The Review

The Northman


Listen Later

Shirley Li, David Sims, and Sophie Gilbert discuss the brutal new blockbuster The Northman. From the director of The Lighthouse and The Witch and based on the viking legend that inspired Hamlet, the film is a visceral experience that’s hard to summarize: Is it an arthouse revenge epic? A viking myth about toxic-masculinity? Shakespeare for people who love crossfit?

The Northman joins The Green Knight and The Last Duel as part of a trend of recent films recontextualizing medieval tales. David, Shirley, and Sophie unpack that trend. They discuss the 10th century tale the film is based on, how both Shakespeare and director Robert Eggers adapted it, and how modern storytelling has tried to bring the historical experiences of women into these hypermasculine myths.

Further reading:

  • The Northman Is an Unsentimental Portrait of a Hero


Coming Soon: 

Severance

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The ReviewBy The Atlantic

  • 3.9
  • 3.9
  • 3.9
  • 3.9
  • 3.9

3.9

137 ratings


More shows like The Review

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

91,072 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,453 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,727 Listeners

The Book Review by The New York Times

The Book Review

3,871 Listeners

Filmspotting by Adam Kempenaar & Josh Larsen

Filmspotting

3,947 Listeners

Slate Culture by Slate Podcasts

Slate Culture

1,874 Listeners

Blank Check with Griffin & David by Blank Check Productions

Blank Check with Griffin & David

6,109 Listeners

Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

Radio Atlantic

2,299 Listeners

The Atlantic Interview by The Atlantic

The Atlantic Interview

2,127 Listeners

Crazy/Genius by The Atlantic

Crazy/Genius

1,029 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,245 Listeners

Culture Gabfest by Slate Podcasts

Culture Gabfest

440 Listeners

Floodlines by The Atlantic

Floodlines

3,368 Listeners

Social Distance by The Atlantic

Social Distance

915 Listeners

How to Age Up by The Atlantic

How to Age Up

1,425 Listeners

The Interview by The New York Times

The Interview

1,546 Listeners

Holy Week by The Atlantic

Holy Week

296 Listeners

Critics at Large | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

Critics at Large | The New Yorker

630 Listeners

Good on Paper by The Atlantic

Good on Paper

362 Listeners

Autocracy in America by The Atlantic

Autocracy in America

1,369 Listeners

We Live Here Now by The Atlantic

We Live Here Now

229 Listeners