‘The Northman’ isn’t looking for redemption

Franchise action films are in love with justice. “James Bond,” “Superman,” “Iron Man,” “Harry Potter” and even “Ghostbusters” go out of their way to let you know that the people onscreen aren’t just shooting, hitting or blasting each other for fun. They are shooting, hitting or blasting each other for good. The special effects and choreography are anchored to a morality tale that justifies excesses of violence and lots of explosions.

Based on the same Danish legend that inspired Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” the film is a tale of revenge and blood for its own sake.

Robert Eggers’ historical action epic “The Northman” is resolutely, and gloriously, uninterested in justice or in setting things right. Based on the same Danish legend that inspired Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” the film is a tale of revenge and blood for its own sake, which forcefully puts a sharpened axe through any moral catharsis. Like the ravens that occasionally flap across the screen, viewers aren’t there to witness the triumph of heroism. They’re there to feast on the carrion.

The revenge-plot swings back and forth as efficiently as a scythe. In the 800s A.D., King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke) is murdered by his brother, Fjölnir (Claes Bang), who also seizes and marries Aurvandill’s queen, Gudrún (Nicole Kidman). Aurvandill’s son, Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) escapes, and swears to revenge his father, save his mother and kill Fjölnir.

After some years working as a mercenary, Amleth joins a Rus raiding party that destroys a village and enslaves the inhabitants. He finds out the captives are destined for Fjölnir, who was driven from his home by the king of Norway and now lives in reduced circumstances in Iceland. Amleth disguises himself as a slave and plots to murder Fjölnir with the help of a fellow slave, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), and the requisite magic sword.

We see Amleth’s horror as a child when Fjölnir kills his father; viewers are likely to be on his side. But Eggers makes sure it’s clear that Amleth’s isn’t the right side. The scene in which he raids the village is a ravishly filmed panorama of war crimes: prisoners killed, women and children murdered, prisoners burned alive. Amleth participates without any apparent qualm. The fight choreography is brutal, animalistic and efficient; Amleth cuts a swath through opponents who are obviously less well trained and are just trying to defend their families. He tears out one poor man’s throat with his teeth.

Nor is Fjölnir a caricature villain. Yes, he enslaves people, murders with impunity and tries to rape Olga. He’s a bad person. But he obviously cares for his wife and for his children. Both he and Amleth are brutal, vicious men who take what they want and deal out bloody violence to those who stand in their way.