The Northman Review: Eggers' Viking Epic Is Brutal & Thrilling
The Northman, directed by Robert Eggers (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón), is a compelling vengeance narrative – at least on the surdata-face. The Northman is a violent tale of a kid seeking vengeance for his father's murder, with Eggers drawing on Norse mythology and the legend of Amleth, who inspired William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The picture has a lot going for it, including amazing action scenes and a sense of mysticism that enhances the protagonist's quest, but it lacks overall character.
Amleth (Oscar Novak) is overjoyed to see his father, king Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke), returning after a victory over an adversary. Aurvandil decides it is time for Amleth to grow up and begins his schooling with Heimir the Fool (Willem Dafoe), a jester and priest. However, Amleth's life is turned upside down when his father is attacked and slain right in front of him, and his mother, queen Gudrn (Nicole Kidman), is kidnapped. Years later, an adult Amleth (Alexander Skarsgrd) seeks vengeance on his father and saves his mother, setting him on a quest to reclaim his family's honour and reclaim the life that was taken from him.
The Northman's characters and tale are both devoid of subtlety. Following his father's murder, little is known about Amleth or how he came to be discovered by the Berserkers, a violent group that attacks a hamlet and kills the majority of its inhabitants. It's difficult to become truly immersed in his persona when there isn't much depth beyond the apparent. Amleth's purpose is easy, but Eggers could have done a lot more to push Amleth's actions beyond the basic need to kill his father's murderer, especially after he discovers a lot of new information about his father's past.
As a result, The Northman feels like it only skims the surdata-face of its plot, providing only crumbs rather than a full meal.