One of the greatest action movies of the decade so far is on TV tonight

Stephen Porzio

It’s a must-watch for fans of 300 and Gladiator.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Saturday, 14 September) is The Northman, one of the greatest action movies of the decade so far.

Co-written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Witch, the upcoming Nosferatu), the viking film is based on Norse and Scandinavian legend and is set at the turn of the 10th century in Iceland.

Starring an absolutely ripped Alexander Skarsgård, he plays Amleth – who as a boy watched his king father (Ethan Hawke) be murdered by another family member (Claes Bang).

Narrowly escaping assassins, the young prince fled from home and grew up to become a vicious Viking warrior.

Following an encounter with a mysterious prophet (Bjork), the now adult Amleth sets out to fulfil his oath to avenge his father – with the help of a female slave (Anya-Taylor Joy).

Released in 2022, The Northman’s stellar cast also includes Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe and Irish actress Olwen Fouéré.

And that’s not the movie’s only connection to the Emerald Isle, as it was mostly shot in Northern Ireland.

Holding an impressive 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, The Northman earned particular praise for its hard-hitting action set-pieces, its ferocious lead turn from Skarsgård, as well as the immersive and primal ways Eggers captured the tone of Norse mythology for the big screen.

The Northman is airing on Channel 4 tonight at 9pm. It is also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play and Microsoft right now.

You can also check out JOE’s interview with Skarsgård and Taylor-Joy for the film right here:

Here are the other movies on TV tonight:

Star Trek Into Darkness – Sky Showcase – 9pm

Kirk, Spock and co face-off against a new threat in the form of Benedict Cumberbatch in this solid sci-fi sequel.

Notting Hill – Film4 – 9pm

The classic rom-com about a Hollywood actress (Julia Roberts) who falls in love with an ordinary bookseller in London (Hugh Grant).

Drive Hard – Legend Xtra – 9pm

In this direct-to-video action buddy flick, a professional thief (John Cusack) takes a former race car driver (Thomas Jane) hostage and forces him to drive his getaway car.

The Hunted – Legend – 9pm

A poorly reviewed ’90s action thriller with Christopher Lambert, Joan Chen and John Lone.

Schindler’s List – RTÉ2 – 9.10pm

Liam Neeson stars in Steven Spielberg’s powerful Holocaust drama, which won seven Oscars including Best Picture.

Grimsby – Comedy Central – 9.30pm

Sacha Baron Cohen is a football hooligan whose brother (Mark Strong) is a top MI6 spy in this raunchy comedy.

It Could Happen to You – TG4 – 9.45pm

This romantic comedy drama from the ’90s sees Nicolas Cage play a police officer who promises to share his lottery ticket with a waitress (Bridget Fonda) in lieu of a tip.

Then he wins.

The Chronicles of Riddick – ITV4 – 10pm

Vin Diesel returns as anti-hero Richard B. Riddick in this overstuffed sequel to sci-fi action horror Pitch Black.

The Hills Have Eyes – MTV – 10pm

The well-liked 2006 remake of the Wes Craven horror classic from the ’70s of the same name.

The Boxer – RTÉ One – 10.05pm

The underrated Irish sports drama with Daniel Day-Lewis that we’ve recommended before.

Sausage Party – Comedy Central – 11pm

The adult animated comedy written by and featuring the voice of Seth Rogen.

Fried Green Tomatoes – Virgin Media Three – 11pm

The beloved ’90s comedy-drama with Kathy Bates.

Lucky Number Slevin – Legend – 11.10pm

An absolutely star-studded and very watchable crime thriller about a case of mistaken identity that puts a man named Slevin (Josh Hartnett) in the middle of a war between two rival New York crime lords.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – Film4 – 11.30pm

Indy’s second cinematic outing.

Terminator Salvation – Channel 4 – 11.45pm

Christian Bale headlines this fourth, futuristic entry in the Terminator franchise.

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