The Northman

[Matt2112]

When the first sentence of a review of mine contains the phrase, "I was really looking forward to this..." it usually indicates disappointment and, unfortunately, that was the case here.

My first visit to Halifax Square Chapel Art Centre's Copper Auditorium began auspiciously: the building itself inside and out looks and feels resplendent after its substantial renovation along with the adjacent Piece Hall, with amiable staff and surely the most pristinely clean and fragrantly-scented public toilets in Halifax (yes, leading with my chin there, I know).

However, the screening auditorium itself is more of a multi-purpose performance and exhibition space, hence a far cry from the bespoke boutique style screening room I anticipated. The film played on a temporary screen, which during dark scenes suffered from some light pollution from the emergency exit illumination and revealed kinks in the material.  However, the screen itself was large enough and the sound rig punchy enough to override the shortcomings.

I'm very mindful I'm at risk of discussing the actual visit to see the film more than the film itself, but then this can be taken as a measure of my disappointment.

The Northman is directed and co-written by Robert Eggers, who made the superbly eerie and deranged The Lighthouse (and the just-okay folk-horror The Witch), so I came to this with high hopes.

Unfortunately, this sort of arthouse Game Of Thrones underwhelmed; it's as technically accomplished as you'd expect from the formidable talent involved, but the actual story from which everything else pivots just isn't terribly gripping. It's a standard revenge tale with a pinch of mysticism set in grim, brutal times that left me shrugging my shoulders in the end.

Rating: **

[Nick]

I think many new blockbusters fail on the story front. Anything is possible and looks amazing visually but a good story is a must.

[pxr5]

It seems like the script of a movie often gets passed over for the effects. There must be decent script writers out there. I was looking forward to this movie too. Ho hum.