The Northman is filmmaking at its highest caliber yet the story is so familiar it couldn't stand out from other films of the genre. And the Eggers eccentricities that his fans love are spare yet some of the best moments in the film. I'm not sure Eggers can ever be mainstream. His specificity is what raises his films to a whole other level and when you minimize that you get, well, The Northman. Nicole Kidman deserves an Oscar nomination.
The story is familiar because it is the original story. It's taken from the Danish book Gesta Danorum. Shakespeare's Hamlet was copied from that story in the Gesta Danorum, and the rest is history.
Well, revenge stories more or less are structured the same, there is not much space for creativity ,especially it tries to stick close to the source of one of worlds most known and filmed play. Nevertheless there is a surprising twist to the story, and the movie doesn´t make the mistake to use widespread hero/villain stereotypes, instead all characters all flawed in their own way.
6:20 This is such a good point, especially for American audiences. Americans are some of the least culturally knowledgable audiences in the world, and in the current political climate, genuine cultural practices of the time will be judged and scrutinized by both the ignorant and those that think it's more important to champion political causes over maintaining historical accuracy.
It gave me Flesh + Blood vibes. Def highlighted the brutality of the period. I looked into the movie and found out some of the rituals were even worse irl
For better or worse, I think this is in no small part a consequence of the fact that ours is a country with both one of the largest populations in the world woth one of the largest geographies, on top of the fact that we are geographically isolated from so much of the rest of the world. People don't fully appreciate how where you live and the geography of where you live have a lot to do with how you do and don't see the world around you. A lot of the American public is uncultured about the rest of the world because we have such a diverse world all to ourselves with a bunch of different subcultures and climates within our own borders.
I really don't think Berserk would work live-action. The scale of some events like the Eclipse would just be impossible to accomplish with visual effects without a Marvel-level budget, and even then it still would be stretched absolutely thin.
I really loved this movie. It’s a shame it didn’t get all the attention it deserved. Thanks for the video! One moment though: it was Ancient Rus the Vikings invaded, Ukraine or Russia or Belarus didn’t exist back then
@@BughunterX not entirely correct, the Slavic tribes were living in the southern part of the region as early as 5th century AD (Kyiv was founded around that time), while the vikings came around 9th century AD first to the northern parts of Rus and then moved southward to Kyiv as well
@@coolfil9 kyiv wasn't founded by slavs, but khazars, it was probably called differently. The settlement on a river island naturally expanded and changed hands
Fun fact, the Northman was filmed about 90% beside where I live. The kingdom at the start is Torr Head Northern Ireland and the village where most of the movie takes place is robin youngs hill Northern Ireland. Both within a 1 hour radius of my house. I often visit the spots because they are so beautiful and remind me of this masterpiece.
The problem is that the movie didn't Know how to position itself commercialy, the posters and the communication around it made it seem like your next door viking peplum, where in reality it has more of an author aesthetic
One small thing, the Northman has already become a profitable film after having gone to streaming. Hopefully that means more big budget Eggers projects
I'd be very interested to see the numbers on that and where his movie was even on streaming (because I had no idea it went somewhere), but I'm glad the film is profitable now. He deserves it.
This was one of the most twisted and intense cinema experiences ive had ! Full moon beaming down , all the rituals and pagan esoteric ideas felt so real. A relic. What a movie was really awestruck when I saw it .
this was one of the best movies I've ever seen. Eggers literally immersed me more in this movie than a VR game, and the ending sent chills down my spine. masterpiece.
@@86Corvus This is the most accurate viking movie ever by a wide margin, and it is partially based on the old sagas, though largely is an amalgamation and new story that seeks to fit the old as seamlessly as possible. So what do you mean by viking inaccuracy? Be specific. And these are profoundly Viking emotions and motivations. If you felt alienated then that was the point, but if you never felt the raw primal drive beneath it all then you missed much of the movie. So can you state clearly, did you feel it was too 21st century (that's absurd) or that it was too 10th century (perfect).
I did all I could to support this movie. I went to see it three times in theaters to show my support and love for this movie. It’s a shame that it wasn’t successful in the box office but I think in time people will realize how special this movie is.
People just go to the cinema to watch the absolute gutter marvel popcorn movies instead of real cinema like this man, it’s a shame that a movie like Thor love and thunder which was Honeslty one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen had way more success than a film like the north man.
I saw the film 4 times at the cinema, and was flawed everytime. It's just perfect to me. Every shot a painting, the sound design utterly transformative. And oh my god the night time scenes were beyond gorgeous. I'm so sorry for Eggars and i hope this doesn't effect him too much, because him and his team made a masterpiece.
What I loved the most about this film, it's how much it feels like reading an old Norse, welsh or Arthurian myth. Like "The Mabinogion". It feels old, alien, but thoroughly human and mythical. I loved it so damn much.
