Dynamixor
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
WillSushyMedia
This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
Nicole
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
Moody Prole
The movie's supposed to depict realistically the life of Icelandic vikings. To some extent, there it succeeds - life is gritty and hard, the skies are always gray, wind is always blowing. No stupid horned helmets or Hollywood swashbuckling (as in "Pathfinder"), the vikings do not resemble members of a heavy metal band, trying to be as revolting as only they know how (see "13th Warrior"). The serial killer hero approaches his labor of murder with noble stoicism. The location is postcard Iceland - black sand beach and "troll fingers" rocks near VikOn the other hand, the budget and imagination are tight, all of the action is limited to the same location. It looks like a saga abridged to a level of a comic book - lots of slaughter, not much talk. In place of complex psychology, there is an overwrought and childish symbolism (crows, last scene, etc.). The soundtrack is bad and exploitative. The whole thing is amateurish and gets frightfully boring. This may be a petty quibble, but for a movie that's gunning for verisimilitude, the place looks wrong - in 9-10th centuries, Iceland was still forested, rather than the barren rock you see todayTo sum it up, if you want an art-house viking movie, go watch "Severed Ways", it has compelling, albeit completely anachronistic heavy metal music. Or "Valhalla Rising" - the photography there is amazing.
Berserker_swe
I don't know if you've ever seen a movie about vikings, but as far as i know they are few. Of those I've seen this and it's predecessor are the only "true" viking movies.This movie has pretty bad image and sound quality which is understandable since its old. But it wins my heart for it's story, it follows a kind of norm in viking tales, basically an eye for an eye.I am no expert in vikings or history but i have read a lot about them and many sagas (if not all) from the "Edda", anyways i liked this movie because it feels natural and real.Some warnings though: 1. It may not be so interesting for you if you're not interested in vikings. 2. They speak Icelandic and the one i saw had Swedish subtitles only, so beware, you may not understand a word.
ccmiller1492
"When the Raven Flies" death is coming....in this stark, brutal and gloomy tale of unrelenting vengeance. A Celtic Christian boy's family in Ireland is wiped out in a Viking raid, with his older sister carried off into sexual bondage. When he becomes a man, he tracks down the band of exiles all the way to Iceland where they await the death of their enemy, King Harald of Norway. One by one he patiently stalks each member of the band and cunningly turns their barbaric superstitions and brutish natures against them. The authenticity of the Icelandic setting and the grubbiness of the actors lend veracity to this depiction of this dark period in Scandinavian history in which the blood feuds lasted for generations. This film has a strangely compelling beauty threaded through its dominant theme of violence begetting violence in a self-perpetuating cycle.
Storugglan
I remember seing this movie as a teenager when it was new. I still remember how the touching story burned inside of me, and the soft music that soothened the flames, created a epic memory. Since that first time, I have watched this movie at least ten times and it is STILL as great as the fist time. I really feels lika a "true story". Not like the rough (and often stupid) picture of vikings that Hollywood creates. I highly recommend anyone (above 11) to see this movie!
