Written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, after serving fourteen years for robbery, Anker is released from prison and reunites with his mentally ill brother Manfred, who alone knows where the stolen money is hidden but has forgotten its location, sending them on a journey to recover the loot and confront who they are. Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Sofie Gråbøl, Søren Malling, Bodil Jørgensen, Lars Brygmann, Nicolas Bro, Kardo Razzazi and Peter Düring.
It can certainly be said that any time there’s a collaboration between Anders Thomas Jensen and Mads Mikkelsen, it always results in an interesting character, and no two are alike. Manfred is a great example of that, it’s a unique entry into Mikkelsen’s filmography, using his quintessential intensity in a very different way. He’s troubled on the outside but kind and loyal on the inside, he might not always be able to express himself but he’s a sweet man. He’s also unpredictable, easily triggered and sincerely self-destructive, so he makes for engaging viewing.
Whereas Nikolaj Lie Kaas’ Anker feels much more familiar, his criminal past, his quickness to violence and his bravado capture a very classic persona in Scandinavian cinema. Both of them are highly combustible, suppressing their trauma and struggle to communicate, so they certainly keep things interesting. Their relationship can to a certain extent feel like a lot of the same, but it is still ultimately touching to see them figure things out.
Their hectic relationship is nicely reflected in the style of The Last Viking, Jensen attempts to match that energy, without losing the reins to also keep hold of the emotional sincerity of the film. Creating that sort of emotional yet chaotic atmosphere works well, but there are also a number of choices which feel as if they’re undermining its potential. The first being the use of the Viking animation and flashbacks, they have a strangely sentimental quality, as if the film is trying to bring through family friendly moments, in a film which is far from family friendly.
That leads directly into the second element which is holding back The Last Viking, Jensen doesn’t embrace strongly enough the very dark nature to this story. It’s violent, bloody and filled with trauma and yet is missing that classic Scandinavian black humour touch. It’s also weird and quirky, but not quite to the extent hoped. It feels as though there’s a number of aspects that are good but simply don’t go far enough. It’s a shame as the film also runs a little long, so expanding those eccentricities might have helped with the pacing.
The Last Viking is a strange yet touching outing. There’s an excellent cast at work, Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas lead the way strongly while Sofie Gråbøl is unsurprisingly a wonderful addition, but Kardo Razzazi is a particular standout who brings a great dose of charming, if spiky, personality into the mix. It’s shot well and definitely makes use of that terrific cabin in the woods style setting to add lots of great colour. It does however move a little too slow and makes a few choices which hold it back, not quite reaching the potential heights of this dark, odd adventure.
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