There are a lot of low rated reviews on here. I understand why. The poster artwork and indeed the title make it look as if this film is going to be very much like an episode of Vikings with lots of epic battle scenes. If that is what you are expecting, you will be disappointed.
The story is a slow burner with more dialogue than action. However for me, this was no bad thing. A big theme in the film is that of religious belief and how it can make some behave, at best, unwisely. The violence of the warband isn't glamourised, but equally the idealism of the monks is shown as foolish. Both sides risk their lives for a book. A very beautiful book, but a book nonetheless, and faith is more than ink and parchment.
We see also that both Christians and pagans misunderstood one another. It's only when the characters talk about belief that there can be better understanding.
The main character is ultimately forced to questions how he approaches his beliefs, the final act having become something akin to a tale of revenge, something that would have been at odds with his training as a novice monk. Does he ultimately win if he has had to compromise his beliefs so much that he will kill?
This film owes a slight debt at least to Brian Bates' wonderful book The Way of Wyrd, another story that examines belief in England at a time when Christianity and paganism overlapped.
The cinematography is very muted; almost monochrome at times, but this only added to the bleak aspects of the story.
I very much enjoy Vikings and The Last Kingdom but this is a different beast entirely; smaller budget, smaller cast, slower and grounded in what the characters say, rather than what they do. This is not the film for you if you just want action, but if you want something that will make you think about how raids impacted upon the people of Dark Ages England, this relatively short film is worth 90 minutes of your time. I plan on watching it again.
Review of A Viking Saga: The Darkest Day
