) woman, superbly. Even her accent was excellent and believable.
This is such a fantastic breakdown and review of The Northman, I keep coming back to it, and I agree wholeheartedly with most of what you say, it's a very different film to what I thought it was going to be, with a lot more mysticism then I was expecting and it's deeper than it first seems, and after seeing it twice, because I couldn't stop thinking about different bits, like is his fate is predetermined or can he not just get out of his own way for a better future for himself and his family?
A beautifully shot movie that really puts you in this gritty, hard world with its grim authenticity, that's fantasticly cast as well as acted with a great score to match.
It is a bit slow in the middle but there's character and plot development going on so it held my interest completely, but I can see why some have said it has pacing issues, but I feel there's enough action and stuff dotted through out, like the scene when he gets the sword, to keep most interested until the wonderful looking ending.
Personally I loved it can't wait for the home release to watch it again, shame it didn't do so well at the box office but hopefully it'll find its audience.
Anyway great review it's definitely the best one on UA-cam, so a big thank you for all your hard work, and it was good hearing from somebody who's as enthusiastic about the film as me lol
The symbolism of the inner spiritual journey and dealing with the inner and outer shadows of mankind past, present and future is what spoke to me the most. Healing oneself and ourselfes for future generations.
Hands down the most accurate portrayal of the Viking Age I've ever seen on screen.
Absolutely, there has been a ton of viking media recently and this stands heads and shoulders above the rest.
This film was like a rush of testosterone. It’s so fucking cool and captivating. I don’t feel like it’s a full blown masterpiece and I wanted to love it more but I left the theater very satisfied and am excited to see it again.
Absolutely spectacular video you crafted man! even if people don’t like the movie that is an elegant and insightful analysis you put together. One I want to see more of but not cheap imitations. Again, well done!
Loved all the super long takes. And that spear catch was badass
loved this movie..hope they will reward it when the academy awards come out...Alexander Skarsgard was fantastic ..
I agree with the label of “masterpiece”, which is why I’m saddened by the box office results. First “the last duel”, and now “ the Northman”; Northman was better in my opinion.
The movie looks great, starts great, but is filled with weird narrative choices (the uncle living on a farm now, and we hang out on a isolated farm 2/3rd of the movie) and directing choices that keep it from the epic side of the spectrum and more towards the independent/art house side of the spectrum. I was kind of hoping for a Viking Conan movie and it turned out to be a Viking independent farm movie that turned the revenge super awkward in the end. Not hard to see why box office is sub par
Same thing btw of Last Duel - I love that film much more than Northman - but I love it for the characters and depiction of the time period, and not for what the whole movie was about: the sexual assault and fall out from that. You take those characters and money used and make literally any other story that doesn’t turn it into a glorified art house film and it would have drastically better box office results. Doesn’t take away from how you felt about the films, just a comment on stories and film styles chosen vs box office results
@@notonthat They explained why Fjolnir was living on a farm. Harald of Norway overthrew him and became king of a loosely unified nation. So Fjolnir fled and has since lived in exile in Iceland. The land is clearly far from fertile. He is a king of nothing that still wants to feel like a king. Amleth’s only way to get revenge was to pose as a Rus slave for the farm and play the long game. He wasn’t there to just kill Fjolnir, he was there to torment him.
I love all the comments on how the theater was silent that happened when I saw it as well. Like damn what a mindblower end credits and just silence. Loved it!!!
couldn't imagine this to be that well of an impact if watched at home. highly recommended to be seen on theaters. the subtle whispers throughout the film was ridiculously well made!
instant classic. eggers is a very special director
Seeing this tonight alongside Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent! Can’t wait!
I wish you a good Time!
Saw it yesterday.
This movie was intense, a half hour later i realized what i see in this impressive artwork.
Enjoy man!
Speechless. This is the movie I've been waiting for. Fantastic analysis. Wow. Just wow.
watched this movie five times in a span of two days when it first came out for a big final analysis paper due in my film appreciation class. sooo underrated, you have to watch it multiple times to take in every angle of it. so good but didn’t do too well in box office, or as well as they thought it was going to. normal people aren’t meant to judge pieces of art like this, especially from an auteur director like eggers
When is Dafoe gonna play charles Manson is all I need to know.
Oh my god that would be perfect casting
He needs to play prison manson
The Batman is probably my #1 for the year so far and this movie I have to reflect on a bit more. I really liked so many aspects of it and the pacing got to me a LITTLE. I had the same critique of The Batman though, and on my second viewing I went to "yeah this is a banger". I can't wait to see more films from Eggers. Man is time traveling making all kinds of different movies, really like is range so far.
edit: Anyone else get the vibe that when Amleth as a boy is fleeing with his small boat through those rocks it looks like a birth canal. Like he is being born into the world now, into rapids and tumult?
The northman was basically a medieval version of batman lmao a kid that lost his parents and wanted to seek vengeance
the Batman was 1 note and exhausting
We saw it last weekend and I was blown away!Loved it.Will watch it again no doubt numerous times when it is streaming.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great movie! Just saw it last night and still have the chills! This is a movie that I could go see a couple more times and still buy it when it becomes available on disc for home. The battle scene at the volcano was absolutely mind blowing. I hope he keeps making more movies because I have loved and watched all 3 he has made so far.
An epic review of an epic film.... Skol!
Aw cheers man! Thank you
the ending was perfection. I don't think i could come up with a more perfect ending if i spent every day solely thinking of it.
The fight with the skeleton soldier I think was a clever way to show Amleth as being worthy of the sword - he defeats the guard to claim the boon. But that all happens internally (or HAPPENED as in Amleth's life up until this point has been an accumulation of worth for this moment). Then the camera pans and he grabs the sword. The way the mythical elements blended with the more realistic elements was masterfully done.