The Northman Is Now Avenging Father, Saving Mother, & Killing Fjölnir On Peacock
If you didn't get a chance to see Robert Eggers' "The Northman" in theaters, now's your chance. Vikings are all the rage between this film, "Vikings: Valhalla," the game "Assassin's Creed: Valhalla," and the upcoming "Thor: Love and Thunder." (That one might be a stretch, but there is a Valkyrie in both that and "The Northman.") Eggers new film, based on a classic Norse saga about vengeance, is now officially streaming on Peacock.
This movie is brutal, it's stunning, and it's an absolute wild ride. Not only that, but seeing star Alexander Skarsgård looking like he could rip the head off of a statue is something to behold. The story may appear to be based on the William Shakespeare play "Hamlet," but the legend of Amleth (Skarsgård) was actually the original inspiration for Shakespeare's famous tale.
In the film, young Prince Amleth's father King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke) is murdered by his brother Fjölnir (Claes Bang), who then marries Amleth's mother Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman). Amleth escapes and begins a life of raiding, as Vikings are wont to do. He finds out that Fjölnir and Gudrún are alive and married, and he sets off to fulfill his promise; "I will avenge you, Father. I will save you, Mother. I will kill you, Fjölnir." He disguises himself as a slave in order to reach Fjölnir's new home, and teams up with Olga of the Birch Forest (Anya Taylor-Joy) to get his revenge.
His shoulders are loaves of bread!
Even on the small screen, I'm psyched to rewatch. Look at Alexander Skarsgård's shoulders. Look at them! They defy the laws of bone and muscle, and maybe also gravity. If what you're looking for is visceral violence and revenge, "The Northman" should be right up your alley. As someone who is an avid "Assassin's Creed" player, I also have to tell you that there are moments in here, particularly in the raid on the village that the pic above is from, that look like they were lifted right off of the game. (I say this because both the game and the film production did great research.) It's amazing to behold.
Do keep in mind that, if you're streaming on Peacock at home, this is not a film you want the kiddies to watch. It's really, really bloody. It's also phenomenal, including the very short (but very, very impactful) scene that has actor/musician Björk as a seer, and a scene with Willem Dafoe's Heimir the Fool, which you will know when you see it.
(Seriously, his trapezius muscles are like small mountains. You'd need climbing equipment to scale those things!)
"The Northman" is now streaming on Peacock and releases on 4K Blu-ray tomorrow.