I saw this twice in the theaters. I’m so mad at the rest of the world for not doing the same. (File this complaint in the same place as movies like Blade Runner 2049).
11:44: Great video, but I actually disagree with this. He DOES realize that revenge is bad and pointless - he is running away with Olga and would have rejected his quest for vengeance; however, when he discovers that Olga is pregnant, he goes back to kill Fjolnir *to protect his unborn children* rather than out of a desire for vengeance. While he does kill Fjolnir, his motivation at the time he kills him is love for his children, not revenge for his father.
Doesn't he explicitly say that he chooses both love for his kin and hatred for his enemies though? I don't think he ever fully relinquishes his desire to avenge his father.
This was actually one of the weaker parts of the movie. This choice is painted as ennobling but if you think about it he's basically abandoning his kids, even while the example his own father set for him was *crucially* important to motivate him throughout the film
@@quixoticsounddesign5613 i think it's less clean cut than that. Technically, yeah, he's abandoning his kids, but they're a product of a really messed up situation that wouldn't resolve itself unless he left to fight his uncle. Without going, his uncle would then seek revenge in him and risk killing his woman and children. Fjonir dying or both dying were the only solutions that would spare his family from the cycle of violence. Whereas before he was trying to kill his uncle out of a vengeful duty to his family, now he is motivated out of a loving duty. He now must kill his uncle to save his own family. Make no mistake, those were absolutely the stakes, because in ancient, premodern cultures, going after and taking vengeance on those who kill your family is what honor demands, and there was only one choice he could have made to save his family.
@@Tyler_W hmmm yeah well, the movie did little to convince me that those were the stakes. I found it difficult to imagine the uncle would even survive or know how to find them, that's more something that goes on in Amleth's mind if you ask me. Although the movie was otherwise well made I found it hard to sympathize with Amleth after a certain point. I mean, you would think killing your own mother in a fit of rage would lead you to question your life choices, right?
It's a little bit of both. He has now something else besides revenge to fight for, but he hasn't yet lost his hatred for Fjolnir. He still aims to kill him for revenge
I had no idea this movie flopped. Man, that sucks. The Northman was great. It was a gripping story, and I appreciate how it presented an honest look at the Norse lifestyle and worldview without the sugarcoating of so much of modern art and storytelling involving Norse myth and history. Hopefully they make it up in purchases now that it's out for home release. Easily in my top 3 movies of the year so far. I hope Eggers can re-evaluate his approach to his career in a manner that he doesn't have to sacrifice too much of his creative integrity and unique creatove vision, because his three films were all some of the best movies in the years they came out. I hope it works out for him, because he's definitely one of my favorite working directors.
Film was great! As a Ukrainian I really appreciated that Ukrainian language was used as Olga’s mother tongue, and it shows that team really worked on historical aspects because a lot of western cinema often just assumes that everything was Russian although Russia didn’t exist at that time.
I saw The Northman for the first time with all my friends, 10 total we were, and we were absolutely locked in. I ended up watching Northman 5 times in the cinema, as a history major and being a history buff my entire life, I don’t think a period / history film has ever satisfied me like this one did. I’m so happy this film exists. Also, the drums!!! I have the score on repeat to this day.
The point and appeal of this film is to convey this time and place in history in way as those who actually lived it may have experienced it -not to aggrandize it. History isn't Braveheart... nor is it The Northman but The Northman got a damn sight closer to it than Braveheart - and that's why those who prefer The Northman over Braveheart do so. It's a tale perhaps as old as humanity itself - predating consciousness and pulling from the deep recesses of our very genetic code as mammals: a dominant male is usurped by another male, only for the previous male's offspring to enact vengeance to dominate his father's dominator. It's very real and very deep stuff.
Something that I think will hopefully be a part of Eggers legacy as a director and a writer, is that he has shown that historical accuracy when it comes to clothes and aesthetics, looks so, SO much cooler than HTV Vikings or AC Valhalla. Eggers next film (if that nosfurato remake ever happens) should be set in ancient greece or ancient aztec.
I think that title goes to The Lighthouse, if that movie was released around 100 years ago today it would be considered a classic of cinema, Eggers is one of the best directors today and one of the few keeping the art of filmmaking alive. A24 deserves praise too for bringing real movies to audiences and not the corporate trash of hollywood.
Excellent video. I saw it twice in the theater and am definitely fan of all of Eggers' work. I also immediately thought of Come and See when they burned the villagers during the raid.
the northman is a movie that has been stuck in my head. that and everything everywhere all at once. this is a great breakdown! thank you for the great video
Excellent video. I agree that Eggers approach to the film really elevated it. Glad to see you making videos again too. As soon as I subscribed you disappeared lol.
This movie’s amazing, but you just gotta laugh at the split second heel turn between learning his girl is pregnant, and Amleth sprinting off to the volcano store for cigarettes.
