Imagine if Netflix got their hand on The Northman, you damn well bet they would force at least one black actor into it for no reason other than "diversity". Watching the Northman actually depict the setting accurately with some sprinkle of magical realism into it was such a breath of fresh air after decade of seeing historical shows and movies getting butchered by the "modern sensibilities".
So I’m guessing you haven’t seen Vikings, The Last Kingdom? These were way better adaptations. Northman wasn’t very good, I don’t know what you saw in it
@@lukabeast1150 Not a fan of the show Vikings. I love The Last Kingdom, one of Netflix's few great shows (since they bought it from the BBC). I loved that The Northman embraced the stranger elements of ancient norse culture. But as a movie, it's also just incredibly well-made. But i'm also a huge fan of Robert Eggers work, so I'm definitely biased lol sorry you didn't enjoy it man!
I originally thought The Northman was basically Viking Hamlet... Come to find out that Hamlet was inspired by the legend of Amleth, which is the source material for The Northman.
Man, when is Shakespeare gonna get some original ideas instead of just remaking old Northern legends. ;) I'm really excited for this though, because I've really enjoyed Eggers other movies and this will for sure be something interesting to behold.
It's funny because this movie is Hamlet the way The Lion King is Hamlet, which is to say, it isn't really but people like to say it is because a King was killed by his brother and the son avenges him. But that's where the similarities end. In Hamlet the son never leaves, he doesn't run for his life or get exiled, his uncle doesn't even know Hamlet thinks he did it. Hamlet then pretends to be crazy, stages a play to try to get the uncle to expose his crimes, and then murders everyone and dies in the process. None of that happens in The Lion King at all (other than Simba killing Scar). Some of that happens in The Northman if you squint (he pretends to be a slave, not crazy, and he fucks with his Uncle, but not to get him to expose himself but just to fuck with him and torture him). However, I watched a video earlier about the real story of Amulet and it's much closer to the story of Hamlet and quite a bit different from The Northman.
Eggers is a genius in my opinion. I loved The Witch and The Lighthouse. Hope he is enabled to keep making his own kind of films. I have been waiting for a good Viking movie forever and this completely worked for me. I also still think 13th Warrior is very underrated.
Agreed! 13th Warrior is a massively underrated film that I wholeheartedly love. The music, the steady build up of tension, the sense of a band of brothers on a far-off adventure, all of it was so excellently done. I will say the the Northman struck a similar chord. It might just be my favourite Viking movie, at least on an artistic level.
Trust me, I dared to compare him to a modern day medieval Tarantino type and was promptly laughed out of the room. Suffice to say, no one in that room knows anything about film and haven't seen any of his movies, now their apologising SMH
The Northman didn't work for me at all - found it completely boring. But I absolutely agree with you about The Witch and The Lighthouse. I walked into an independent theatre, saw The Lighthouse poster without knowing anything about it, I've always liked Willem Dafoe, liked the Black & White aesthetic of the poster, so suggested to my partner that we go and see that one - was not disappointed, and absolutely loved everything about it and was pleasantly surprised and impressed but Pattinson's performance. Watched The WItch a couple of weeks back and, again, loved everything about it - the concept, the suspicions, the setting, the acting, and the build-up and resolution - it all made perfect sense. But The Northman just felt overlong, and uninteresting. Maybe I've been spoiled by more modern epically produced viking and medieval films. I will be looking forward to Egger's next project though, as he really is a great film maker with a lot to offer.
the things that people dislike about The Northman is what i really liked about the movie. it is basically a poem come to life. the simplicity, the not so satisfying, but also very satisfying ending that makes you think if his journey throughout the movie was even worth it at all, it makes the movie different and i appreciate that a lot.
Being someone who loved Eggers's first two films and as someone obsessed with Vikings and the Hamlet story, I suspect my mileage from this film will be more than some, but I truly can't wait to see it. Expectations are high. Great review, Dan.
I knew I was going to love this movie when I saw how Eggers framed and shot the scene of the berserkers pumping themselves up and all the weird viking mysticism. The vikings had a wildly weird culture and religion and to see it brought to life without holding back anything made the little history nerd in my heart squeal with delight. Absolutely amazing.
Was an average movie, if you think its spectacular then you so lucky as you probablydont have a clue about all the amazing movies out there from the 90s
That's wonderful that you're doing this for your mom, Dan. She is lucky to have such a wonderful son in her life. I love your channel btw and I wish you and your mom the best.
I agree. I was baffled by the comment about people maybe not being familiar with her early work. Do people really not watch movies from more than 10 years ago?!?
Dan i dont understand how you always perfectly express all my feelings from movie :D especially Nicole Kidmans performance in this case :) i was on Northman twice because i had to sort of digest all my thoughts :D in Slovakia we had prepremiere last week and i was literally suprised how many people were there :D love you :D sorry for my english :D
I saw it last night and I loved it. It's probably my favorite of the year so far. The people behind me said they were going to request their money back, so it certainly isn't for everyone.
The people saying they wanted their money back . . . that saddens me so much. We desperately need extraordinary filmmakers like Robert Eggers making uncompromising movies.
@@heatheraggus7501 If you sit through the entire movie you shouldn’t even be considered a refund. If you leave early then sure why not. That’s like ordering and eating and entire meal then asking for your money back.
