- Release year: 2025
- Director: Anders Thomas Jensen.
- Producers: Sidsel Hybschmann and Sisse Graum Jørgensen.
- Screenplay by: Anders Thomas Jensen.
- Cinematography by: Sebastian Blenkov.
- Music by: Jeppe Kaas.
Synopsis: after years in jail, a man is reunited with his brother, only to find out that his sibling doesn’t remember where he hid his fortune due to a case of multiple personalities.
Shotgun Commentary: brutal, hilarious, and sick in the best way possible.
Review
The Last Viking is an insane comedy that combines vicious violence with the most acid humour to give you a film like you’ve never seen before. If you aren’t squeamish, and you appreciate gallows humour, you will definitely have a blast with this completely manic movie.
The mess
You will mostly follow Anker (Nikolaj Lie Kaas). He is a criminal who steals a lot of money from a bank. Before going to jail, gives it to his brother Manfred (Mads Mikkelsen) so he’ll hide it in the woods next to their childhood home. Years go by and, when he comes back, his brother has repressed the memory of where the money is hidden. Furthermore, he is now convinced that he is actually John Lennon.
To aid his memory, Anker takes Manfred back to their childhood home, which is now a B&B. In here, hilarious shenanigans ensue, and deep childhood traumas are awakened. A duality that accompanies the whole narrative, beginning to end. Making this a comedy that has no business being so good at violence, and a violent film that has no business being such a riot.
The light
As expected with a film of this nature, the acting is key. Kaas brings to life a violent but caring Anker. A man with an obvious assortment of unexplored mental issues that he will be forced to face sooner or later. This evolution makes Anker more than your average Statham-style protagonist, as there is an actual background and depth to him that one doesn’t expect at first glance.
Supporting Anker’s character is Manfred, arguably the highlight of the film. Mikkelsen is not particularly known internationally for his comedic roles, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that he also nails that genre. You might have seen hints of it during particular scenes in films like Doctor Strange (2016), but this is the real deal. Manfred is a beautifully written and masterfully played. A character that will have you laughing from the first minute he shows up on screen until the very last. A challenging task considering his tragic nature.
The darkness
Last, but not least, it is important to delve a little more into the violence of the film. This is mostly directed towards children and women. The two main female characters of the feature bear the brunt of it in the storyline that takes place in the present. The brothers’ sister, Freja (Bodil Jørgensen), finds herself in a horrible situation as a result of her siblings’ mess. Still, she is not portrayed as a helpless damsel nor a badass warrior. Shockingly enough, she is an average woman who does the best she can with the situation that is presented to her.
As for the other main woman, Margrethe (Sofie Gråbøl), she is the total opposite of Freja, albeit just as relatable. She is far from perfect. Her ego is even bigger than her house. But all in all, she doesn’t do anything that will make you frown in confusion. A feat that most films with action or violence in them still have to achieve, sadly.
About the secondary storyline, the one created through a collage of flashbacks, we won’t get much into it as it is best enjoyed without any spoilers. Suffice to say that the children who portray Anker (Alfred Røssel Læsø) and Manfred (Joel Hesse Johansen) are absolute beasts with a fantastic future ahead if they choose to continue their acting careers.
All in all, The Last Viking is a film you won’t regret watching as long as you have the stomach for it. A few scenes are hard to sit through, but it is absolutely worth it.
Advice to take from this movie:
- Having siblings can rock, but it can also be incredibly challenging.
- Sometimes you need to compromise. For everyone’s sanity.
- It might be interesting to warn the people you live with about the man that is coming to collect a debt to your house. For the sake of avoiding getting innocent people’s legs broken and the likes.
What’s your take? Have you watched The Last Viking? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