Abandoning his family wasn't his motivation, though. He left because he cared, not because he didn't. Sure he could leave, but it would only be a matter of time before Fjonir tries to take his own revenge which could very well kill his own family. Instead of killing his uncle out of revenge, now he chooses to kill his uncle because of the love he has for his family in order to save them from the cycle of violence.
Talking about the morality of these ancient people is super interesting. If you want to learn more about it there is a great video called "were vikings bad, morals in historical context". BTW great video, keep them coming, thanks.
Ye, we can look at that stuff now and think it’s absolutely horrendous, but back then the morals, people, and world were completely different. We can’t really judge good from bad back then
This movie was only in theaters for a week or a month and thats a crime itself!!! It was amazing from start to finish especially when you're high you really felt the clang of the swords, the yelling of soldiers, the main character speaking with diction and confidence to the point that you root for the underdog brute in this savage land!! 10/10
The movie was absolutely incredible. The night scenes where the only source of light was from fire was so beautiful it was a spiritual experience. It felt like looking through a magic portal
I like the concept of including mythical aspects too. I'm watching a piece of art. I want those supernatural components because that is what distinguishes art from historical documentation.
Another great video, helped me land all the thoughts I had after the movie, although I expected a mention to the similarities with the manga/anime Vinland Saga, recommended if havent heard about it.
I'm not much of a movie guy, but I saw The Northman twice in theaters, then I bought the movie on TH-cam and watched it two more times since. I love, love, LOVE The Northman!
When I watched it, I did because nothing else caught my attention. Afterwards me, my dad, and my brother liked it, we thought it was interesting entertaining and exciting. It is one of the movies I liked the most if it wasn0t for. Modelo 77/ Prison 77 a movie about a Spanish prison, the ending of the dictatorship and how that changed the system, but that hit closer to home so that's what put it on top.
Dude I dont believe it Im a huge fan od Louis and been following him for over 3 years. Didnt know you were working with him in some projects omfg thats so mad
After playing through both God Of War & Ragnarok this movie hit just right!!! I was looking for a good Norse Movie & this might be THE BEST IMO. The best parts are the Mythological Parts like when Amleth has to fight a Draugr to get his “Legendary Weapon “ or seeing the Valkyrie!!
Your Editing was about as true to the times as Nicole Kidmans casting in it. All a little joke to say i found some split frames in here while editing. I did really like the film so thankyou for defending it
I didn`t knew it was a flop but as you pointed out, I didn´t went to the cinema because of the poster it fooled me to think it was a movie trying to steal something from the Thor movie and I felt it as a generic movie... I was wrong ofc and as you say I somewhat felt that I watched a Tarkovskyeske kind of movie would definitely buy it on blue ray to help on those numbers. I WANT MORE MOVIES LIKE THIS GOD DAMNIT!
Wow i forgot about this movie... I loved it even tho i was completely alone in the theatre for hours i wasnt even bored for a second. And yet i forgot about it. Upsetting
I watched The Northman twice in the theaters and bought the Blu-ray. Films like this need to be supported. Otherwise, all we get is more Transformers movies.
Not only does the film showcase the pagan world through their own worldview, but also the dawning power of Christendom. “Amleth has visions of a mythical tree of kings, the lineage leading up to him. The moment he discovers Olga is pregnant, he sees his future twins budding on the tree, the girl in particular wearing a unique crown and carrying a scepter. “Considering the dates and history, some have theorized that Amleth’s daughter will be St. Olga of Kiev. Besides sharing Olga’s name and home country, the historical Olga is also reputed to have Viking ancestry. She is often credited with bringing Christianity to the Rus, and subsequently driving paganism out.”
There's really nothing to suspect in regards to her heritage, because the name Olga is germanic Helge. She is one of my favorite "saints" because her most lasting historical record is sadistically wiping out an entire tribe of Drevlyans in several rounds of massacres in revenge for her husband who died trying to conquer them. Its the funniest with these characters when the church is like, certified sainthood, right here and now.
Well done video! But I can't shake some of the problems I had with the film. I wish it was in old Norse. I wish it had more Fjolnir POV (in the deleted scenes, it turns out he's seeing visions that sync with Aurvandil's, about meeting at the gates of Hel, which makes his motivations more plausible). I wish it had fewer recognizable faces. I wish it was just... weirder, like his first two films. Still fascinating to hear your thoughts which shed new light onto its subtleties. Robert Eggers is the most exciting working director and I'm still looking forward to his next film more than anyone else.
the best thing about this movie imo is that it feels like an epic saga. it feels likd the movie equivalent of those mythological tales that you read about. its weird that you dont really have more movies that amp up the mythology knob. the only other film that comes close is troy
The movie really reflects the spirit of Norse folklore, and the details of daily life are almost correct, but there are many historical blunders in it (assuming that the action happens in 8th or 9th century).
