It seems to me that the term “visionary director” more often than not is code for a self-important director who creates bizarre and esoteric movies for the sole purpose of being different. Such is the case with this raw and unflinching Viking epic from writer-director Robert Eggers. Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, and Anya Taylor-Joy headline this bloody and brutal and oh so dreary slog and do wonderful work, and there are moments when the cinematography is beautiful, but on the whole, this thing just seems out there for the sake of being out there.

3/5 stars