Honestly agree wholeheartedly. I assumed from the trailer it was going to fit more with brave heart, vikings series, and the last kingdom. It ended up being more of a "poetic" movie involving more of a personal conflict rather than a grand scale conflict. Bottom line, if you go into the movie with a clear head, you'll really love it. Best way i can explain it is it is literally the story of a northman in the viking era seeking revenge for his farther... vs an epic viking warrior who leads an army against another army (like i assumed from the trailers). If you enjoy good poetic storytelling and Nordic religion, you'll enjoy this movie
I did, and I’m here wondering why everyone thinks it’s so good. Went with my dad and his wife, and it was the most weird and uncaptivating movie that I’ve had to see in a while. If Vinland Saga was a rich and aromatic coffee, then this movie is tap water.
Totally agree and i loved it. If only for the Bezerker transformation scene. Kidman was great, especially in that one scene. I would be surprised if we don't see noms on this one next year
Fun little box office fact from UK: The Northman opened last weekend for us and because it was the second weekend of Fantastic beasts, most cinemas showing it are tied into a deal with WB to show Beasts in the biggest screen/screens. So Northam has been playing in the smallest screens or medium-smaller (I had to ask our screen content people if the schedule was right cause I couldn’t believe it). It’s been doing really well, packed screenings even at 10:00, but it’s absolutely being hindered by WB and FB distribution deals and it’s crushing my soul cause we need more films like this
This film may not earn its money back at the box office, but I think it's going to have a very long, strong shelf-life on the digital front. Regency has nothing to worry about in regards to a long-term financial play, particularly internationally.
Saw it last night and already by April I have a strong contender for my favorite film of the year. It’s absolutely Eggers’ most “mainstream” film, but Dan is right that it by no means feels compromised. I’m incredibly impressed that Eggers and co. managed to make it both so narratively simple and unpredictable. It does this amazing slight of hand where in the first third, the entire story is pretty much summed up in a vision, but what plays out manages to be both gripping and unique, while still living up to the expectations it set. Oh and it’s a perfect example of how to stage and film action without over relying on special effects or editing to make it feel exciting. God I hope it does well so Eggers continues to get blank checks because the man knows how to make a damn good film.
AMAZING movie... And since i live in México and we do not have AMC cinemas here, i haven't seen Nicole Kidman's comercial, so thankfully, her image has not turned into a tiresome punchline for me.
I was already planning to see this soon, but this just makes me look forward to it even more. I'm glad I follow you and a lot of other movie critics/fans though because this is definitely the kind of thing that would have probably missed my radar if it had come out 10 years ago.
Before I watched this review, I thought this was an origin story for the HBO show "True Blood" because Alexander Skarsgård was named Eric Northman who was a viking prince before he was turned into a vampire.
I saw an article today by the way that said AMC theaters are going to upgrade to laser projectors, the first major upgrade since digital. I saw the Northman at a Cinemark and it looked awful. It's hard to want to go to the theater when you have an OLED at home...but even a regular LED TV would have better dark scenes. A bunch of the movie was basically grey for us.
Did not watch any trailer, did not read articles about it. Leaving the theater was a chore, because of the emotional state this put me in. A rare and exceptional piece of cinema by Robert Eggers. Did not like the VVitch very much, but this came together so good in the finale. It is truly a masterful example of a movie.
Going to see this asap. I loved Eggers' other films. There's an A24 podcast episode where he and Ari Aster talk about their favourite Bergman films and that really changed what I expected from both of them as well as gave me confidence that they were unlikely to compromise or go too broad (at least for now). We need filmmakers like those two and it's kinda on us to make sure more films like this can be made in the future.
I agree about the marketing. It kind of makes it look like it's going to be in the romanticized vein of Gladiator and Braveheart. And I'm so glad that it's not. Amazing film.
It's exciting that this year we are answering the question "What happens if you give weird Indi directors a bunch of money and let them do what ever they want with it?" And the answer is "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "The Northman."
I also worry that "The Northman" won't make it's money back. It's definitely more mainstream friendly than The Lighthouse and The Witch, but hopefully the studios knew what they were getting into and have reasonable box office expectations and are planning to make their money back with streaming deals. Or Eggers will just be like Villeneuve where they recognize that he is just so good that they don't care if his movies don't make money and they just keep giving him budgets anyway.
Saw it today and me and my wife both really liked it. I think I liked the Witch a bit more but overall even when I don't love everything about Eggers films i always look forward to them because I know it's going to be unique
I wasn't planning to watch because I thought it was going to be a lame action movie. I'm going to watch now because it's a Robert Eggers film and based on your review. Thanks.
Interesting, all the marketing material I saw was really selling it as 'this generation's gladiator' and I was really not into that. Your review made me want to see it and now I have plans for tomorrow. Thanks, Dan!
At least half a dozen people walked out on this movie when I went to see it yesterday, most of which during the final scene with Amleth and his father during their rite of passage. The theater was pretty empty I'm sorry to say so the possibility if it achieving financial success is looking dire. This is for sure a love it or hate it kind of film, there's no in between.
It was intense and bloody when it wanted to be, but there were also many lulls in action for quiet, contemplative or surreal moments. It was not gladiator but it still left me fulfilled at the end and I even asked myself what it was budgeted at after it finished because every single scene looked "on location". It was glorious *Subtle spoilers ahead* Dude basically terrorised a small village in secret for most of the movie and got to know the people he was trying to exact his revenge on, before having to make the choice whether to go through with it or not. Created a cool and suspenseful "ninja" like dynamic that contrasted the savage beast he was at the start of the movie.
I was already planning on seeing this movie (mainly because I have AMC A-list and I'll watch anything). But this review made me want to watch it even more. The marketing made me think it's basically just Viking Hamlet but knowing there is some deeper and inventive things going on too piques my interest for sure.