Rewatched this again last night, I think it's a great example of how revenge and hatred will completely consume someone and destroy the lives around them. I did wonder if his mother saying that she was not screaming but laughing when she was carried away was her lying, since she didn't seem convinced (or rather was trying to rewrite what happened herself) of that at all. Why would she say those things to Amleth unless she wanted him to kill her (because she hated her life and was trapped). I dunno, things that made me think while watching again! I wish they hadn't gone for Kidman in that role though, her botoxed/filled face is very distracting around such an ancient looking backdrop and bumps me out of the suspension of disbelief.
I think the biggest issue with the film’s success was its title. Until watching this video, my assumption was that The Northman was a generic attempt to bring Vikings to the big screen. Now that I actually know what it is, I really want to watch it.
Imo Eggers has yet to make his absolute masterpiece. However, I believe he will and it will boost interest in his previous work. I would like to see him find a middle ground between historical accuracy and mid-budget simplicity utilizing more layered writing, the best of which so far is The Lighthouse.
When will we stop evaluating any creation's worth in terms of monetary profit/ loss? "The Northman" astonishes on so many levels it'll be shown & analysed in university courses for decades to come. Crazy good, I'll probably watch it at least three more times...& thensome.
It is a shame that the movie didn't fare to well after release. But the Northman is probably my favorite movie of all time now. I can't tell you how many Sagas I've read, both in English and old Norse, along with the Eddas likewise. I know the material pretty well and though there a few things in the movie I'd personally tweak just a tad, everything about it is as great as cinema could get in my opinion. The best adaptation of the Norse I've ever seen. But like I said, not everything is 100% accurate, but I'd give it an 80-85%.
![Perfect Blue | Literally Me [Woman Edition]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Uljake4-bYw/mqdefault.jpg)
Babe wake up, Kino Corner uploaded another video about me.
He should upload a funny video. Then it may be worth telling the gf
You mean a video about me, not you.
LOL
I'd kill for an adaptation of Beowulf by Eggers. I think he's the only director currently working who could do it justice.
Why? It's already been done extremely well with Ray Winstone. There is no need for one at this time.
@@glenndouglas8822 it's already been done, but not well at all.
@@sambakich7494 ok, you're opinion.
@@glenndouglas8822 the Day Winston one was pretty poor.
@@glenndouglas8822 aint no one wanna watch an uncanny valley movie
My husband had to search everywhere for the Northman Blu-ray. We watched it twice in theaters. It left us both speechless at the end.
Seriously…same
Buy it on 4k Blu-ray, even better.
I just bought the 4K Blu ray after watching it 2 days ago.I absolutely regret not watching it in the Theatre.
I grabbed the 4k. Was $10 for a bit
The Northman is filmmaking at its highest caliber yet the story is so familiar it couldn't stand out from other films of the genre. And the Eggers eccentricities that his fans love are spare yet some of the best moments in the film. I'm not sure Eggers can ever be mainstream. His specificity is what raises his films to a whole other level and when you minimize that you get, well, The Northman. Nicole Kidman deserves an Oscar nomination.
The story is familiar because it is the original story. It's taken from the Danish book Gesta Danorum. Shakespeare's Hamlet was copied from that story in the Gesta Danorum, and the rest is history.
Well, revenge stories more or less are structured the same, there is not much space for creativity ,especially it tries to stick close to the source of one of worlds most known and filmed play. Nevertheless there is a surprising twist to the story, and the movie doesn´t make the mistake to use widespread hero/villain stereotypes, instead all characters all flawed in their own way.
@@cicolas_nage we will have to agree to strongly disagree.
@@cicolas_nage I kind of disagree, but alr
@@cicolas_nage Nice bait mate-
6:20 This is such a good point, especially for American audiences. Americans are some of the least culturally knowledgable audiences in the world, and in the current political climate, genuine cultural practices of the time will be judged and scrutinized by both the ignorant and those that think it's more important to champion political causes over maintaining historical accuracy.
Wait until you hear a brit try and claim the American power grid can't handle electric kettles...
Americans think their culture is superior to everyone else past and present
It gave me Flesh + Blood vibes. Def highlighted the brutality of the period. I looked into the movie and found out some of the rituals were even worse irl
Damn gringos ruining everything!
For better or worse, I think this is in no small part a consequence of the fact that ours is a country with both one of the largest populations in the world woth one of the largest geographies, on top of the fact that we are geographically isolated from so much of the rest of the world. People don't fully appreciate how where you live and the geography of where you live have a lot to do with how you do and don't see the world around you. A lot of the American public is uncultured about the rest of the world because we have such a diverse world all to ourselves with a bunch of different subcultures and climates within our own borders.
