Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- grim
- brooding
- austere
- historical action night
- nordic cinema deep dive
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Gest returns after two decades to target the Viking foster brothers through hidden weapons and calculated schemes.
The film depicts Viking raids, enslavement, killing, and Icelandic feud culture in a severe period setting.
Gest pursues personal retribution against the men responsible for the destruction of his childhood community.
The Icelandic setting and its stark terrain frame the protagonist's pursuit and confrontations.
Films like When the Raven Flies, and why
The Northman
medieval revenge narrative with stark landscapes, deliberate violence, and mythic atmosphere
The Juniper Tree
Icelandic medieval setting, blood feud themes, austere naturalism, and revenge-driven drama
Valhalla Rising
historical revenge drama combining grim action, regional folklore, and harsh period settings
Pathfinder
Nordic medieval violence, terse storytelling, and an avenging outsider confronting brutal men
Movie Details
- Director
- Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
- Release Date
- 1984-02-04
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (43)
Cast
- Jakob Þór Einarsson
- Helgi Skúlason
- Edda Björgvinsdóttir
- Egill Ólafsson
- Flosi Ólafsson
- Gottskálk Dagur Sigurðarson
- Sveinn M. Eiðsson
- Þráinn Karlsson
- Júlíus Hjörleifsson
- Pétur Einarsson
Common questions
- What is When the Raven Flies about?
- A surviving child returns to medieval Iceland as a resourceful avenger, hunting the Viking foster brothers who destroyed his family.
- What is When the Raven Flies like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of When the Raven Flies as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is When the Raven Flies violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in When the Raven Flies as brutal.
- Which films are like When the Raven Flies?
- Films with a similar feel include The Northman, The Juniper Tree, Valhalla Rising, and Pathfinder.
- How long is When the Raven Flies?
- When the Raven Flies runs 109 minutes.