I wouldn’t worry about this being a box-office success. It now exists. It will become a cult classic. If it is a bit of a slow burner because it is not quite as accessible to the masses as the latest Marvel rubbish then so much the better. If you need to know a little more about Norse mythology than that Thor has got a really big hammer to get the most out of it then I think that is a good thing for Norse mythology.
Recently watched The Northman. Loved in. The best way to describe it is "Peak Game of Thrones set in Viking era - you have regicide met with a prince's vengeance, and some small hints of mysticism and fantasy thrown in"
I thought the film was brilliant. Skarsgard was phenomenal - and is an actual Viking so there’s that! The art direction was brilliant and Taylor Joy was striking! Five stars!!
I look forward to anything Eggers does, but when I saw the trailer that made it look like a Viking Braveheart, and knowing Eggers actual sensibilities, there was a definite concern that audiences will go in with the wrong expectations. I hope it does well, we need more movies made at this budget that aren't just more superhero and franchise films, but I think this will just continue to reinforce the risk aversion studios have for putting this much into more original films. Here's hoping.
The theater I was in was full (I live in the Midwest), so I'm hoping it will do decent this weekend! There were some groups around us that seemed confused or like they were not expecting the type of movie it ended up being when the movie was over.
@@HeavyMetal-jy4vj This is true! I was more comparing to when I saw The Lighthouse and The VVitch in theaters. The VVitch there was only 5 people in the theater (including myself) and The Lighthouse was probably about half full. In my experience, there hasn't been great turnout for Eggers films in my area, but I would think people in areas with major cities (such as east and west coasts) probably tend to have better turn outs for his films. Pure speculation though. 😜
I really hope this movie does well. I get some Green Knight vibes in terms of the surrealism paired with an audience that may be mistakenly expecting a straight fantasy action adventure.
Seen it here in the uk twice already, planning one seeing it a third time! It was everything i wanted it to be, truly breathtaking. Bravo Eggers and co!
I just got home from The Northman.. absolutely stunning! Dare I say that I may prefer this version of Hamlet to... well, Hamlet? And that score!! There was a particular fight in the film that, for me, was like watching the ancient myths come to life. And, quite honestly, was the first time I understood how people could believe in these things in their day. I thought to myself: if we had Robert Eggers and modern film technology around, but were otherwise living in ancient times, and he told me these stories... I would believe. Great review! Thank you!!
I went into this movie with 0 expectations because I had no idea what it was and had never watched a trailer. I LOVED this movie. This movie was crazy, psychedelic, left me with my mouth agape like what in the hell just happened. I loved this movie and Im not even a viking person. This movie was awesome.
Dan, really enjoyed your thoughts on this one! As a big Eggers fan this was actually my least favorite of his three even though I'd still give it an A. Hope this may deepen your appreciation or alter your opinion about The Witch and The Lighthouse!
It's really interesting to see a lot of mid-high budget original adult oriented movies with The Lost City, The Northman and The Unbearable weight of massive talent
I didn't enjoy this movie, & don't mind it flopped, as I dislike overly macho stuff. That said, Robert Eggers is a good director, & I'm sure he's not into toxic masculinity.
This movie was awesome! Saw it last night in an early screening. I put up my own review on my channel! Really good movie and right now my front runner for movie of the year (keep in mind I haven't seen Everything Everywhere All At Once). Skarsgard is also for sure front runner for best performance of the year he's so good and this is his best performance I think ever. The cinematography also something that's a front runner for the Oscar, really well shot especially that action which was so brutal! I did unfortunately see it only made $1.35 million in Thursday previews so I hope it does better on the weekend. It was a $90 million budgeted movie so I hope it makes its money back.
I loved it. I've seen speculation it might be a more "mainstream appeal" but....eh. I do have my doubts this is the cup of tea for your average joe. Unfortunately.
Legit question: do people not know who Nicole Kidman is? That a amc commercial will “pigeonhole” her? Like the woman has done a lot of stuff for one commercial to be what people will recognize her for
I feel like, to a younger generation, a lot of her older work may not be as familiar, whereas anyone who's been in an AMC theater in the last several months has seen her.
I absolutely loved this!!! I went in without high expectations but was really blown away, I found this extremely captivating and entertaining. Could not fault. Will be seeing it again next week!
I fully agree with your assessment. I liked the movie, would have loved it if I wouldn't have seen any trailers. I felt I'll be greeted with more of a game of thrones (season 1-4) vibe but it's very different.
Loved the witch, missed Lighthouse, and am a longtime fan of Hamlet. Glad the movie didn't disappoint and I can't wait to see the story that Shakespeare adapted tomorrow.
This was my first Eggers movie and I really enjoyed it, definitely the most interesting movie of the year for me and possibly my favourite as well. Like you, I really appreciate that they went all out on it to achieve that vision but see it loosing a bunch of money. My local cinema had just 2 screenings on opening night compared to the usual 12+ on a big budget release.
A historical epic of high craftsmanship that got marketed poorly and might not make back its budget? I'm getting some major Last Duel vibes. Hopefully this movie does better.
3:58 I thought the marketing for this movie was pretty fair. I don't think the ads blindside audiences as much as The Witch did. Although I agree it'll still be tough. Hopefuly audiences who may have come to see a Vin Diesel esque movie will walk away with more open minds.
We got this a week early in Mexico. I had no idea it was an Eggers film until I bought tickets for Sonic lol. Needless to say I went to see it the same day but somehow the marketing managed to avoid me, hadn't even seen the trailer which is odd
I still don't know what to really make of this film other than that was some metal af shit But I also bought cupcakes at the bakery by the theater to de-stress afterwards haha
Saw it last night. Incredible and better than I thought it would be ... but I can agree some people won't like it based on expectations. Eggers fans will.
