Alright folks, grab your kaffe and let’s natter about this latest flick: Viking. You know, I’m torn like a pair of old jeans about this one. It’s a Swedish-Russian mishmash that’s a bit like putting lingonberry jam on borscht. You’re keen on it at first, but maybe it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

The film flits around medieval Scandinavia, and I was half-expecting Thor to pop out wielding a meatball at any moment. But this ain’t Marvel. It’s way grittier, like the texture of rye bread – you can almost feel the chill of those snowy landscapes. And the battles? They’re about as subtle as a smörgåsbord knife fight at a Midsummer party. Brutal but weirdly beautiful.

As I’m watching, I’m reminded of that time I got lost in Gamla Stan during a power outage, with nothing to guide me but the faint glow from a nearby tourist trap selling Viking helmets. There’s something about getting lost—like the characters in this film, trying to find their way, both literally and metaphorically. Maybe that’s why it resonated a bit.

The lead actor, he’s got this steely gaze that’s both haunting and oddly comforting, like when you’ve had a bit too much pickled herring and you just need something, anything, to focus on. Yet, there’s a missed opportunity with the storyline which sometimes wavers like a köttbulle that’s been left too long in the sauce. Maybe they tried to cram in too much history into one film? I’m not sure.

But hey, no one’s perfect, right? Not even the Vikings. If you’re up for some cinematic kulturkrock, give it a whirl. Might not be the next Ingmar Bergman, but it’s definitely worth a peek. Find the trailer and some behind-the-scenes on good ol’ YouTube if you’re curious! Check the trailer here: Viking