The Northman is regularly overlooked amid Robert Eggers small collection of movies, but the Viking epic demonstrates exceptional historical accuracy, which makes it more than worth a viewing. The chronicle of the Viking prince follows a man who ventures on an arduous journey to avenge his father’s murder. Despite The Northman‘s strong cast and exceptional reviews, the film struggled financially and ultimately failed to hit even the lowest box office targets. Although The Northman was a significant step for Eggers into mainstream studio productions, it ultimately struggled and now ranks among his poorest performing commercial films to date.

Regardless, The Northman makes up for its financial shortcomings by excelling in every other area. Eggers efficiently handles The Northman‘s historical epic within the constraints of a two-hour movie, and the bigger budget enabled the director to boast his striking visual ideas on a scale previously unattainable in his smaller projects. However, the film’s most praised element is even more compelling than this, and an expert’s online review has just brought it into the spotlight.

The Northman’s High Accuracy Rating Proves It’s A Detailed & Fascinating Movie

The Northman Received The Highest Commendation From A Historical Expert

In an episode of “How Real Is It?” from Insider, a Viking warfare specialist commented on the historical accuracy of Robert Eggers’ 2022 film, The Northman. The film’s accuracy extends to even the smallest details, as demonstrated in the clip that provides sH๏τ-by-sH๏τ details of The Northman, which clearly draws heavily from period sources. The historian, William Short, draws attention to a particular scene where a spear is caught during battle and thrown right back towards the enemy, which he reveals “is mentioned numerous times in the literary sources as being a very effective battle technique.”

While there are minor oversights, Short still gives The Northman a 9 out of 10 for historical accuracy. The depth of Eggers’ research is reflected in his attention to detail, not only in the exploration of Viking battle techniques, but in the credibility of costumes, weapons, and rituals of this era. Eggers and his team worked hard “with archaeologists and historians… attempting to capture […] the inner world of the Viking mind,” (via Smithsonian Magazine) which ultimately paid off. Shorts is known for his sparing use of praise, which serves to make this commendation a particularly noteworthy achievement for The Northman.

Why The Northman Didn’t Get More Attention Upon Release

The Northman Underperformed At The Box Office Despite Earning Rave Reviews

Shockingly, The Northman was not a profitable venture for Robert Eggers, despite how much care was taken with its factual accounts. The film overcame its biggest obstacle and earned significant critical acclaim, but The Northman struggled financially at the box office. Against a production budget of approximately $90 million, Eggers’ historical epic only made $69.6 million worldwide — a rather substantial loss. The Northman has since been released on VOD, and it has found a quiet audience in our homes, but it is a shame the film was so drastically overlooked during its theatrical release.

Although the marketing for The Northman was not overly effective, its poor performance is a consequence of much larger problems. In truth, audiences were simply uninterested in theatrical releases following the global pandemic. Unfortunately, The Northman‘s 2022 release coincided with this exact period, leading to negative consequences. Between the decline in the traditional theater-going experience and the rise in ticket prices, as well as the increase in new content becoming widely available on streaming platforms, the circumstances surrounding The Northman‘s release were entirely unfavorable. Not to mention it was challenging to market any film that wasn’t a major franchise or blockbuster IP to a broad audience during the pandemic.

Source: Insider, Smithsonian Magazine