Viking Destiny movie review & film summary (2018)

Although the uncle Prince Bard (Timo Nieminen) might have seemed like he was helping out his brother, his evil scheme comes to light: take the kingdom of Volsung by trying to secretly kill off the two heirs. Mini-power games come to play, which might excite people struggling to get through this “Game of Thrones” break, and need simple images of brutal portrayal. But the drama is clunky and busy, especially as Helle runs away from Volsung to protect herself. 

Juggling other supporting characters, including a band of bland vikings that want Helle to be queen and a group of forest hippie-types that want to protect her, the story is centered around Demetriou’s solid performance as a hero and symbol. It’s more that the feminism that the story is excited by is not airtight—men still have to protect her even when her skills are obvious, she still needs men to tell her what to do with her destiny, and she even has a “always a bridesmaid” moment with a pointless love interest later introduced. The story does not give Helle enough charisma, aside from asserting her skill with a sword, or her compassion for people 

This is a movie of various different efforts, with some actors who believe in it and others who clearly don't. Far on the “so over it” scale is Terence Stamp as Odin, who appears with a bored face and a blue vest every now and then to espouse different ideas, but also to move the plot along. But on the other end, there’s his counterpart, Loki (Murray McArthur), who appears to relish the movie as if he were auditioning for a cosplay role, sneering his lines as a type of wicked angel on the shoulder of various vikings. He offers the type of campiness that might sell this movie to those who just need swords and spurting blood to be wooed. 

"Viking Destiny" simply wants that viking aesthetic, so it shoehorns glimpses of brutality using Prince Bard, as in a sex scene that takes a sharp turn into disturbing murder, or a few gratuitous shots of blood spurting out during the third act battle. But it feels to be of a different tone than the world Helle is living in, her story focused on finding a type of peace and purpose, especially when everything collides in the end for a battle featuring every living member in the cast. Overall, the story lacks a proper griminess, in part because much of it is shot in pure daylight and the costuming lacks a grungy look.  

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