Saw The Northman last night and while I can't say it's the best movie of the year [that belongs to Everything Everywhere All At Once], it's certainly in the conversation and easily my favorite film by Robert Eggers as I could understand what the hell was going on... 😅 Plus, it's fucking art.
This movie im really excited and looking forward to watch . Opening domestic weekend was just 18 million so it looks like it will be tough to make back the money .rotten tomatoes is on 68% right now .this movie is divisive in terms of people enjoying it or not, but this is an eggers movie so if you've watched the witch and lighthouse it's a bit foolish to expect a gladiator movie
Revisit 'The Lighthouse' another time without any expectations. Maybe you just weren't in the right mood that day. It's an amazing piece of art in its own right and style, and just like 'The VVitch' and 'The Northman' it shows how mythical beliefs and existential loneliness paired with emotionally extreme circumstances can lead people to forget about their common humanity and turn against each other in a fanatical frenzy. Robert Eggers is a genius when it comes to pairing up historically accurate settings including myths of the time and place portrayed with psychologically consistent motivations, fear and rage, and to wrapping all of that up in psychedelic cinematic imagery that is ambiguous enough to be open to interpretation on different levels: criticism of religion, tribute to historical myths and mythological storytelling, symbolical representations of the human psyche, psychological analysis of social dynamics. Any which way you see it, a Robert Eggers movie will invariably make you feel as much viscerally as it will make you consider things cerebrally and on the same scale it will disturb you aesthetically. Robert Eggers most certainly has carved out his own niche in terms of genre straddling approach, common thematic thread, psychedelic surrealism and overall artistic style. He is a true artist, and all his films - including 'The Lighthouse' - are testament to that.
Reminded me quite a lot of Green Knight in a way. Just way more bloody. Both are fables, quest stories about princes, set in motion by their father. Both are beautifully shot, but where Green Knight was more lyrical, the Northman was animalistic.
@@KerioFive Gawain and the Green Knight. A short epic poem. One of the most famous translations is by Tolkien! Highly recommended read as a companion to the movie actually.
Yup. Trailers got me expecting a Viking Conan... instead what I got was Viking Hamlet. It was a good movie but I left the cinema disappointed because I was expecting a more straight-up swords and sorcery action flick.
The Northman strips away all modern sensibilities and fully embraces the wierd ancient world. It's spectacular
The use of ritual ‘magic’ and old gods was unexpected, awesome, and horrifying all at once
Imagine if Netflix got their hand on The Northman, you damn well bet they would force at least one black actor into it for no reason other than "diversity". Watching the Northman actually depict the setting accurately with some sprinkle of magical realism into it was such a breath of fresh air after decade of seeing historical shows and movies getting butchered by the "modern sensibilities".
@@ryantheanimator1156 I totally agree. Imagining Netflix producing this movie makes me physically sick lol Thank God that was not the case
So I’m guessing you haven’t seen Vikings, The Last Kingdom? These were way better adaptations. Northman wasn’t very good, I don’t know what you saw in it
@@lukabeast1150 Not a fan of the show Vikings. I love The Last Kingdom, one of Netflix's few great shows (since they bought it from the BBC). I loved that The Northman embraced the stranger elements of ancient norse culture. But as a movie, it's also just incredibly well-made. But i'm also a huge fan of Robert Eggers work, so I'm definitely biased lol sorry you didn't enjoy it man!
I originally thought The Northman was basically Viking Hamlet... Come to find out that Hamlet was inspired by the legend of Amleth, which is the source material for The Northman.
Oh wow now even i got to know where hamlet was inspired from.
Coz at the start i thought this is viking hamlet, now i know hamlet was anglo Amleth
Man, when is Shakespeare gonna get some original ideas instead of just remaking old Northern legends. ;)
I'm really excited for this though, because I've really enjoyed Eggers other movies and this will for sure be something interesting to behold.
It also inspired The Lion King
It's funny because this movie is Hamlet the way The Lion King is Hamlet, which is to say, it isn't really but people like to say it is because a King was killed by his brother and the son avenges him. But that's where the similarities end. In Hamlet the son never leaves, he doesn't run for his life or get exiled, his uncle doesn't even know Hamlet thinks he did it. Hamlet then pretends to be crazy, stages a play to try to get the uncle to expose his crimes, and then murders everyone and dies in the process. None of that happens in The Lion King at all (other than Simba killing Scar). Some of that happens in The Northman if you squint (he pretends to be a slave, not crazy, and he fucks with his Uncle, but not to get him to expose himself but just to fuck with him and torture him). However, I watched a video earlier about the real story of Amulet and it's much closer to the story of Hamlet and quite a bit different from The Northman.
@@Provigilman I know! That hack Shakespeare shouldn’t keep retelling those old public domain tales of yor
Eggers is a genius in my opinion. I loved The Witch and The Lighthouse. Hope he is enabled to keep making his own kind of films. I have been waiting for a good Viking movie forever and this completely worked for me. I also still think 13th Warrior is very underrated.
I saw The 13th Warrior in theaters and have always liked it. So much great atmosphere in that one.
Agreed! 13th Warrior is a massively underrated film that I wholeheartedly love. The music, the steady build up of tension, the sense of a band of brothers on a far-off adventure, all of it was so excellently done.
I will say the the Northman struck a similar chord. It might just be my favourite Viking movie, at least on an artistic level.
