David O'ConnellValhalla Rising
September 21st 2010 05:13
Nicolas Winding Refn’s follow-up to last year’s startling Bronson is further proof of this audacious Danish director’s propensity for going against the grain of populist filmmaking sensibilities. As far removed as Bronson was from the Pusher trilogy, Valhalla Rising proves to be an entirely different beast again, constructed with a measly $3.5 million budget and, like Bronson, co-produced with a variety of British interests.
Armed with a brave cast and crew willing to travel more than two hours to their filming location in the remote mountains of Scotland each day, Refn demonstrates his rare gifts of ingenuity, creativity and vision. The result is a unique, compelling film bearing distinct Tarkovsky and Bergman-like qualities.
In a distant, primordial land, Christianity is on the rise, driving the remaining Pagans to the ends of the earth where they've become destitute, forced to amass limited funds by pitting animalistic warriors against one another in a fight to the death. Their latest prisoner, One-Eye (Mads Mikkelsen), proves to be a cut above the rest however, able to dispatch his adversaries swiftly and with gut-wrenching brutality. They keep him imprisoned on their continuing escapade but before long he escapes custody and kills them all without breaking a sweat, sparing only a boy (Maarten Stevenson).
Together he and the boy set off across the mountains until encountering a group of Christians intent on sailing to Jerusalem to re-conquer the Holy Lands. They have doubts about taking One-Eye with them, having heard whispers of his daunting capabilities. Curious about his origins, the boy informs them that One-Eye “was brought up from hell” - not a theologically defined place of fire, brimstone and eternal damnation, but one which lies across the vast stretches of water.
The Christians set off on their mission but soon encounter a dense, disorienting fog. They’re plagued by doubts and the rising fear that beyond the fog an encroaching land nears - one that, their darkest suspicions inform them, might even be the ‘Hell’ from which One-Eye was spawned.
Valhalla Rising is a powerful, hallucinatory tale; as much about the ferocious conflict between man and nature, it updates a legend in depicting One-Eye's figurative transformation through stages of being: from slave to warrior to god, and finally, to man. The languor with which Refn imparts his narrative (co-written with Roy Jacobsen) only enhances the painterly beauty of the rugged but dreamlike surrounds. This is a tale that relies on minimal dialogue to propel it; in this place silence conveys danger as ominously as words; every glance, every calculating meditation is unnaturally heightened by the steepled, muddy mountains, the undulating mists, the roiling cloud formations.
The work of cinematographer Morton Soberg is sublime and full of lingering images of transcendent beauty that you'd love to hang on a wall. Faces are often established at the edge of frames where the spectacular natural landscape crowding them is allowed prolonged moments of fluid contemplation. There's a danger that the strong visual elements will prove overwhelming, but the strands - faint as they may be - of the story are somehow just as mesmerising for all their obliqueness.
The violence is matter-of-fact and packs a visceral punch. Within the first 20 minutes, One-Eye has delivered a disembowelment, a decapitation, a neck breaking and a graphic skull-smashing to opponents or adversaries who stand in his way.
Mikkelsen’s performance is entirely physical; he utters not a word throughout the film, relying in this, his fourth collaboration with Refn, on an animal magnetism that complements the film's plentiful aesthetic strengths. One-Eye possesses a supernatural ability to communicate; for the most part it’s only the key figure of the boy who can decipher his ‘words’. In keeping with this chilling element, shards of One-Eye’s dreams or visions – always tinged with blood red – are intermittently inserted like symptoms of a fever dream or viral haunting. But are they glimpses from the past or a future to come? In these and other moments the dark rumblings of Peter Schneidermann and Peter Kyad's sparse score come to the fore.
This brooding, savage yarn will clearly not be to everyone’s taste. For me though, the abstract, existential shadings of Valhalla Rising confirm Refn as one of the most consistantly interesting, daring and exciting voices in independent cinema today.
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
As for Refn, I thought Bronson was interesting although I can't say I was mad about it. I'm dead keen to check out the Pusher trilogy, though, and this looks like fantastic stuff. Really keen to take a look.
Love the cheesy voice over guy in the trailer BTW
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
I didn't see Centurion. There may seem to be superficial similarities but there's no action sequences in this or big set pieces. Brief moments of graphic violence are strewn throughout but it's a very languid, poetic, contemplative film - nothing I imagine, like Marshall's film.
Indeed you should check this and the Pusher films out Matt! No dodgy Scottish accent for Mikkelsen - the rest of the cast get that honour in the rare instances when they do speak.
Refn's a brilliant director, what he does with these small budgets is amazing. In saying that though - and re: my comment about him being an elite independent director - I guess that's all sadly going to change now that he's finally been lured to Hollywood. His next film, Driver with Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan is apparently about to start filming.
Oh well, we can always just continue to worship his back-catelogue!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
BRAVO though, for finally buying it - I dont know why I never thought of doing that myself, I'm also starting to think this will never be released locally. As you may know (if you recall my series of Pusher reviews) I'm a bit of an ardent fan of his.
I got to pull my finger out and order this film!!! Time for action!
Hopefully Valhalla Rising wont get the same treatment as Todd Haynes brilliant film, SAFE recieved, getting a limited release ten years after the fact, over in Australia.
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
I remember vividly your Pusher series mate, and I reckon you'll love this too despite it being the polar opposite of those films in many ways. I think for most people it'll be something they either love or hate. Hope you love as much as I did.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by Spring-Heeled Jack
Over.Exposure
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Just waiting for my wife to have some free time as she really wants to see it. Expect a review of my own in a couple of weeks.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
Look forward to reading your own verdict JD!
Certainly no reason why it wouldn't get a release Bryn but I have a feeling it would have happened by now. It may have been squeezed off the radar. I'd love to see it on the big screen.
Matt, time to smash the piggy bank open and send the contents to Amazon UK. This is a keeper mate.
Comment by Spring-Heeled Jack
Over.Exposure