New Showbiz

You are here:
The Northman

The Northman

2022

R

Director

Robert Eggers

Runtime

137 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy's mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who's on a mission to save his mother, kill his uncle and avenge his father.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

3.7/10

Limited


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film adheres to the social constraints of the 10th-century Viking setting. There is no explicit depiction of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy, focusing instead on heteronormative lineage.

Gender Representation

Fair

Women like Olga and Queen Gudrún possess significant agency within a patriarchal framework. The film passes the Bechdel test through meaningful dialogue between women regarding survival and political maneuvering.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The cast is predominantly Northern European to reflect the period setting. While lacking modern intersectional casting, it depicts a complex social hierarchy that includes enslaved individuals known as thralls.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The narrative explores the tension between Norse paganism and emerging Christian institutions. It challenges objective morality by centering the plot on tribal codes and blood vengeance.

Disability Representation

Limited

The film does not feature characters with visible or invisible disabilities as central to the story. Physical combat is frequent, but disability is not a primary thematic element.

Strengths

  • Female characters like Olga possess significant agency and spiritual influence.
  • The film successfully passes the Bechdel test through meaningful female dialogue.
  • It provides a nuanced depiction of historical social hierarchies and systemic inequalities.
  • The narrative subverts traditional moral certainties through a lens of cultural conflict.

Areas for Improvement

  • The film lacks representation of non-cisnormative gender identities or same-sex intimacy.
  • The cast is ethnically homogeneous, reflecting a narrow historical scope.
  • There is no central representation of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

AI Analysis

The Northman prioritizes historical and mythic realism over modern demographic representation. By focusing on the specific cultural and ethnic realities of 10th-century Scandinavia, the film naturally lacks the intersectional diversity found in contemporary cinema. However, the film finds progressive value by subverting traditional moral certainties. It replaces idealized notions of stability with a complex, often destructive cycle of tribalism and vengeance. While it scores low on traditional metrics like LGBTQ+ and disability representation, it succeeds in providing depth to female characters and a nuanced look at historical social hierarchies.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Movie poster for Conan the Barbarian

Conan the Barbarian

2011

No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 4.0 out of 10

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.