Trust me, I dared to compare him to a modern day medieval Tarantino type and was promptly laughed out of the room. Suffice to say, no one in that room knows anything about film and haven't seen any of his movies, now their apologising SMH
The Northman didn't work for me at all - found it completely boring. But I absolutely agree with you about The Witch and The Lighthouse. I walked into an independent theatre, saw The Lighthouse poster without knowing anything about it, I've always liked Willem Dafoe, liked the Black & White aesthetic of the poster, so suggested to my partner that we go and see that one - was not disappointed, and absolutely loved everything about it and was pleasantly surprised and impressed but Pattinson's performance. Watched The WItch a couple of weeks back and, again, loved everything about it - the concept, the suspicions, the setting, the acting, and the build-up and resolution - it all made perfect sense. But The Northman just felt overlong, and uninteresting. Maybe I've been spoiled by more modern epically produced viking and medieval films. I will be looking forward to Egger's next project though, as he really is a great film maker with a lot to offer.
the things that people dislike about The Northman is what i really liked about the movie. it is basically a poem come to life. the simplicity, the not so satisfying, but also very satisfying ending that makes you think if his journey throughout the movie was even worth it at all, it makes the movie different and i appreciate that a lot.
300! (Throngs of Viking and Valkyrie sing: this Sparta!!
Except it is almost nothing like the story. So nothing came to life.
Being someone who loved Eggers's first two films and as someone obsessed with Vikings and the Hamlet story, I suspect my mileage from this film will be more than some, but I truly can't wait to see it. Expectations are high. Great review, Dan.
This movie was such an incredible experience
I knew I was going to love this movie when I saw how Eggers framed and shot the scene of the berserkers pumping themselves up and all the weird viking mysticism. The vikings had a wildly weird culture and religion and to see it brought to life without holding back anything made the little history nerd in my heart squeal with delight. Absolutely amazing.
I plan on seeing this tonight and am only intrigued more by the surreal elements. Thank you for the impressions!
Just saw it a few hours ago. At first I thought it was predictable but there’s a nice twist that I’m sure may surprise you as it did me. Enjoy💪🏾😎
Was an average movie, if you think its spectacular then you so lucky as you probablydont have a clue about all the amazing movies out there from the 90s
That's wonderful that you're doing this for your mom, Dan. She is lucky to have such a wonderful son in her life. I love your channel btw and I wish you and your mom the best.
Nicole Kidman has nothing to worry about! She's consistent in giving great performances.
I agree. I was baffled by the comment about people maybe not being familiar with her early work. Do people really not watch movies from more than 10 years ago?!?
I was thinking the same. Even Big Little Lies - her performance was gripping.
Dan i dont understand how you always perfectly express all my feelings from movie :D especially Nicole Kidmans performance in this case :) i was on Northman twice because i had to sort of digest all my thoughts :D in Slovakia we had prepremiere last week and i was literally suprised how many people were there :D love you :D sorry for my english :D
I saw it last night and I loved it. It's probably my favorite of the year so far. The people behind me said they were going to request their money back, so it certainly isn't for everyone.
The people saying they wanted their money back . . . that saddens me so much. We desperately need extraordinary filmmakers like Robert Eggers making uncompromising movies.
@@waywardmind I agree. What a ridiculous thing to even say.
@@heatheraggus7501 If you sit through the entire movie you shouldn’t even be considered a refund. If you leave early then sure why not. That’s like ordering and eating and entire meal then asking for your money back.
Honestly agree wholeheartedly. I assumed from the trailer it was going to fit more with brave heart, vikings series, and the last kingdom. It ended up being more of a "poetic" movie involving more of a personal conflict rather than a grand scale conflict.
Bottom line, if you go into the movie with a clear head, you'll really love it. Best way i can explain it is it is literally the story of a northman in the viking era seeking revenge for his farther... vs an epic viking warrior who leads an army against another army (like i assumed from the trailers). If you enjoy good poetic storytelling and Nordic religion, you'll enjoy this movie
I did, and I’m here wondering why everyone thinks it’s so good. Went with my dad and his wife, and it was the most weird and uncaptivating movie that I’ve had to see in a while. If Vinland Saga was a rich and aromatic coffee, then this movie is tap water.
I think it's absolute perfection. A real feast for the eyes and I felt like as a viewer it transports you to that time . Loved it.
Totally agree and i loved it. If only for the Bezerker transformation scene. Kidman was great, especially in that one scene. I would be surprised if we don't see noms on this one next year
I was on the fence about seeing this but you sold me Dan. Thanks!
Fun little box office fact from UK: The Northman opened last weekend for us and because it was the second weekend of Fantastic beasts, most cinemas showing it are tied into a deal with WB to show Beasts in the biggest screen/screens. So Northam has been playing in the smallest screens or medium-smaller (I had to ask our screen content people if the schedule was right cause I couldn’t believe it). It’s been doing really well, packed screenings even at 10:00, but it’s absolutely being hindered by WB and FB distribution deals and it’s crushing my soul cause we need more films like this
This film may not earn its money back at the box office, but I think it's going to have a very long, strong shelf-life on the digital front. Regency has nothing to worry about in regards to a long-term financial play, particularly internationally.
Saw it last night and already by April I have a strong contender for my favorite film of the year. It’s absolutely Eggers’ most “mainstream” film, but Dan is right that it by no means feels compromised. I’m incredibly impressed that Eggers and co. managed to make it both so narratively simple and unpredictable. It does this amazing slight of hand where in the first third, the entire story is pretty much summed up in a vision, but what plays out manages to be both gripping and unique, while still living up to the expectations it set. Oh and it’s a perfect example of how to stage and film action without over relying on special effects or editing to make it feel exciting. God I hope it does well so Eggers continues to get blank checks because the man knows how to make a damn good film.