I honestly wouldnt mind if he did a Berserk live action adaption
Bruh Eggers is the only human i would trust
@@halowillneverbegoodagain1868 straight up dude the man knows his shxt
Would kill for either an Eggers or Villeneuve Berserk movie
I really don't think Berserk would work live-action. The scale of some events like the Eclipse would just be impossible to accomplish with visual effects without a Marvel-level budget, and even then it still would be stretched absolutely thin.
@@eon5417 Berserk could work if they did it with arthouse style being the emphasis and having a focus on the golden age arc.
I really loved this movie. It’s a shame it didn’t get all the attention it deserved. Thanks for the video! One moment though: it was Ancient Rus the Vikings invaded, Ukraine or Russia or Belarus didn’t exist back then
Acctually the original Rus were the vikings settling in the region , the slavic tribes were named after them
Because in America at least it was seen as a "right wing fan fic" hahahah so idiotic.. some of the best cinematography in years
@@BughunterX not entirely correct, the Slavic tribes were living in the southern part of the region as early as 5th century AD (Kyiv was founded around that time), while the vikings came around 9th century AD first to the northern parts of Rus and then moved southward to Kyiv as well
@@coolfil9 kyiv wasn't founded by slavs, but khazars, it was probably called differently. The settlement on a river island naturally expanded and changed hands
Fun fact, the Northman was filmed about 90% beside where I live. The kingdom at the start is Torr Head Northern Ireland and the village where most of the movie takes place is robin youngs hill Northern Ireland. Both within a 1 hour radius of my house. I often visit the spots because they are so beautiful and remind me of this masterpiece.
The problem is that the movie didn't Know how to position itself commercialy, the posters and the communication around it made it seem like your next door viking peplum, where in reality it has more of an author aesthetic
One small thing, the Northman has already become a profitable film after having gone to streaming. Hopefully that means more big budget Eggers projects
I'd be very interested to see the numbers on that and where his movie was even on streaming (because I had no idea it went somewhere), but I'm glad the film is profitable now. He deserves it.
What streaming service is it on?
@@myNTlife I watched it for the second time on Prime Video just yesterday for free. The first time I watched it I had to pay for it, though.
That's good news
This was one of the most twisted and intense cinema experiences ive had ! Full moon beaming down , all the rituals and pagan esoteric ideas felt so real. A relic. What a movie was really awestruck when I saw it .
this was one of the best movies I've ever seen. Eggers literally immersed me more in this movie than a VR game, and the ending sent chills down my spine. masterpiece.
Absolutely. It was a mad experience in the cinema. I felt euphoric.
@@pseudonymousbeing987 yeah totally! The cinema experience was incredible!
You have to be compltely ignorant of not only vikings but also human beings in general in order for this shlock to be in any way immersive.
@@86Corvus
This is the most accurate viking movie ever by a wide margin, and it is partially based on the old sagas, though largely is an amalgamation and new story that seeks to fit the old as seamlessly as possible. So what do you mean by viking inaccuracy? Be specific.
And these are profoundly Viking emotions and motivations. If you felt alienated then that was the point, but if you never felt the raw primal drive beneath it all then you missed much of the movie. So can you state clearly, did you feel it was too 21st century (that's absurd) or that it was too 10th century (perfect).
I did all I could to support this movie. I went to see it three times in theaters to show my support and love for this movie. It’s a shame that it wasn’t successful in the box office but I think in time people will realize how special this movie is.
People just go to the cinema to watch the absolute gutter marvel popcorn movies instead of real cinema like this man, it’s a shame that a movie like Thor love and thunder which was Honeslty one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen had way more success than a film like the north man.
I saw the film 4 times at the cinema, and was flawed everytime. It's just perfect to me. Every shot a painting, the sound design utterly transformative. And oh my god the night time scenes were beyond gorgeous. I'm so sorry for Eggars and i hope this doesn't effect him too much, because him and his team made a masterpiece.
I agree 100%, but I don't think you know the definition of "flawed".
Either that, or the stupidity of autocorrect has struck again.
I guess you mean "floored", not flawed.
What I loved the most about this film, it's how much it feels like reading an old Norse, welsh or Arthurian myth. Like "The Mabinogion". It feels old, alien, but thoroughly human and mythical. I loved it so damn much.
Saw this movie because of your last video. It's definitely in a league of its own for the genre.
I saw this twice in the theaters. I’m so mad at the rest of the world for not doing the same. (File this complaint in the same place as movies like Blade Runner 2049).
Thanks for coming back. I missed you
11:44: Great video, but I actually disagree with this. He DOES realize that revenge is bad and pointless - he is running away with Olga and would have rejected his quest for vengeance; however, when he discovers that Olga is pregnant, he goes back to kill Fjolnir *to protect his unborn children* rather than out of a desire for vengeance.
