The best part about following a filmmaker’s career is figuring out their particular passions and running themes. Steven Spielberg loves to explore the innocence of youth, be that in a musical remake, a sci-fi fable, or a semi-autobiographical period piece. Charlie Kaufman prefers to dissect abnormal psychology, even when he’s writing children’s movies. David Cronenberg literally dissects the human body, to process his feelings about mortality.
Zack Snyder has established his own particular brand of storytelling, one that has earned him a devoted fanbase. But with his latest project, Twilight of the Gods, every facet of Snyder’s portfolio shines through in a brutal, beautiful, and shockingly salacious retelling of Norse mythology.
Twilight of the Gods starts off strong with a massive battle between Norse tribes, which ends when warrior woman Sigrid (Sylvia Hoeks) and Viking king Leif (Stuart Martin) fall in love. But just as they are about to marry, a visit from Thor (Pilou Asbæk) ends in tragedy, prompting Sigrid to make a bold claim: she’s going to slay Thor. But with Loki’s involvement, her trek to find allies and resources to take down the gods themselves gets a lot more complicated.
Taking its cues from Norse mythology itself, Twilight of the Gods relies heavily on oral tradition, with much of its story being told through the characters themselves narrating their own flashbacks. Egill (Rahul Kohli) is a particular highlight: As a poet, he proves that storytelling is just as powerful a weapon as any sword.
Even though Zack Snyder only directs the first and last episodes, his fingerprints are all over the series. All his calling cards are here: 300’s gore-ephasizing combat, Sucker Punch’s tale of female revenge, the Snyderverse’s love of epic storytelling, Watchmen’s ensemble character portraits, and even the Norse mythology referenced in Army of the Dead. It’s all told in sumptuous 2D animation, with copious love scenes (and a handful of threesomes) to remind you that it earns the label of “adult animation.” Of course, the Snyder style isn’t for everyone — at one point, there’s an acoustic cover of MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” — but once you get on its wavelength, everything just clicks.
Netflix is no stranger to the mythical retelling, as Greek myth adaptation Kaos rocketed up the charts last month. It’s even done a Norse mythology series with Norwegian family drama Ragnarok. But while Ragnarok treated the gods as if they were characters in Riverdale, Twilight of the Gods makes them into superheroes, but not in the MCU Thor and Loki sense. They are ineffable and seemingly omniscient, which makes Sigrid’s mission all the more fascinating to watch.
In only eight episodes, Twilight of the Gods manages to cram countless Norse stories into one multilayered saga that feels just as big as the gods it depicts. It doesn’t condescend and spoonfeed the myths, but it doesn’t go over viewer’s heads either. It’s a masterful story from a masterful storyteller — and the most distilled work in Zack Snyder’s oeuvre.