AMAZING movie... And since i live in México and we do not have AMC cinemas here, i haven't seen Nicole Kidman's comercial, so thankfully, her image has not turned into a tiresome punchline for me.
I was already planning to see this soon, but this just makes me look forward to it even more. I'm glad I follow you and a lot of other movie critics/fans though because this is definitely the kind of thing that would have probably missed my radar if it had come out 10 years ago.
I’ll probably catch a screening tomorrow. I’m a huge Eggers fan and I want to see it do well in the box office.
I absolutely loved this movie. I liked that it was uncompromising, because it submerged me completely in the world and that made it so immersive.
EPIC DAMN MOVIE!!!! I love the brutal honestly of Viking culture and religion. The dialog was poetry.
Before I watched this review, I thought this was an origin story for the HBO show "True Blood" because Alexander Skarsgård was named Eric Northman who was a viking prince before he was turned into a vampire.
I had a group of guys in front of me that were saying they couldn’t understand half the movie. Definitely going to split audiences.
I saw an article today by the way that said AMC theaters are going to upgrade to laser projectors, the first major upgrade since digital. I saw the Northman at a Cinemark and it looked awful. It's hard to want to go to the theater when you have an OLED at home...but even a regular LED TV would have better dark scenes. A bunch of the movie was basically grey for us.
At might it was basically black and white on purpose , so that's what you might be thinking
I think this being considered difficult is very sad because 15 years ago this would've been considered a mainstream must see
Did not watch any trailer, did not read articles about it. Leaving the theater was a chore, because of the emotional state this put me in. A rare and exceptional piece of cinema by Robert Eggers. Did not like the VVitch very much, but this came together so good in the finale. It is truly a masterful example of a movie.
I wish more people had an appreciation of depth and not shallow entertainment
Going to see this asap. I loved Eggers' other films. There's an A24 podcast episode where he and Ari Aster talk about their favourite Bergman films and that really changed what I expected from both of them as well as gave me confidence that they were unlikely to compromise or go too broad (at least for now). We need filmmakers like those two and it's kinda on us to make sure more films like this can be made in the future.
I agree about the marketing. It kind of makes it look like it's going to be in the romanticized vein of Gladiator and Braveheart. And I'm so glad that it's not. Amazing film.
This!
“The amc lady” lol
They played her ad right before the movie and 90 seconds later she was on screen. It was kinda hilarious
Gonna go and try and support this one in cinemas tonight
Been waiting for this review! Hope you're well Dan!
I remember when you were still at like 80k Dan, very happy to see you at 113k already! Best of luck sir :)
It's exciting that this year we are answering the question "What happens if you give weird Indi directors a bunch of money and let them do what ever they want with it?" And the answer is "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "The Northman."
I also worry that "The Northman" won't make it's money back. It's definitely more mainstream friendly than The Lighthouse and The Witch, but hopefully the studios knew what they were getting into and have reasonable box office expectations and are planning to make their money back with streaming deals. Or Eggers will just be like Villeneuve where they recognize that he is just so good that they don't care if his movies don't make money and they just keep giving him budgets anyway.
@@toddhollen Or it's a Netflix situation. Greenlight everything without worry about profit and end up losing half your subscribers.
@@festo8756 Netflix had a lot more than 400,000 subscribers, lol.
@@toddhollen Right now.Netflix expects to lose 2 million subscribers by July. Look it up
Saw it today and me and my wife both really liked it. I think I liked the Witch a bit more but overall even when I don't love everything about Eggers films i always look forward to them because I know it's going to be unique
I wasn't planning to watch because I thought it was going to be a lame action movie. I'm going to watch now because it's a Robert Eggers film and based on your review. Thanks.
Interesting, all the marketing material I saw was really selling it as 'this generation's gladiator' and I was really not into that. Your review made me want to see it and now I have plans for tomorrow. Thanks, Dan!
At least half a dozen people walked out on this movie when I went to see it yesterday, most of which during the final scene with Amleth and his father during their rite of passage. The theater was pretty empty I'm sorry to say so the possibility if it achieving financial success is looking dire. This is for sure a love it or hate it kind of film, there's no in between.
Saw it last night in a completely empty theater.
It was intense and bloody when it wanted to be, but there were also many lulls in action for quiet, contemplative or surreal moments. It was not gladiator but it still left me fulfilled at the end and I even asked myself what it was budgeted at after it finished because every single scene looked "on location". It was glorious
*Subtle spoilers ahead*
Dude basically terrorised a small village in secret for most of the movie and got to know the people he was trying to exact his revenge on, before having to make the choice whether to go through with it or not. Created a cool and suspenseful "ninja" like dynamic that contrasted the savage beast he was at the start of the movie.
finally saw this film and loved it.
I was already planning on seeing this movie (mainly because I have AMC A-list and I'll watch anything). But this review made me want to watch it even more. The marketing made me think it's basically just Viking Hamlet but knowing there is some deeper and inventive things going on too piques my interest for sure.
Just came back from the theater, and the movie was so good it couldn't be ruined by the two women that wouldn't shut up.
The idea that you can watch the last moments, shots and lines of this movie and then apologize to your friends is just insane to me lmao....
I wouldn’t worry about this being a box-office success. It now exists. It will become a cult classic. If it is a bit of a slow burner because it is not quite as accessible to the masses as the latest Marvel rubbish then so much the better. If you need to know a little more about Norse mythology than that Thor has got a really big hammer to get the most out of it then I think that is a good thing for Norse mythology.