While he does kill Fjolnir, his motivation at the time he kills him is love for his children, not revenge for his father.
Doesn't he explicitly say that he chooses both love for his kin and hatred for his enemies though? I don't think he ever fully relinquishes his desire to avenge his father.
This was actually one of the weaker parts of the movie. This choice is painted as ennobling but if you think about it he's basically abandoning his kids, even while the example his own father set for him was *crucially* important to motivate him throughout the film
@@quixoticsounddesign5613 i think it's less clean cut than that. Technically, yeah, he's abandoning his kids, but they're a product of a really messed up situation that wouldn't resolve itself unless he left to fight his uncle. Without going, his uncle would then seek revenge in him and risk killing his woman and children. Fjonir dying or both dying were the only solutions that would spare his family from the cycle of violence. Whereas before he was trying to kill his uncle out of a vengeful duty to his family, now he is motivated out of a loving duty. He now must kill his uncle to save his own family. Make no mistake, those were absolutely the stakes, because in ancient, premodern cultures, going after and taking vengeance on those who kill your family is what honor demands, and there was only one choice he could have made to save his family.
@@Tyler_W hmmm yeah well, the movie did little to convince me that those were the stakes. I found it difficult to imagine the uncle would even survive or know how to find them, that's more something that goes on in Amleth's mind if you ask me. Although the movie was otherwise well made I found it hard to sympathize with Amleth after a certain point. I mean, you would think killing your own mother in a fit of rage would lead you to question your life choices, right?
It's a little bit of both. He has now something else besides revenge to fight for, but he hasn't yet lost his hatred for Fjolnir. He still aims to kill him for revenge
I had no idea this movie flopped. Man, that sucks. The Northman was great. It was a gripping story, and I appreciate how it presented an honest look at the Norse lifestyle and worldview without the sugarcoating of so much of modern art and storytelling involving Norse myth and history. Hopefully they make it up in purchases now that it's out for home release. Easily in my top 3 movies of the year so far. I hope Eggers can re-evaluate his approach to his career in a manner that he doesn't have to sacrifice too much of his creative integrity and unique creatove vision, because his three films were all some of the best movies in the years they came out. I hope it works out for him, because he's definitely one of my favorite working directors.
The berserker ritual is the best scene I’ve ever seen ever
Film was great! As a Ukrainian I really appreciated that Ukrainian language was used as Olga’s mother tongue, and it shows that team really worked on historical aspects because a lot of western cinema often just assumes that everything was Russian although Russia didn’t exist at that time.
I saw The Northman for the first time with all my friends, 10 total we were, and we were absolutely locked in. I ended up watching Northman 5 times in the cinema, as a history major and being a history buff my entire life, I don’t think a period / history film has ever satisfied me like this one did. I’m so happy this film exists. Also, the drums!!! I have the score on repeat to this day.
The point and appeal of this film is to convey this time and place in history in way as those who actually lived it may have experienced it -not to aggrandize it.
History isn't Braveheart... nor is it The Northman but The Northman got a damn sight closer to it than Braveheart - and that's why those who prefer The Northman over Braveheart do so.
It's a tale perhaps as old as humanity itself - predating consciousness and pulling from the deep recesses of our very genetic code as mammals: a dominant male is usurped by another male, only for the previous male's offspring to enact vengeance to dominate his father's dominator.
It's very real and very deep stuff.
Holy shit, the Collab I didn't know I needed, this is going to go down as the greatest crossover in history.
Something that I think will hopefully be a part of Eggers legacy as a director and a writer, is that he has shown that historical accuracy when it comes to clothes and aesthetics, looks so, SO much cooler than HTV Vikings or AC Valhalla.
Eggers next film (if that nosfurato remake ever happens) should be set in ancient greece or ancient aztec.
I think that title goes to The Lighthouse, if that movie was released around 100 years ago today it would be considered a classic of cinema, Eggers is one of the best directors today and one of the few keeping the art of filmmaking alive. A24 deserves praise too for bringing real movies to audiences and not the corporate trash of hollywood.
The editing in that scene where he kills the creature is something I have never seen in a movie or tv show.
Edit: Great video btw
saw this movie like 5 times in theaters, one of my favorite movies of all time.
This was the great movie of this year... Definitely will get old like good wine...
Excellent video. I saw it twice in the theater and am definitely fan of all of Eggers' work. I also immediately thought of Come and See when they burned the villagers during the raid.
the northman is a movie that has been stuck in my head. that and everything everywhere all at once. this is a great breakdown! thank you for the great video
Excellent video. I agree that Eggers approach to the film really elevated it. Glad to see you making videos again too. As soon as I subscribed you disappeared lol.
I hope Eggers does Southman next
Yes, maybe then the woke fraction won´t cry out loud that there are no black folks depicted in the movie 😁
It's amazing how much work Eggers put into making it period accurate. That's so amazing.
