Here’s some of the early feedback from critics that seems to indicate The Northman is an ambitious and truly epic film:
#The Northman is unbelievable. Like dropping to your knees, ‘HOW the HELL did they do that?’ good. Stunningly gnarly too. It deserves to be a big hit. EGGERS HIVE ASSEMBLY. pic.twitter.com/NpijhqV6g8
— Cameron Frew (@FrewFilm) April 5, 2022
#The Northman is a visually stunning timepiece, meticulously crafted and intricately paced. The film grips you with an unyielding grip and its heart-pounding score, with gory action to match. A multi-layered story that shines with its star cast. One word… EPIC! pic.twitter.com/7RYQi2jo9I
– The Nerdy Basement 🇩🇴🇵🇷 #4Townie #4Town4Eva (@nerdy_basement) April 5, 2022
Imagine a painting by Frank Frazetta — not dissimilar to the mural on the side of your weed dealer’s Chevy van — suddenly springing to life. For two full hours. That is #The Northman. I give him 5/5 cawing ravens.
— David Angst (@davidlfear) April 5, 2022
Beyond Fest even chimed in on the conversation, giving the film its seal of approval:
A press embargo applies to THE NORTHMAN. Luckily we’re not a press. The movie is incredible. Fully realized and epic, it reaffirms that we are 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 true indie success stories. Eggers’ work to date has been unforgettable, a blend of art-house aesthetics, meticulous historical accuracy and expertly crafted suspense that builds to an almost unbearable boiling point. While his previous two projects were distributed by A24, his most recent work is with Focus Features and reportedly involved a fairly large budget and production scale for an arts film.
According to critics, this large budget only enhanced the filmmaker’s vision:
All you need to know about The Northman — a $90 million Viking revenge movie directed by Robert Eggers — is that every single moment of it feels like a $90 million Viking revenge movie directed by Robert Eggers feels.
— david Ehrlich (@davidehrlich) April 5, 2022
It’s a shame THE NORTHMAN has been so criminally mistreated, as it is exactly what blockbuster cinema should aspire to and still has the potential to become. Formally bold but inviting; easy to follow but not simply a guided tour. Five big ole stars. Bjork! pic.twitter.com/vXpDLOrU7b
— Jack King (@jackarking) April 5, 2022
The film follows Skarsgård as Amleth, a legendary Viking prince seeking revenge for his murdered father. A star 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 underscores a superior performance from Skarsgård.
#The Northman is uncompromising, raw and wild. It’s a ruthless revenge tale set during the Viking Age, and Alexander Skarsgård is a beast of a man. pic.twitter.com/CixZXDbLO0
— John Nguyen (@JohnSpartan300) April 5, 2022
Robert Eggers visual storytelling is undeniable. #The Northman is a haunting, brave and brutal Viking epic, not for the faint of heart. And you’ve never seen Alexander Skarsgard like this before. @FocusFeatures pic.twitter.com/frrcG0u4Gf
— Paul McGuire Grimes (@PaulsMovieTrip) April 5, 2022
It’s really incredible to see Robert Eggers collaborating on such a large scale #The Northman
As visually stunning as Eggers’ previous work and his entire cast is great, especially Alexander Skarsgård who is an absolute beast.
Also, Willem Dafoe is a weird fart joke! pic.twitter.com/Ee2RSHAAwl
— Ross Bonaime (@rbonaime) April 5, 2022
As our own Ryan Scott points out, The Northman will do its job when the film hits theaters later this month. The film will go up against superhero flick Morbius, family flick Sonic The Hedgehog 2, nostalgia grabber Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and action thriller Ambulance when it hits theaters. However, as one of the few non-Michael Bay, non-franchise-wide release options on the April release list, it fills a niche for original, adult-oriented storytelling that could be the key to box office success. With little to no negative feedback among the early rumors, “The Northman” sounds like it might be worth checking out.
The Northman hits theaters on April 22, 2022.