Overview
A young prince embarks on a brutal quest for vengeance amidst the harsh Viking landscape.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- visceral
- foreboding
- intense movie night
- historical epic marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a visually masterful, ferocious Viking revenge epic with extraordinary performances and visceral action.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Amleth organizes his life around avenging King Aurvandil's murder and reclaiming familial honor.
The film integrates Viking customs, Norse gods, prophecy, berserker practices, and ceremonial kingship into its historical setting.
Amleth is trained and tested as a warrior while navigating expectations surrounding princehood, revenge, and patriarchal succession.
Volcanic Icelandic terrain, torchlit rituals, long observational compositions, and grounded gore create a tactile legendary atmosphere.
Films like The Northman, and why
Valhalla Rising
shared viking-era setting, revenge quest, brutal combat, and mythic fatalism
Gladiator
shared historical epic scale, grim violence, family betrayal, and revenge-driven protagonist
The Witch
shared Robert Eggers atmosphere, folkloric ambiguity, austere visual design, and psychological intensity
Macbeth
shared medieval violence, dynastic conflict, prophecy, and heightened historical spectacle
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Eggers
- Release Date
- 2022-04-07
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (5304)
Cast
- Alexander Skarsgård
- Nicole Kidman
- Claes Bang
- Ethan Hawke
- Anya Taylor-Joy
- Gustav Lindh
- Elliott Rose
- Willem Dafoe
- Phill Martin
- Eldar Skar
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Northman about?
- A ferocious Viking prince pursues an inherited oath of vengeance through a world where bloodline, prophecy, and brutal fate are inseparable.
- What is The Northman like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Northman as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Northman violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Northman as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Northman?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a visually masterful, ferocious Viking revenge epic with extraordinary performances and visceral action.
- Which films are like The Northman?
- Films with a similar feel include Valhalla Rising, Gladiator, The Witch, and Macbeth.
- How long is The Northman?
- The Northman runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Northman?
- In United States, The Northman streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