This movie’s amazing, but you just gotta laugh at the split second heel turn between learning his girl is pregnant, and Amleth sprinting off to the volcano store for cigarettes.
Abandoning his family wasn't his motivation, though. He left because he cared, not because he didn't. Sure he could leave, but it would only be a matter of time before Fjonir tries to take his own revenge which could very well kill his own family. Instead of killing his uncle out of revenge, now he chooses to kill his uncle because of the love he has for his family in order to save them from the cycle of violence.
Holy shit patrick…it’s you! You’re the northman!
Talking about the morality of these ancient people is super interesting. If you want to learn more about it there is a great video called "were vikings bad, morals in historical context".
BTW great video, keep them coming, thanks.
Ye, we can look at that stuff now and think it’s absolutely horrendous, but back then the morals, people, and world were completely different.
We can’t really judge good from bad back then
Norse morality was less dualistic (good/bad), more about honour and loyalty to family and friends, keeping one's word etc.
The Northman is one of the best movies of 2022 by far
This movie was only in theaters for a week or a month and thats a crime itself!!! It was amazing from start to finish especially when you're high you really felt the clang of the swords, the yelling of soldiers, the main character speaking with diction and confidence to the point that you root for the underdog brute in this savage land!! 10/10
The one-shot battle scene where they raid the village was so brutal and awesome, felt realistic.
Idk why but i really liked that little skit in the beginning, looked beautiful too
The movie was absolutely incredible. The night scenes where the only source of light was from fire was so beautiful it was a spiritual experience. It felt like looking through a magic portal
I like the concept of including mythical aspects too. I'm watching a piece of art. I want those supernatural components because that is what distinguishes art from historical documentation.
Always glad to see a new video, Kino King. I hope we will see a Malick retrospective, shot on location, eventually. I know that's asking a lot
Another great video, helped me land all the thoughts I had after the movie, although I expected a mention to the similarities with the manga/anime Vinland Saga, recommended if havent heard about it.
I'm not much of a movie guy, but I saw The Northman twice in theaters, then I bought the movie on TH-cam and watched it two more times since. I love, love, LOVE The Northman!
Kino Corner and Louis collab. Crazy. Never would have imagined to see that.
When I watched it, I did because nothing else caught my attention. Afterwards me, my dad, and my brother liked it, we thought it was interesting entertaining and exciting. It is one of the movies I liked the most if it wasn0t for. Modelo 77/ Prison 77 a movie about a Spanish prison, the ending of the dictatorship and how that changed the system, but that hit closer to home so that's what put it on top.
Naked Berserkr is also a meme the film indulges in, but at this point I've given up on that part being ever done well in film.
Holy crap! I was so surprised to see Louis!
it hurts me to no end knowing that the movie flopped and Eggers himself said that he will change how and what movies he will direct
Best scene in the movie is when he’s on his knees howling with the dogs to scare everyone in the village. I replay that 10 second clip over and over
This film belongs to the ages and future generations will be shocked that it flopped.
Just got the blu ray, theres no way this movie is topped for best of the year
Just saw it, highly recommend
This has to be my favorite film of the year for sure.
Dude I dont believe it Im a huge fan od Louis and been following him for over 3 years. Didnt know you were working with him in some projects omfg thats so mad
Glad to see new videos on the channel. Also, the new Loki TV Series would be better if *that* myth was included in the MCU.
After playing through both God Of War & Ragnarok this movie hit just right!!! I was looking for a good Norse Movie & this might be THE BEST IMO. The best parts are the Mythological Parts like when Amleth has to fight a Draugr to get his
“Legendary Weapon “ or seeing the Valkyrie!!
Your Editing was about as true to the times as Nicole Kidmans casting in it.
All a little joke to say i found some split frames in here while editing. I did really like the film so thankyou for defending it
I didn`t knew it was a flop but as you pointed out, I didn´t went to the cinema because of the poster it fooled me to think it was a movie trying to steal something from the Thor movie and I felt it as a generic movie... I was wrong ofc and as you say I somewhat felt that I watched a Tarkovskyeske kind of movie would definitely buy it on blue ray to help on those numbers. I WANT MORE MOVIES LIKE THIS GOD DAMNIT!
I was not expecting the Louis Rossman crossover
I love how Kino always gets into character for these videos
It's a shame to hear this film lost money because it's an amazing movie and an epic story
An instant classic. Just close to flawless. What a movie!
Movie was pretty awesome, it was unique as hell
Wow i forgot about this movie... I loved it even tho i was completely alone in the theatre for hours i wasnt even bored for a second. And yet i forgot about it. Upsetting
Excellent video mate. The Northman is absolutely one of my favorite films of the year.
The GOAT returns 🐐🐐🐐
Awesome vid ,the director Eggers is really hiting 3 for 3 with his movies no joke
Great job on this video.
