The Northman (2022)

“Vengeance is mine.” That’s the echoing promise at the heart of Robert Eggers’ The Northman — a brutal, myth-soaked descent into the Viking psyche where destiny and blood intertwine. The film follows Prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), who witnesses his father’s murder and flees into exile, swearing to avenge him. Years later, now a hardened berserker raider, Amleth returns under the cloak of night and fury to reclaim his fate.

Eggers’ direction is meticulous and haunting. Every frame feels carved out of bone and mist — from the roaring longships to the torchlit raids that thunder like rituals. The raiding scenes are raw and visceral, drenched in mud, sweat, and screams. Eggers doesn’t glorify violence; he ritualizes it. You feel the spiritual weight behind every axe swing and war cry. It’s less an action spectacle and more a pagan symphony of rage and myth.

Skarsgård is completely unrecognizable — a beast of vengeance, stripped of humanity but burdened by prophecy. Anya Taylor-Joy brings ethereal balance as Olga, a mystic whose cunning matches his fury. Nicole Kidman’s chilling monologue midway through the film upends the familiar revenge arc, reminding us that even justice in this world drips with corruption.

What truly sets The Northman apart is its mythic realism — the way visions of Valkyries and shamans bleed seamlessly into the tangible brutality of Viking life. You never quite know where dream ends and reality begins. The film’s ending, set against the fiery backdrop of a volcano, feels like a saga closing in blood and flame — a circle completed.

It’s not a movie for everyone. It’s savage, slow-burning, and unrelenting. But for those drawn to dark myth and primal storytelling, The Northman is a masterpiece of ancient fury and modern filmmaking precision.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)