Robert Eggers’ “Brutally Violent” Viking Action Masterpiece Lands New Streaming Home

When it comes to period films, there’s perhaps no other director doing them better right now than Robert Eggers. The Witch was a superb and accurate look at life in 1630s New England, while Nosferatu transported viewers back to the early 1800s with incredible detail. Now, one of the director’s most phenomenal movies to date that’s set in AD 895 has landed a new streaming home, and you’re not going to want to miss this one if you’re a fan of brutally violent action epics.

Titled The Northman, the movie stars Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth, a Viking warrior prince on a quest to avenge the death of his father at the hands of his uncle. Hitting theaters on April 22, 2022, The Northman failed to make a splash at the box office, taking in just $69 million against a $70 million budget. Sadly, that’s just the way things were in the COVID era, when not a lot of people were taking chances on a movie that wasn’t part of a big franchise like the MCU. Thankfully, The Northman managed to find its audience on VOD and physical media, debuting at #1 the weeks it was released on iTunes and Blu-ray.

Also starring the likes of Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe, The Northman will make its way to Netflix on December 3, 2025, so for those that have yet to see this action-packed period movie that blends arthouse craftsmanship, violence, and a raw and visceral performance from Skarsgård, now’s the perfect chance to do so. Check out the synopsis below:

“The Northman follows Amleth (Skarsgård), a Viking prince who flees after witnessing his father’s murder at the hands of his uncle Fjölnir (Bang). Growing into a fierce warrior driven by vengeance, Amleth returns years later disguised as a slave to infiltrate his uncle’s Icelandic farm. As he plots revenge, he uncovers unsettling truths about his family and forms an alliance with the sorceress Olga (Taylor-Joy), leading him toward a violent, mythic confrontation with the fate he’s spent his life chasing.”

Critics Called ‘The Northman’ a “Bloody Revenge Tale”

Alexander Skarsgard in The Northman

Aidan Monaghan/ © Focus Features /Courtesy Everett Collection

Like Eggers’ other films, The Northman is a beautifully shot movie that transports you back in time with stunning accuracy. Everything from Viking culture and weapons, to the costumes and set pieces were handled with the meticulous detail the director has become known for. That alone makes it worthy of praise, but critics were also blown away by The Northman’s authentic brutality.

Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 90% rating, it’s been called everything from a “bloody revenge tale,” to “epic, brutally violent, nuanced, and dreamlike.” Some have even said that it adds in elements of horror to create a “breathtaking cinematic onslaught that savvily turns hellishness into movie heaven.” While fans were a little more divided and gave it just a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s clear that The Northman is a favorite of many, and rightfully so.

Be sure to add this one to your watchlist, and don’t miss The Northman when it comes to Netflix on Dec. 3, 2025.