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| Alexander Skarsgård stars in The Northman |
The Gates of Hell
Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy's mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who's on a mission to save his mother, kill his uncle and avenge his father. Directed by Robert Eggers.
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe.
What's Good: Skarsgård trades in his Tarzan threads for... basically the same thing, minus a few bits of humor in The Northman, a riveting tale of betrayal, revenge and an unyielding desire to make things "right." There's plenty of action, but I was more impressed with the creative twists (minor as they are) that make it more believable/satisfying. Jarin Blaschke's cinematography is dazzling, and Eggers deserves credit for keeping a steady pace, despite a 2+ hour runtime. Plenty of familiar faces too (yep, that's Willem Dafoe) and a welcome break from too much chatter.
What's Not: There's drama on display (especially Kidman, towards the end) but this isn't the type of movie you go to for great acting.
Budget: $70-90 million
Runtime: 137 minutes (About 20 minutes too long.)