The man from the north starring Alexander Skårsgard is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and it’s not hard to see why. The historical epic features a top-notch cast, including Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Claes Bang, Björk, and Willem Dafoe, for one thing. Another is that he features an intense story of revenge, as the thriller has a Viking prince’s quest to avenge the murder of his father. Did we mention the towering and shirtless Alexander Skårsgard? Reviews filtered The man from the northso let’s look at their first reactions.
The man from the northThe director of Robert Eggers has earned a reputation as a filmmaker by creating films that are as true to the story as possible, while maintaining an atmospheric and haunting tone. His two previous feature films, The witch and 2019 Lighthouseboth received critical praise, but The man from the north is his most ambitious project to date. What are critics saying about his effort?
CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg thoroughly enjoyed it, calling The man from the north Robert Eggers’ most accessible film. It’s probably also a good sign when the reviewer keeps whispering, “Holy shit!” during the screening:
The Northman is spectacular. It’s surprisingly Eggers’ most accessible film, yet no less immersive in its authentic feel. It’s a gripping revenge story that keeps its hand around your throat and visually stunning. Made me whisper “Holy shit!” several times. #TheNorthman pic.twitter.com/5VDbxIqU0sApril 5, 2022
CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell also goes to see the film and gives similar praise, calling it “primal” and “everything you want a Viking revenge thriller directed by Robert Eggers to be.”
THE NORTHMAN is the manliest movie I’ve seen…perhaps ever. It’s primal, and angry, and majestic, and vicious. It’s everything you want a Viking revenge thriller directed by Robert Eggers to be. Chilling cinematography and a heart-pounding score make for an unforgettable cinematic journey! pic.twitter.com/RrMXAkbkmQApril 5, 2022
Erik Davis of Rotten Tomatoes agrees that The man from the north East the most accessible adventure of the director, but specifies that this fact does not detract from his style of realization. He praises Alexander Skarsgård’s performance, so it seems the “crazy transformation” the actor underwent to prepare for the role might have paid off. While Skarsgård is a “beast”, Nicole Kidman’s performance is also breathtaking, according to Davis:
#TheNorthman by Robert Eggers is visceral and super piercing. You certainly won’t be able to take your eyes off this blood-soaked tale of revenge. Alexander Skarsgård is a BEAST and ferocious through and through. Nicole Kidman has a few scenes that floored me. Bold and evil pic.twitter.com/9DMX3Mm4sqApril 5, 2022
Wealth of Geeks’ Maggie Lovitt says the stunning cinematography sets the scene for this epic saga:
#TheNorthman is Robert Eggers’ best film to date. Stunning cinematography sets the stage for the perfect fusion of otherworldly Norse mythology with the brutal reality of Viking history. Bloodthirsty. Powerful. Spiritual. @TheNorthmanFilm is a beautiful and epic saga for the ages. pic.twitter.com/hSa1S0Mc3ZApril 5, 2022
Germain Lussier of Gizmodo said The man from the north is smaller than the trailers suggest, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a satisfying and emotional tale of revenge. Apparently, the final scene is pretty epic too:
The Northman: Robert Eggers made his Gladiator. A satisfying and emotional revenge epic that kept me guessing and engaging with its beautiful language, mythology and cinematography. Smaller than the trailers seem, but still powerful and moving. The final battle is 🔥🔥🔥. pic.twitter.com/VKQK3GSTzbApril 5, 2022
Praise also comes from IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, as he says that Robert Eggers has managed to make a big-budget movie that still feels his style:
all you need to know about The Northman – a $90 million Viking revenge film directed by Robert Eggers – is that every moment feels like a $90 million Viking revenge film directed by Robert Eggers.April 5, 2022
IndieWire’s Kate Erbland says The man from the north had her on an emotional rollercoaster, and it doesn’t sound like a bad ride, if you ask me:
THE NORTHMAN or, more than two hours during which I alternated between “HELL YES” and “OH NO” with surprising regularity.April 5, 2022
Next Best Picture’s Matt Neglia echoed other critics’ praise for Alexander Skarsgård’s performance. More than one reviewer called the revenge story “simple,” but that doesn’t seem to detract from the film’s overall likability:
THE NORTHMAN is exactly what you’d expect from a $90 million Viking revenge movie from Robert Eggers. Brutal and dazzling with great attention to detail. The story is quite simple and slow at first, but I was still in awe of his performance. Alexander Skarsgård is an absolute beast. pic.twitter.com/eTJlWGNeReApril 5, 2022
It seems that the first reactions to The man from the north are extremely positive. We’ll have even more details when the reviews come out on April 11, so be sure to check back to CinemaBlend for that. While we wait for the movie’s April 22 release date, be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what other movies are coming soon to streaming services and theaters near you.