Just saw it and the guys behind me also didn't like it. I thought it was a masterpiece of cinema and probably the best movie about Norse mythology.
Recently watched The Northman. Loved in. The best way to describe it is "Peak Game of Thrones set in Viking era - you have regicide met with a prince's vengeance, and some small hints of mysticism and fantasy thrown in"
Saw an early screening. It blew me away, such a fantastic film.
I thought the film was brilliant. Skarsgard was phenomenal - and is an actual Viking so there’s that! The art direction was brilliant and Taylor Joy was striking! Five stars!!
I look forward to anything Eggers does, but when I saw the trailer that made it look like a Viking Braveheart, and knowing Eggers actual sensibilities, there was a definite concern that audiences will go in with the wrong expectations. I hope it does well, we need more movies made at this budget that aren't just more superhero and franchise films, but I think this will just continue to reinforce the risk aversion studios have for putting this much into more original films. Here's hoping.
Planning on seeing this Sunday, super excited.
The theater I was in was full (I live in the Midwest), so I'm hoping it will do decent this weekend! There were some groups around us that seemed confused or like they were not expecting the type of movie it ended up being when the movie was over.
Where you live are where the vast majority of Scandinavian peoples live to be fair. Edit: In the USA
@@HeavyMetal-jy4vj This is true! I was more comparing to when I saw The Lighthouse and The VVitch in theaters. The VVitch there was only 5 people in the theater (including myself) and The Lighthouse was probably about half full. In my experience, there hasn't been great turnout for Eggers films in my area, but I would think people in areas with major cities (such as east and west coasts) probably tend to have better turn outs for his films. Pure speculation though. 😜
I really hope this movie does well. I get some Green Knight vibes in terms of the surrealism paired with an audience that may be mistakenly expecting a straight fantasy action adventure.
I cannot think of a bigger name as an famously great actor than Kidman... Do people really only know her from ads that no one sees?
Seen it here in the uk twice already, planning one seeing it a third time! It was everything i wanted it to be, truly breathtaking. Bravo Eggers and co!
I just got home from The Northman.. absolutely stunning! Dare I say that I may prefer this version of Hamlet to... well, Hamlet?
And that score!!
There was a particular fight in the film that, for me, was like watching the ancient myths come to life.
And, quite honestly, was the first time I understood how people could believe in these things in their day. I thought to myself: if we had Robert Eggers and modern film technology around, but were otherwise living in ancient times, and he told me these stories... I would believe.
Great review! Thank you!!
I went into this movie with 0 expectations because I had no idea what it was and had never watched a trailer. I LOVED this movie. This movie was crazy, psychedelic, left me with my mouth agape like what in the hell just happened. I loved this movie and Im not even a viking person. This movie was awesome.
Dan, really enjoyed your thoughts on this one! As a big Eggers fan this was actually my least favorite of his three even though I'd still give it an A. Hope this may deepen your appreciation or alter your opinion about The Witch and The Lighthouse!
I LOVED The Witch and... ~liked~ The Lighthouse. I am pumped for this movie though! More experimental mid-budget movies please
It's really interesting to see a lot of mid-high budget original adult oriented movies with The Lost City, The Northman and The Unbearable weight of massive talent
Saw it tonight back-to-back with Nick Cage.
I did the same thing lol.
I didn't enjoy this movie, & don't mind it flopped, as I dislike overly macho stuff.
That said, Robert Eggers is a good director, & I'm sure he's not into toxic masculinity.
My favorite Nicole Kidman performance after Eyes Wide Shut!
This movie was awesome! Saw it last night in an early screening. I put up my own review on my channel! Really good movie and right now my front runner for movie of the year (keep in mind I haven't seen Everything Everywhere All At Once). Skarsgard is also for sure front runner for best performance of the year he's so good and this is his best performance I think ever. The cinematography also something that's a front runner for the Oscar, really well shot especially that action which was so brutal!
I did unfortunately see it only made $1.35 million in Thursday previews so I hope it does better on the weekend. It was a $90 million budgeted movie so I hope it makes its money back.
I loved it. I've seen speculation it might be a more "mainstream appeal" but....eh. I do have my doubts this is the cup of tea for your average joe. Unfortunately.
@@Amrylin1337 how do you mean exactly?
Legit question: do people not know who Nicole Kidman is? That a amc commercial will “pigeonhole” her? Like the woman has done a lot of stuff for one commercial to be what people will recognize her for
I feel like, to a younger generation, a lot of her older work may not be as familiar, whereas anyone who's been in an AMC theater in the last several months has seen her.
@@DanMurrellMovies fair, didn’t think about it that way
A Scandinavian prince, taking revenge on his uncle, after he marries his mother, how dare they rip off the Lion King!
Lol
THIS MOVIE IS ON PAR WITH SPARTACUS, ZULU, BEOWULF AND MASTER AND COMMANDER. IT WAS A BEAST
I absolutely loved this!!! I went in without high expectations but was really blown away, I found this extremely captivating and entertaining. Could not fault. Will be seeing it again next week!
Nice to hear it's good, based on the trailer I thought it was another shlocky viking tv series, which I guess some would consider "gritty action".
4:45 Kinda sad someone feels like he has to apologize to his friends cuz the movie wasn’t ONLY hardcore violence
I fully agree with your assessment. I liked the movie, would have loved it if I wouldn't have seen any trailers. I felt I'll be greeted with more of a game of thrones (season 1-4) vibe but it's very different.
