anders-n-aa-larsson

The film seems to follow the Nordic Völsungasaga and Nibelungenlied quite faithfully. Both are recorded in the 13th century, but are considered to have roots in the Iron Age. When Kristanna Loken's character Brunhilde said she was queen of Iceland, I almost screamed at the TV "What? Can't they even make an effort to be a little historically correct?" The anarchic Iceland ("With them is no King, but only law", as Adam of Bremen wrote), populated by Norwegians who fled King Harald Hairfair who founded the first Norwegian state. But I was unaware that Brunhilde actually in Nibelungenlied is Queen in Iceland, although the name of her kingdom in some manuscripts is spelled îsenlant, which would then mean Ironland. The film is thus not based on Wagner's 19th century opera, which Tolkien's novel Lord of the Ring is almost a condensed version of. Those who expect something like the Lord of the Ring films will thus be disappointed. In addition, this is a TV movie (aired as a mini-series on TV, but was released as a whole movie on DVD) with only a small fraction of the budget Peter Jackson had at his disposal.

Have a hard time to understand the many negative reviews (has it something to do with USA:s religious, puritan heritage?) that complain about bad language and some "sexy" dance. This is nothing different from what I grew up on in the 1970s childrens programmes on TV. Welcome to the real world, people!

However, for me who have been a fan of the comic since childhood, the 3D and Lambik wearing a mustache, was strange. It would have been much better as an old fashioned animated movie.

And the US portrayed like the old Wild West in our century & Americans still wearing 19th century clothes. Wonder why the American puritans aren't offended by that...

Every character is a sociopath and murderer. Yet we're supposed to regard them as "Great Men" (or women) who created history.

This tv show says more about our own times in the 21st century, than about the 800s.

When a guy is pointlessly murdered, nobody reacts or cares, like this happens everyday. Human beings have never reacted this way.

The peasantry run around like headless chickens when the Danes attack, when in reality most people at that time was armed.

And Norsemen with mohawks and face tattoos? There is no evidence this ever existed. The Viking hair fashion we know of was hair on the forehead, and the rest of the head shaved.

And what was the idea of Eliza Butterworth and Millie Brady of the same age both born in 1993, playing mother and daughter? This is so bad.