‘Northman’ a historically accurate epic
(May 16, 2022) — Director Robert Eggars is nothing if not meticulous in his portrayal of history onscreen.
In 2015’s “The Witch,” set in 1630 Massachusetts, all the actors learned to speak Early Modern English to make it as historically accurate as possible. Eggars read countless journals and folktales from the period to make sure every detail was right.
In his latest film, “The Northman,” Eggars repeats history by nailing the details again.
“The Northman” takes place in 10th century Scandinavia and Iceland. While there is much Old Norse spoken, Eggars has his actors mostly use the common English we know.
Taken from a famous Viking folktale (which inspired “Hamlet”), the film centers on Amleth (Alexander Skarsgard) and his long journey of revenge. As a young prince, his father (Ethan Hawke) is deposed by his uncle Fjolnir (Claes Bang). Fjolnir kidnaps Amleth’s mother Queen Gudrun (Nicole Kidman) and the boy barely escapes.
Eggars drenches the movie in more shades of gray than it seems possible. The dull, washed-out look is Eggars’ favorite. Covered in dirt and grime, the actors make it easy to believe we are peering 1,100 years into the past.
Skarsgard put on a lot of muscle to give Amleth a truly scary look. His icy stare helps, too. As Amleth’s quest for vengeance continues, he befriends a slave (Anya Taylor-Joy). She claims herself a witch, and the two make a striking pair.
Drenched in blood, sweat and water, “The Northman” is a historical Viking epic that demands to be seen on the big screen. No detail is spared; even the swimming is accurate. A-
Click here to watch the trailer for “The Northman.”
Streaming and on TV
“We Own This City” (HBO). This six-part miniseries comes from the creators of “The Wire,” the greatest television show of all time. Also set in Baltimore, it goes back and forth between policing in the aftermath of the Freddie Gray murder and the mid-2000s beginnings of a handful of dirty, brutal cops. Although several actors from “The Wire” inhabit different characters, one can imagine this show taking place in the same world. It’s as close as we’re going to get to bringing “The Wire” back, and it is phenomenal. Watch the trailer here.
“Moon Knight” (Disney+). Oscar Isaac does double duty as Marc Spector and Steven Grant, two personalities inhabiting the same body. Polar opposites, Grant is a museum employee while Spector is a mercenary. Oh, and the latter can also turn into the Moon Knight, a human avatar of the Egyptian god of the moon and night travelers. Disconnected from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is a mostly fascinating look at a minor character. Isaac is otherworldly. Watch the trailer here.
“Halo” (Paramount+). Based on the Xbox games, “Halo” finds Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) on a mission to protect the sole survivor of a massacre while also learning about his own origins. Set five centuries in the future, humans find themselves at war with an alien species known as The Covenant. Master Chief and his crew consist of super-soldiers known as Spartans. Once feared, they are now humanity’s only hope. If you liked the game, you’ll like the show. Watch the trailer here.
Jeff Mellinger
Jeff Mellinger is a screen writer and film buff. He holds a BA in Film Studies and an MFA in film production. He lives in Concord.