“Valhalla Rising” (2010) dir. Nicholas Winding Refn

Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Stevenson, Andrew Flanagan, Jamie Sives, Callum Mitchell

Set in 1000 AD in a mysterious place sitting on misty mountain tops and home of howling winds, Valhalla Rising is an existential mediation and a deep, savage, and visceral exploration of the Viking mythology.

Told in six chapters, the story follows a mute Viking slave-turned-warrior One Eye (played by Winding Refn’s frequent collaborator – Mads Mikkelsen) and his kid sidekick – Aye, through a barbaric and metaphysical journey though the Nordic highlands. Held in captivity for years by the Norse chieftain – Barde, One Eye wins fight after fight to the death with rivaling clans and makes a great deal of money for Barde. After an arrangement with a rival clan to be transported and turned over to his new owner, One Eye breaks out of his shackles, which results in a massive blood spillage and bone crushing mayhem.

Accompanied by a small boy, One Eye encounters a group of Christian Vikings and eventually joins them on their quest for claiming the Holy Land, Jerusalem, from its oppressors. Their naval journey, however, brings them to the shores of an unknown and untamed land where they encounter a hostile and savage indigenous population.

Historical accuracies aside, this film is not claiming to represent a recreation of a particular period in human history or a glorious Hollywood epic a-la Braveheart. Instead, the author of the film takes us on a mysterious, magnificent and quite often nightmarish voyage across the sea into the unknown and into the heart of Viking mythology. Reminiscent of a Malick-ian or even Kurosawa-like dreamy/nightmare-ish atmosphere, Valhalla Rising goes for the jugular in a take-no-prisoners visceral manner.

Shot exclusively in exteriors and in the now “trademarked” Winding Refn hand held cinematography style, the film takes advantage of the eerie scenic terrain of the Scottish highlands and the opulent flora of the Canadian shores. With a tour-de-force performance by Mikkelsen and its minimal narrative, Valhalla Rising stands out from the crowd and imprints itself permanently into the viewer’s psyche.

With not much dialogue, music, or special effects, except for a few CGI blood sprays, the film’s minimalistic style is filmmaking at its purest form. Once again, Winding Refn, the acclaimed director of the Pusher trilogy, delivers a haunting seventh feature, which may very well be his best so far.

Five bloody skulls.