The Book, The Film, The T-Shirt
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Movies
  • Books
  • TV
  • Gaming
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
DVD, Movies 0

Northmen – A Viking Saga (2014)

By Dave Griffiths @goodbaduglyshow · On April 14, 2015


The Gist

When a vicious storm sinks the sip of a group of Northmen (Vikings) the group with is led by the young but rebellious Asbjorn (Tom Hooper) finds themselves washed up on the Land of Alba… somewhere they are certainly enemies. Desperate to find a safe haven within a nearby Viking settlement the group which also features Bjorn (James Norton), Thorald (Ken Duken) and Valli (Johan Hegg) soon finds themselves at logger heads with the locals and a running battle ensues.

The tribe becomes even more unwanted when they come across Inghean (Charlie Murphy), a princess with Soothsayer abilities. With her father, King Dunchaid (Danny Keogh) desperate to get rid of her and this band of rebels he quickly calls upon determined mercenary Hjorr (Ed Skrein) to hunt them down with his Wolf Pack. Now the hunted the Viking tribe soon finds an unusual ally in the form of a sword wielding Monk, Conall (Ryan Kwanten).

The Review

Medieval times are certainly the flavor of the month at the moment in Hollywood. With shows like Game Of Thrones doing so exceptionally well on the small screen and The Hobbit crushing all before it at the cinema box office it is not surprising that everybody is clambering over each other to find the next sword-filled hit. Well now comes Northmen – A Viking Saga, an action film that is going to be lapped up by anybody that enjoys Vikings the television series.

Directed by Claudio Fah (the man responsible for films like Sniper: Reloaded and Hollow Man II) Northmen – A Viking Saga is a more than passable action film that is going to be enjoyed by those fascinated by Norse mythology. The film works because it doesn’t try to be anything that it isn’t. This isn’t high art, nor does it need to be, instead this is an action film that keeps its audience entertained with some adrenalin fuelled battle sequences and a script that certainly doesn’t hold back on the suspense, especially with the intriguing storyline around Inghean.

One of the things that will hit fans of Vikings straightaway is this film’s similarity to the hit television series… but that certainly isn’t a bad thing. Yes some people may be quick to criticize the storyline involving the ‘religious man’ Conall which is similar to the one that is told throughout Vikings it should also be pointed out that this is the kind of the film that will make fans of the television series sit up and enjoy Northmen – A Viking Saga.

The second thing that makes this a film that its audience will quickly warm to is that despite the fact the Vikings are ruthless killers the screenwriters involved have been smart enough to make them very likable. Yes they may be a little light on characterization and almost interchangeable with each other but they are so likable, and Hjorr’s group so unlikable, that you actually want to see them all survive. That instantly raises the stakes whenever a battle breaks out.

Because of the nature of the film the cast doesn’t exactly get to showcase any amazing acting skills. Ed Skrein growls and snarls his way through his role as the film’s bad guy, while Aussie Ryan Kwanten does just enough to show Hollywood that perhaps he is ready for the action hero role. However, the big winner in Northmen – A Viking Saga is Charlie Murphy, the young actress who has recently had roles in ’71 and Philomena really shines here and shows that she is capable of big things in the future.

The Verdict

While Northmen – A Viking Saga isn’t exactly going to win any major awards it is the kind of action film that you can simply flick on and then just sit back and relax. With enough epic sword battles to keep fans of The Lord Of The Rings’ fans happy and some classy looking scenes (especially the tower sequence) helmed by Claudio Fah this is one lower budget action film that does enough to be enjoyed.

 

Certificate: 15

Director: Claudio Fah

Starring: Ed Skrein, Ryan Kwanten, James Norton, Tom Hopper, Charlie Murphy

Running Time: 97 minutes

Release Date: 27th April, 2015

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Related

Northmen – A Viking Saga (2014)
Dave Griffiths
April 14, 2015
2.5/10
2.5 Overall Score

Charlie MurphyClaudio FahEd SkreinJames NortonNorthmen - A Viking SagaRyan KwantenTom Hopper
Share Tweet

Dave Griffiths

Dave Griffiths has worked as a journalist for over twenty years now -covering topics including film, television, music, travel and sport (with a main focus on AFL Football). That time has seen him host the popular X-Wired television program for seven seasons as well as write for various magazines such as Buzz Magazine, Heavy Mag, Stage Whispers, The Banner and Eternity.. He has even branched out into writing online for Subculture Entertainment, Media Search and The Book The Film The T-Shirt. He also worked as the online editor for Entertainment 360 for three years. Dave's radio work has seen him work on various radio stations including 3RPP, Triple R and Light FM. He is currently the resident film reviewer on Sydney's 2UE radio station and can be heard reviewing what is new at cinemas and on DVD each week on Wednesdays at 3pm with Ed Phillips. He is also the co-host of Melbourne's 94.1FM's breakfast show 'The Motley Crew' and he can sometimes be heard on J-Air's 'First On Film'. David is also the co-host of two popular podcasts - ‘The Good, The Bad, The Ugly Film Show,' and 'The Popcorn Conspiracy' As far as Film Reviewing goes David is an elected committee member of AFCA (Australian Film Critics Association and a member of IPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics)/FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique). He has also served as a jury member for a number of international film festivals and is considered an expert on cult cinema, horror movies and Australian films.

You Might Also Like

  • Movies

    Haunted Mansion Review

  • Movies

    The Moon Review

  • Movies

    BlackBerry Review

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe & Follow

Follow @thebookthefilm
Follow on Instagram
  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Tags
  • The Rise of Lockdown Streaming

    May 3, 2020
  • Salvo (2014)

    September 27, 2014
  • Penny Dreadful S1 EP 3 ‘Resurrection’ & EP 4 ‘Demimonde’ Review

    June 22, 2014
  • Pet Movie

    Spoiler Alert – Top 5 Horror Movie Twists

    March 17, 2017
  • warner bros. for her dvd collection

    Christmas Gift Guide: For Her – Heart Warming DVDs

    December 14, 2016
  • Win a copy of The Apartment on Limited Edition Blu-ray Courtesy of Arrow Academy

    December 23, 2017
marvel Ben Affleck J.K. Simmons Jai Courtney Amy Adams Chris pratt Jason Clarke Hugh Jackman Emilia Clarke Henry Cavill benedict cumberbatch Sky Atlantic Scarlett Johansson Liam Neeson Tom Cruise Mark Wahlberg Terminator: Genisys Daniel Craig
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure

ABOUT

Over opinionated and online. The Book, The Film, The T-Shirt was created for lovers of entertainment everywhere. We hope you enjoy it. Don't feed the writers after midnight.

Sign up for our newsletter!

* = required field

Latest News

  • 5

    Titanium Noir Review

    November 6, 2023
  • 3.5

    Haunted Mansion Review

    August 31, 2023
  • 4.5

    The Moon Review

    August 27, 2023

SEARCH THE SITE

HIBS100 Index of Home and Interior Blogs
HIBS100

© 2016 Last Exit to Hollywood Media Limited. All rightsreserved. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”