The Northman Early Buzz: Robert Eggers Delivers A Bloody Good Revenge Film
First reactions to "The Northman" are in, which means we finally get to know how Amleth's (Alexander Skarsgård) much-discussed plan to "Avenge father. Save mother. Kill Fjölnir" turned out. Or at least, we'll know if it's worth coming along for the ride when the film premieres on April 22, 2022. The review embargo for the viking epic is still in place, but critics who were able to see the film early took to Twitter today to share their preliminary thoughts. So far, those thoughts seem to be that the movie rules.
An arthouse blockbuster in the making
Here's some of the first feedback from critics, which seems to indicate "The Northman" is an ambitious and truly epic movie:
#TheNorthman is incredible. Like, fall-to-your-knees, ‘HOW the HELL did they do this?’ good. Breathtakingly gnarly too. It deserves to be a massive hit. EGGERS HIVE ASSEMBLE. pic.twitter.com/NpijhqV6g8
— Cameron Frew (@FrewFilm) April 5, 2022
#TheNorthman is a visually stunning time piece that is meticulously crafted and intricately paced. The film holds you with an unyielding grip and its heart pounding score, with the bloody action to match. A layered story that shines with its star-studded cast. One word…EPIC! pic.twitter.com/7RYQi2jo9I
— The Nerdy Basement 🇩🇴🇵🇷 #4Townie #4Town4Eva (@nerdy_basement) April 5, 2022
Imagine a Frank Frazetta painting â€" not unlike that mural painted on the side of your weed dealer's Chevy van â€" suddenly came to life. For two full hours. That's #TheNorthman. I give it 5/5 cawing ravens.
— David Fear (@davidlfear) April 5, 2022
Beyond Fest even got in on the conversation, giving the film their stamp of approval:
There's a press embargo for THE NORTHMAN. Fortunately, we're not press. The film is incredible. Fully realized and epic, it reaffirms we're in the hands of a master filmmaker. Eggers is the one. pic.twitter.com/2oDggwqh6H
— Beyond Fest (@BeyondFest) April 5, 2022
"The Northman" marks a turning point for director Robert Eggers, whose first two films, "The Witch" and "The Lighthouse," were bona fide indie success stories. Eggers' work to date has been unforgettable, a mix of arthouse aesthetics, painstaking historical accuracy, and expertly designed tension that builds to a nearly unbearable boiling point. While both his prior projects were distributed by A24, his latest work is with Focus Features, and reportedly included a pretty hefty budget and production scale for an art film.
According to critics, that big budget only improved upon the filmmaker's vision:
all you need to know about The Northman â€" a $90 million viking revenge movie directed by Robert Eggers â€" is that every single moment of it feels like a $90 million viking revenge movie directed by Robert Eggers.
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) April 5, 2022
It’s a crying shame that THE NORTHMAN has been so criminally mishandled because it’s precisely what blockbuster cinema should aspire to, and still has the potential to be. Formally audacious but welcoming; easy to follow but not, simply, a guided tour. Five big ‘ol stars. Björk! pic.twitter.com/vXpDLOrU7b
— Jack King (@jackarking) April 5, 2022
The movie follows Skarsgård as Amleth, a legendary Viking prince on a quest to avenge his murdered father. A star-studded cast includes Ethan Hawke as the aforementioned father, Nicole Kidman as Amleth's queen and mother, and supporting characters played by Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, and Björk. Early feedback highlights a towering performance by Skarsgård.
#TheNorthman is uncompromising, raw, and savage. It's a ruthless revenge story set during the Viking Age, and Alexander Skarsgård is a beast of a man. pic.twitter.com/CixZXDbLO0
— John Nguyen (@JohnSpartan300) April 5, 2022
There’s no denying the visual storytelling of Robert Eggers. #TheNorthman is a haunting, bold and brutal Viking epic, not for the faint of heart. And you have never seen Alexander Skarsgard like this before. @FocusFeatures pic.twitter.com/frrcG0u4Gf
— Paul McGuire Grimes (@PaulsMovieTrip) April 5, 2022
It's truly incredible to see Robert Eggers working on such a large scale with #TheNorthman
As visually stunning as Eggers' past work, and his entire cast is tremendous, especially Alexander Skarsgård, who is an absolute beast.
Plus, Willem Dafoe being weird and fart jokes! pic.twitter.com/Ee2RSHAAwl
— Ross Bonaime (@rbonaime) April 5, 2022
As our own Ryan Scott points out, "The Northman" will have its work cut out for it when the film debuts in theaters later this month. The movie will be up against superhero flick "Morbius," family movie "Sonic The Hedgehog 2," nostalgia grab "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore," and action thriller "Ambulance" when it hits theaters. Still, as one of the only non-Michael Bay, non-franchise wide release options on the April release slate, it does fill a niche for original, adult-oriented storytelling that could be its key to box office success. With little to no negative feedback among the early buzz, "The Northman" sounds like it's well worth the watch.
"The Northman" will premiere in theaters on April 22, 2022.