A banished prince avenges the murder of his father at the hands of his uncle—if you’re aware of Hamlet and/or The Lion King, this might seem like a pretty traditional ol’ yarn.
But Robert Eggers has taken the myth to its most brutal, old-school cinematic conclusion with The Northman. Now slaying cinemas across the UK, The Northman is a bloody epic with a glamorous cast and meticulous 9th century production design.
Buff Swede Alexander Skarsgård stars as Amleth, a man broken down and turned into a vicious marauding beast after his royal parents (Ethan Hawke and Nicole Kidman) were bested by his traitorous uncle (Claes Bang). Disguising himself as a slave to get closer to his enemy, the badass Viking will need the help of a mysterious Slavic woman (Anya Taylor-Joy) to bring about his vengeance.
Metal clangs and blood sprays in the latest trailer, available to watch just below. But what might distinguish The Northman from other historical action bloodbaths is its attentive depiction of Viking spirituality: we see a bizarre funeral rite, multiple jaunty songs around a campfire, and Willem Dafoe as Heimir the Fool, gibbering prophecies at the moon.
Amleth’s quest for revenge ends amidst the fire and sulphur of a goddamn volcano duel, with plenty of disembowelling and decapitations before then to enjoy.
We recently published an article detailing all you’ll need to know about The Northman before it invades a cinema near you, so be sure to check out that listicle for info on Eggers’ lavish costuming and historical accuracy, and Björk’s first screen role in more than a decade.