"...if Conan the Barbarian was made by Andrei Tarkovsky." *sensible chuckle"
The most underrated movie of the year if not the decade so far…
Whoooooaa. Louis Rossman ongoing collab? Awesome!!!
Kino shirt 👌
Awsome video as always man.
I watched The Northman twice in the theaters and bought the Blu-ray. Films like this need to be supported. Otherwise, all we get is more Transformers movies.
And a real hero
Small Soldiers review when?
When society recognizes the plight of the Gorgonites
This is the best film of the year.
Long time no see 😏 The video was worth the wait tho
Not only does the film showcase the pagan world through their own worldview, but also the dawning power of Christendom.
“Amleth has visions of a mythical tree of kings, the lineage leading up to him. The moment he discovers Olga is pregnant, he sees his future twins budding on the tree, the girl in particular wearing a unique crown and carrying a scepter.
“Considering the dates and history, some have theorized that Amleth’s daughter will be St. Olga of Kiev. Besides sharing Olga’s name and home country, the historical Olga is also reputed to have Viking ancestry. She is often credited with bringing Christianity to the Rus, and subsequently driving paganism out.”
There's really nothing to suspect in regards to her heritage, because the name Olga is germanic Helge. She is one of my favorite "saints" because her most lasting historical record is sadistically wiping out an entire tribe of Drevlyans in several rounds of massacres in revenge for her husband who died trying to conquer them. Its the funniest with these characters when the church is like, certified sainthood, right here and now.
FINALLY. Great video btw
Well done video!
But I can't shake some of the problems I had with the film. I wish it was in old Norse. I wish it had more Fjolnir POV (in the deleted scenes, it turns out he's seeing visions that sync with Aurvandil's, about meeting at the gates of Hel, which makes his motivations more plausible). I wish it had fewer recognizable faces. I wish it was just... weirder, like his first two films.
Still fascinating to hear your thoughts which shed new light onto its subtleties. Robert Eggers is the most exciting working director and I'm still looking forward to his next film more than anyone else.
Now I feel bad for not seeing it in theatres
We need more movies like this
the best thing about this movie imo is that it feels like an epic saga. it feels likd the movie equivalent of those mythological tales that you read about. its weird that you dont really have more movies that amp up the mythology knob.
the only other film that comes close is troy
The movie really reflects the spirit of Norse folklore, and the details of daily life are almost correct, but there are many historical blunders in it (assuming that the action happens in 8th or 9th century).
Rewatched this again last night, I think it's a great example of how revenge and hatred will completely consume someone and destroy the lives around them. I did wonder if his mother saying that she was not screaming but laughing when she was carried away was her lying, since she didn't seem convinced (or rather was trying to rewrite what happened herself) of that at all. Why would she say those things to Amleth unless she wanted him to kill her (because she hated her life and was trapped). I dunno, things that made me think while watching again! I wish they hadn't gone for Kidman in that role though, her botoxed/filled face is very distracting around such an ancient looking backdrop and bumps me out of the suspension of disbelief.
Great movie, with Top Gun Maverick the best of 2022, and also a great review!
One of my friends keeps recommending this movie to me and I ignored watching it until Kino Corner told me to.
I would have love if Eggers made the movie in Old Norse
The Northman feels like a movie that could be so close to being some random old world action schlock. And it was advertised just as if it were.
I think the biggest issue with the film’s success was its title. Until watching this video, my assumption was that The Northman was a generic attempt to bring Vikings to the big screen. Now that I actually know what it is, I really want to watch it.
6:00 "My liege, look! It's the old man from Scene 24"
Imo Eggers has yet to make his absolute masterpiece. However, I believe he will and it will boost interest in his previous work. I would like to see him find a middle ground between historical accuracy and mid-budget simplicity utilizing more layered writing, the best of which so far is The Lighthouse.
Wow I am literally a barbaric revenge crazed Norse worshiping Viking
When will we stop evaluating any creation's worth in terms of monetary profit/ loss? "The Northman" astonishes on so many levels it'll be shown & analysed in university courses for decades to come. Crazy good, I'll probably watch it at least three more times...& thensome.
Bruh , The northman is one of my favorite movies, i watch it to this day
It is a shame that the movie didn't fare to well after release. But the Northman is probably my favorite movie of all time now. I can't tell you how many Sagas I've read, both in English and old Norse, along with the Eddas likewise. I know the material pretty well and though there a few things in the movie I'd personally tweak just a tad, everything about it is as great as cinema could get in my opinion. The best adaptation of the Norse I've ever seen. But like I said, not everything is 100% accurate, but I'd give it an 80-85%.
Hamlet is danish, so it’s Nordic as well, plus. Oden has no beliefs in morals or fairness! It’s about me getting what I want.