One of the greatest action movies of the decade so far is now available to stream

Stephen Porzio

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

Prime Video has just added The Northman, one of the greatest action movies of the decade so far, to its service.

Co-written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Witch), 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.

Alexander Skarsgård in The Northman, which is now streaming on Prime Video

Here’s a sample of some of those positive write-ups.

Austin Chronicle: “Robert Eggers’ The Northman is an extraordinary feat of cinema – but it’s also a bloody, mournful, violent tale of vengeance that is never simply academic, but visceral, sensual, emotional, and epic.”

AV Club: “Eggers’ immersive approach and stylistic flair creates one wild, applause-worthy combat scene after another, reminding viewers why he’s one of the most unique visual artists working today.”

Entertainment Weekly: “Beneath the runes and visions, it’s a tale as old as Game of Thrones, and as simple as a story told around a campfire: a ride of the Valkyries spelled out in gore and popcorn.”

Film of the Week: “Blood runs, mud flies and bones crack — in crisp, percussive ways you’ve hopefully never heard in real life — throughout The Northman, a grand, gut-spilling Norse epic that feels at once earthily ancient and thrillingly modern.”

San Jose Mercury News: “The mood, the detail and the look of this production is extraordinary. And the fiery showdown at the end is incomparable.”

The Northman is streaming on Prime Video in Ireland and the UK right now. For those in the US, the movie can be watched on Starz.

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

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