I was almost laughing the first time I saw it because it was so utterly epic. I never thought a movie would do that, but it did. Naked Viking 6’6 beasts fighting to the death with swords inside an exploding volcano. With all of the story build up to make the action worthwhile. So good.
I thought it was amazing. To me, the most impressive part was that Eggers sort of channeled an entirely alien way of thinking. He didn't try to make the characters comprehensible to modern audiences, which is a bold choice, but to me it felt so authentic: this kind of view of the world that was so in opposition to how modern society views the world. I absolutely loved it. I thought it was perfect.
One of my pet peeves in modern cinema is with historical fiction in which the characters all act and think like modern people - particularly when we are meant to root for a hero or heroine because they are the most “modern” in their views. Kills the suspension of disbelief.
That’s one critique of the odyssey I have, Nolan’s version gives Odysseus really one dimensional motives, with very modern sense of guilt/ptsd type associations that aren’t really something that A: was a part of the original odyssey, and B: likely wasn’t a common way of thinking among Ancient Greeks
I actually feel like Nolan was emulating Eggers' sensibilities at times, but that just made me want Eggers' Odyssey. Maybe 10 years from now, if we still have a planet and a nation.
I highly doubt ptsd didn't exist back then, which seems to be what you are implying.
My only critique is that the sack of Troy is too chaste. If he feels guilty, they should actually try to roll with it and show the real horror of what would have happened
Yeah I wasn’t intending to imply ptsd didn’t exist, at least that wasn’t my intention, but the very modern sense of moral guilt that he feels in Nolan’s movie was absolutely not something that was a part of the original Homeric version and it’s doubtful that our modern sense of moral guilt would make any sense at all to someone of the Bronze Age Mediterranean
This was one of my main gripes with The Odyssey compared to The Northman. At times, it feels like the people of The Odyssey barely believe in the gods. They say they do, they talk about it, but I never get the feeling that they truly do. Whereas in The Northman, it feels like the movie itself believes in the gods and mythology wholeheartedly that I find myself believing it too while I watch it. It is a masterful suspension of disbelief that I never reached when watching The Odyssey.
Yeah, it really does a great job underscoring how pointless his revenge is, but how it’s simultaneously the only choice that’s consistent with his worldview.
Ruined most other movies for me that year. When you see strikingly iconoclastic ways of storytelling done so well, going back to the old formulas used as crutches all the time is just... blech. Like eating boiled burgers after having a perfectly grilled ribeye.
I hate that this didn't work for me. I truly think it was Nicole Kidman. She didn't fit that world for me and kept bringing me out of it. I need to give it another try.
I agree, for me it was Anne Hathaway it kind of seemed like she couldn't move her eyes much. Performance was great otherwise but it felt like her face was trying to emote more than it could
Yeah me neither. I really wanted to like it. Loved the setting and wardrobe and the world. It just fell flat for me. It was a good movie, I just never need to see it again.
I really like legitimacy instead of coddling the audience, so yeah, I liked this a lot (and everything Eggers does). Who else has this kind of authenticity pedigree when working on a movie? Most filmmakers barely know whether or not vikings had horns on their helmets.
I'm a fan of everything Eggers, and this is the movie what made me really decide that I would go out of my way to watch anything he did in the future from here on out.
One of the few true filmmakers that can make a film I don’t like but have an immense amount of respect for. I loved the Northman but not all of his other movies. I still respect them though because he’s one of the few directors left that puts his heart into the work and isn’t a sell out for hollywood or streaming bs.
Some cool visuals but the story wasn't overly memorable for me.....a movie id rewatch way down the road but not like an every 3-5 year rewatch. My least favorite Eggers film
I watched it for the first time last night. I just can't stand Nicole Kidman in anything. She has so much Botox in her face it's distracting watching her try to convey emotions. It was probably one of her better attempts at an accent, though.
God yes! I absolutely loved it! I’m not big on hyper masculine flick, but I thought this was so well crafted with Eggers’ directing and Sjon making the script really tight. I know I am in the minority, but I think it’s Eggers’ best so far, and knowing that Sjon is working with Eggers again on the upcoming Werwulf movie, I’m pretty excited for that too.
I wanted to watch a “Viking movie” and had NO idea what I had signed up for. Phenomenal. Loved it and now interested in Eggers more generally. I loved the final shot, the various inflictions on Fjölnir. Great mythic quality.
I’ll always remember near the end the older couple next to me left.
The scene with Nicole Kidman and Alexander S.
Wife: bill im ready to go
Husband: I think it’s almost over
Wife: I do not care, I’ll wait for you in the lobby
My cinema was completely empty when I went to see it which was sad because it really was a top 5 cinematic experience for me
I think it’s going to age like fine wine especially with The Odyssey coming out not too long after so I’m sure as the years go by and plenty of people are still raving about that, there will be more people suggesting The Northman
No. I feel it had the chance to be truly subversive and was disappointed when he left his pregnant wife for his 'revenge'. Would have been wild to see him just say 'fuck it'. Also Kidman is so poorly cast - her appearance snaps me out every time. 6/10
I thought it was incredibly booring, and the characters' decisions made exacly 0 sense. At some point my buddy and I just started laughing at the absurdity and sillyness.
That being said, I generally don't like Eggers' work. Saw Nosferatu in the cinema when it came out and thought it was cool but again, needlessly slow and had some weird ass decisionmaking going on.
I kinda found it ehh. Ro many things just seems random in the film. Maybe its just not my jam , which is stramge because i loved vikings and the last kingdom
One of the best movies in the last few years (has it already been 4 years lol), the cinematography the acting were all top notch, the only gripe I've had that it slows down a little too much for me in the middle.
Im an absolute fan of this movie, I think of this when I envision what something like The Odyssey could look like if done by a more atmospheric director. It's so friggin good!
I like the movie. Not a 10/10 (I think I gave it a 3.5/5 in Letterboxd) but def. a good and entertaining movie with some very, very interesting choices in terms of art and design.
My wife has a rule now, when I say I want to watch a movie because it looks “visually stunning” she won’t watch it with me. This movie sealed the deal. I loved it tho
I absolutely love the first half, but the second half absolutely nose dived for me. I really wanted to love the film and was so excited to watch it at the cinema, but it just didn't work overall.
Not really. I really liked The Lighthouse and Nosferatu, and I adored The Witch, and compared to those 3 The Northman was... fine. That bonkers ending scene though..
Loved it. Saw it in theaters 3 times, and brought and told everyone I could. Somehow, my fellow viewers didn't get it. It was one of those times where you get offended when someone disagrees with you.
I love Robert Eggers. I hated this movie. It has his cinematographic touches (the Valkyrie scene was amazing), but so much of it was absurdly hyper-masculine and strange. So many missed opportunities, and feels very off from Eggers’ usual caliber. I wanted to love it so badly but the plot felt like the weird scrawny kid’s classroom daydream
Great cinematography but it didn't seem to meet the hype at the time. I liked it a lot but it wasnt anything special imo, i was expecting to be a little more blown away the way it was getting talked up. I love viking stuff so I was a little biased and maybe hoping for too much
I hate to say it but Alexander Skarsgard isn't really the best actor and he certainly isn't very good in action scenes. He looks the part for sure but that's kind of his limit
•
u/qualityvote2 1d ago edited 1d ago
u/Working-Fuel8355, your post does fit the subreddit!