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Most helpful customer reviews
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Strange, slow - felt like a dream,
By Cozy Evenings with a Book "Book Lover" (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Valhalla Rising [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
The main character, "One Eye", is being used to make money as a fighter. He's always cuffed and lives in a cage. He only has one good eye and is a mute. Eventually he kills his guards and goes free. The warrior travels with a boy who used to feed him when he was a fighter and they both join Christian crusaders on their way to Jerusalem. On the way they make port at an island where the movie takes its final conclusion.The movie mostly has no music and there's not much talking. The violence is at times brutal but there's not much action either. This is the type of filming where they focus on an actor's face for 1 minute and they show a river for 5 minutes. It felt like a dream while i was watching it - very slow development. But somehow in the end you appreciate the movie and the main character and everything that he went through. If you're one of those people that likes slow and a bit strange movies then give this a go but if you're used to Hollywood and non-stop action then this movie is not for you. I enjoyed it at times and at times i found myself falling asleep but i dont regret watching the entire movie.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Different in the best way,
This review is from: Valhalla Rising [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
The mood set by the pacing, cast, visuals and audio, its so engrossing!But my enthusiasm aside, be careful, here are what I consider to be some important considerations when you are preparing to watch it. 1>Watch it ALONE at least once, especially the first time. Also, while we do have a nice home theater system in the living room, I watched this with home theater headphones cranked up to really bring myself into that world. 2>Expectation going in -If you are looking for a movie that spells it out in familiar letters that everyone can see and talk about, you'll probably be painfully bored. You have to meet this half way, in terms of audience effort its more like a painting than a film. The movie definitely puts you on a suggestive path where the mood, minimal dialogue and situations give plenty of room for your own powers of perception and interpretation to engage, which have hopefully been sharpened by your interests in human nature and history. 3>Energy level and frame of mind -I made the mistake on my first attempt to watch this late at night as a second movie. I had to stop a little less than half way through. So my recommendation is to watch it earlier than later in the night, when you are in one of your more reflective serious moods. And if you are going to indulge in legal intoxicants to 'expand your mind', it can enhance the experience, but drink responsibly.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Slow but oddly interesting,
By
This review is from: Valhalla Rising (DVD)
This was mis sold in the UK, pretending to be a Viking epic and has recieved harsh criticism for it. At least in Canada it has been more honest, so is it any good really?It is an unusual film a sort of Ingmar Bergman meets Derek Jarman only with a better camera. It is supposed to be a fantasy and as such it is hard to work out what the actual plot is. Starring Mads Mikkelsen as a one eyed sort of prize fighter, he is treated like an animal; only being let out for fights to the death. He apparently is owned by Barde(I got that from the cover), who is a wealthy Scotsman who obtained him for his fighting skills. If he is such a lethal fighting machine, how was he ever caught? Any way he escapes; killing everyone except a young lad who comes along and appears to be able to understand the mute `One Eye'. I thought it was going to be a Christian versus Pagan type thing as Christianity is a thread throughout the film. The old sort of Christianity mind, crusading and killing; not the modern sort of caring and turning the other cheek etc. They meet up with some would be crusaders and then go off on a strange voyage to either the Holy Land of to establish a New Jerusalem. This is a slow, often claustrophobic, stylish and atmospheric film. Writer and director Nicholas Winding Refn clearly knew what he wanted to create; the studio I think had different ideas. He uses music and imagery to drive the narrative forward and whilst it works, the swift and violent changes in pace -there are snippets of violent flask backs and/or premonitions- actually break your concentration. It is like being hooked and somehow getting off the line. It is only 86 minutes long, but does seem a whole lot longer and it leaves so much unanswered that I was left undecided as to whether this is an excellent art house film, that I was unable to get; or slightly disjointed and possibly overly self indulgent. A sort of triumph of style over substance. In the end I think it is somewhere between the two, hence the three stars. Please don't get me wrong I do not think this is a bad film and I shall want to see it again, but that I cannot say that I `loved it' and that is great because I am pretty sure that is not the emotion the makers were aiming for.
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