Northmen:
A Viking Saga (2014/Anchor Bay DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: C- Film: C
Claudio
Fah's The Northmen: A Viking Saga (2014) is like a low budget
mixture of Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and Thor,
with a dash of 300 without the Fantasy element. Nope, no
dragons or orcs here, though they would fit in nicely. Instead, the
telling of a serious Viking story is attempted and yet the production
design is surprisingly not as bad as one might thing (there are lots
of aerial shots with epic lenses) but the digital effects are at
times a bit cheesy. Though the film is in English, it was produced
by a Swiss director and production house, which is why it looks a
little foreign and doesn't have any American stars. I feel like if
it would have some Hollywood names, it would have been a bit
stronger.
The
story centers around a group of Vikings in the ninth century who set
sail for Britain, aiming to plunder the rich monasteries in the
northern part of the island. But a storm smashes the ship to pieces
on the rocks off the coast of Scotland, the only part of Britain
without any Viking settlements. When the daughter of the Scottish
King falls into their hands the Vikings see this as an opportunity to
demand a large ransom. The King immediately sets his wolfpack - a
group of mercenaries well known for their savagery - on the Vikings.
Calling themselves the Northmen, they have to force their way through
the rough highlands with the wolfpack close on their heels, a
desperate race against time begins in a battle over life and death.
While
the film isn't terrible, it feels very old hat and perhaps slightly a
bit small for its big britches - meaning it's a little too overly
ambitious. However, if you are a fan of Vikings (the show) or
the culture in general then you may really enjoy this. Ryan Kwanten
co-stars.
Presented
in standard definition with an anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of
2.40:1 and a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 track, the film looks fine on
disc thanks to a nice little release from Anchor Bay.
The
only special feature is Northmen: A Look Inside A Viking Saga.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
www.facebook.com/jhl5films