For me It's been a real strong first half of the year for movies
Same here! Especially for horror.
@@heatheraggus7501 I really enjoyed X
Loved the witch, missed Lighthouse, and am a longtime fan of Hamlet. Glad the movie didn't disappoint and I can't wait to see the story that Shakespeare adapted tomorrow.
Please do yourself a favour and go digging for The Lighthouse. It's a force of nature level piece of cinematic art.
@@elfsieben1450 I know! Everything I've read and heard says it's amazing. It's just finding the time to actually rent and watch it that's the issue😖
This was my first Eggers movie and I really enjoyed it, definitely the most interesting movie of the year for me and possibly my favourite as well.
Like you, I really appreciate that they went all out on it to achieve that vision but see it loosing a bunch of money. My local cinema had just 2 screenings on opening night compared to the usual 12+ on a big budget release.
A historical epic of high craftsmanship that got marketed poorly and might not make back its budget? I'm getting some major Last Duel vibes. Hopefully this movie does better.
3:58 I thought the marketing for this movie was pretty fair. I don't think the ads blindside audiences as much as The Witch did. Although I agree it'll still be tough. Hopefuly audiences who may have come to see a Vin Diesel esque movie will walk away with more open minds.
Loved the witch
Appreciated the lighthouse
Loved the northman
.....
Enjoyed 'The VVitch'.
Adored 'The Lighthouse'.
Experienced 'The Northman'.
My local Cinemark only has one prime time showing but that one showing is all but sold out so I'm pretty happy.
I loved this film. I wanted to see something authentic and that’s what I got.
Saw it last week. Liked it a lot. A solid 8/10 or B for me.
A viking movie that I loved was Valhalla Rising. Also a surreal viking movie with great visuals.
Great review, Dan. Thanks again! I can't wait to see this. I love _The Witch_ and _The Lighthouse_ .
We got this a week early in Mexico. I had no idea it was an Eggers film until I bought tickets for Sonic lol. Needless to say I went to see it the same day but somehow the marketing managed to avoid me, hadn't even seen the trailer which is odd
Man this movie was a experiencie. 10/10.
I am playing Creed Vahalla and Odyssey and that company does a great job on historical accuracy.
I still don't know what to really make of this film other than that was some metal af shit
But I also bought cupcakes at the bakery by the theater to de-stress afterwards haha
I liked this the least of Eggers films and I still was captivated the whole time. As always he crafts something very purposeful and engaging.
Saw it last night. Incredible and better than I thought it would be
... but I can agree some people won't like it based on expectations. Eggers fans will.
Saw The Northman last night and while I can't say it's the best movie of the year [that belongs to Everything Everywhere All At Once], it's certainly in the conversation and easily my favorite film by Robert Eggers as I could understand what the hell was going on... 😅
Plus, it's fucking art.
Yes
This movie im really excited and looking forward to watch . Opening domestic weekend was just 18 million so it looks like it will be tough to make back the money .rotten tomatoes is on 68% right now .this movie is divisive in terms of people enjoying it or not, but this is an eggers movie so if you've watched the witch and lighthouse it's a bit foolish to expect a gladiator movie
I thought the Witch was good, I hated the Lighthouse but this is instantly one of my favourite movies of the last 10 years
I wasn’t crazy about that movie either!
Revisit 'The Lighthouse' another time without any expectations. Maybe you just weren't in the right mood that day. It's an amazing piece of art in its own right and style, and just like 'The VVitch' and 'The Northman' it shows how mythical beliefs and existential loneliness paired with emotionally extreme circumstances can lead people to forget about their common humanity and turn against each other in a fanatical frenzy. Robert Eggers is a genius when it comes to pairing up historically accurate settings including myths of the time and place portrayed with psychologically consistent motivations, fear and rage, and to wrapping all of that up in psychedelic cinematic imagery that is ambiguous enough to be open to interpretation on different levels: criticism of religion, tribute to historical myths and mythological storytelling, symbolical representations of the human psyche, psychological analysis of social dynamics. Any which way you see it, a Robert Eggers movie will invariably make you feel as much viscerally as it will make you consider things cerebrally and on the same scale it will disturb you aesthetically. Robert Eggers most certainly has carved out his own niche in terms of genre straddling approach, common thematic thread, psychedelic surrealism and overall artistic style. He is a true artist, and all his films - including 'The Lighthouse' - are testament to that.
Reminded me quite a lot of Green Knight in a way. Just way more bloody. Both are fables, quest stories about princes, set in motion by their father. Both are beautifully shot, but where Green Knight was more lyrical, the Northman was animalistic.
Agreed. I think the Green Knight is a better overall film, but I like both very much.
Is Green Knight based on something? How Northman is Hamlet
@@KerioFive The Green Knight was based on an Arthurian myth I believe
@@bearzerger oh okay thanks 👍
@@KerioFive Gawain and the Green Knight. A short epic poem. One of the most famous translations is by Tolkien! Highly recommended read as a companion to the movie actually.
Yup. Trailers got me expecting a Viking Conan... instead what I got was Viking Hamlet. It was a good movie but I left the cinema disappointed because I was expecting a more straight-up swords and sorcery action flick.
Plan on seeing this and Everything Everywhere All at Once on Sunday
By Nicole's early work, do you mean BMX bandits?
I finally got around to watching this and was blown away. So mad at myself for not seeing it in the theater.
Agreed on Nichole Kidman in this. Her best work, ever. Especially her last scene.
I don’t think Dan talked enough about Robert Eggers’ vision
When it's a vision as unique and well-executed as this, it's hard not to talk about.