The Northman is a historical action film directed by Robert Eggers, known for his stylized, immersive works. Inspired by a Scandinavian legend that is also said to have influenced Shakespeare's Hamlet, the story follows Amleth, a Nordic prince on a brutal quest for revenge after his father's murder. Starring Alexander Skarsgård, the film brings together a prestigious cast: Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Anya Taylor-Joy (revealed in The Witch) and even Björk, who plays a mysterious witch.
The Northman will be available on Netflix from May 7, 2025.
Here's an epic look at The Northman, an intense Viking film set against a backdrop of tragic destiny and pagan rites.
Synopsis: Young Prince Amleth has just become a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who then seizes the boy's mother. Amleth flees his island kingdom by boat, vowing revenge. Two decades later, Amleth has become a berserkr, a Viking warrior capable of bestial fury, who, with his berserkir brothers, plunders and sets fire to Slavic villages until a soothsayer reminds him of his vow to avenge his father, rescue his mother and kill his uncle. He then boards a ship for Iceland and, with the help of Olga, a young Slav taken as a slave, enters his uncle's farm, also posing as a slave, with the intention of carrying out his revenge.
The Northman may appeal to audiences drawn to intense, stylized historical films in the vein of Valhalla Rising or The 13th Warrior. Robert Eggers' visceral and mystical approach, already acclaimed in The Witch and The Lighthouse, appeals to audiences with a taste for tales of revenge deeply rooted in Scandinavian culture and pagan beliefs.
The Northman offers a spectacular blend of Viking brutality, family tragedy and ancestral rituals. Its ambitious direction, supported by an impressive cast featuring Björk as a witch, makes this a film for fans of epic tales that are both realistic and dreamlike.
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