The 2022 historical action epic The Northman, described as an underrated masterpiece that blends Game of Thrones with Gladiator, is now streaming on Netflix.
Plot and Inspiration
Based on the legend of Amleth, the Viking epic set in 895AD served as the basis for Hamlet and subsequently The Lion King. In the plot, Alexander Skarsgård plays an exiled prince who disguises himself as a slave to avenge his father’s murder at the hands of his throne-stealing uncle.
Cast and Reception
The film co-stars Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk and Willem Dafoe. Beautifully shot on location in Ireland and Iceland, The Northman received five-star reviews and holds a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Comparison to The Odyssey
With the release of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in cinemas, movie fans have been revisiting ancient-world epics. One criticism of The Odyssey is that it feels too modern and materialistic. Nolan begins the movie with the line “in a time of apparent magic” before explaining away fantastical elements via Odysseus’ drug-fuelled lotus plant memories. However, for a period action film with a historically accurate cast and an engrossingly immersive step back in time to an enchanted world, The Northman is recommended.
