Critically-acclaimed film The Northman is coming to UK cinemas this week. The epic historical fiction film is based on the medieval Scandinavian legend of Amleth - who was the direct inspiration for William Shakespeare’s character Hamlet.
The Northman has received particular praise for its direction, production values, atmosphere and performances of the cast. It is directed by Robert Eggers, known for acclaimed horror films The Witch and The Lighthouse - and stars Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman and Ethan Hawke.
Read on to find out more.
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What is The Northman about?
The synopsis for the film reads: “Prince Amleth (Skarsgård) is on the verge of becoming a man when his father (Ethan Hawke) is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy's mother (Kidman). Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who raids Slavic villages.
“He soon meets a seeress who reminds him of his vow -- save his mother, kill his uncle, avenge his father.”
The Northman reviews
The film has been widely lauded by reviewers. The Independent gave it five stars - with critic Clarisse Loughrey describing it as a ‘Viking epic of thick, blood-red brutality’ and ‘a film of hard-bitten masculinity’.
The Guardian also gave it the maximum five-star rating. Reviewer Peter Bradshaw said: “The Northman is a horribly violent, nihilistic and chaotic story about the endless cycle of violence, the choice between loving your friends and hating your enemies – which turns out to be no choice at all, and the thread of fate down which masculinity’s delicious toxin drips.
“It’s entirely outrageous, with some epic visions of the flaring cosmos. I couldn’t look away.”
The BBC wasn’t quite as glowing, however, giving it three out of five stars. Critic Nicholas Barber said the film wasn't ‘quite strange or brutal enough’.
The Northman release date
The Northman is out in cinemas on Friday 15 April. Its run time is 2h 16mins.
