by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

You could say Alexander Skarsgård has gone to ‘rack and rune’ in THE NORTHMAN, but puns aside, this is the Viking epic Robert Eggers hinted at during production. Skarsgård literally breaks himself for this role, changes his body posture even, and just destroys his civilized inner self. Also starring Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe, this movie rips through the screen and delivers 100% of the glorification and gore-ification you can handle. Contrast this to the very elegant and stylish LA red carpet premiere last night at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, and the entire cast cleans off the blood and shines up well.

More premiere photos follow below, but first, back to our storyline.

Photo: Peter Kujawski, Chairman of Focus Features, Sam Hanson, Executive Producer, Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Oscar Novak, Robert Eggers, Director/Co-Writer/Producer, Willem Dafoe, Anya Taylor-Joy, Lars Knudsen, Producer, Jason Cassidy, Vice Chairman of Focus Features, Kiska Higgs, President of Production & Acquisitions at Focus Features, Gustav Lindh - Focus Features

Kidman plays the seemingly hostaged mother of young Prince Amleth (who later becomes Alexander Skarsgård). The boy King-in-the-making witnesses his father (Ethan Hawke) as he gets murdered. Heimir the Fool - in a role Willem Dafoe's bone structure was destined to play - foretells, in the quote that launched a thousand Viking ships, "Your fate is sealed and you cannot escape it!"

Willem Dafoe - knocks it out of the park, along with the rest of the cast - Focus Features, LA Premiere

And it’s off to the blood-and-guts races in a revenge tale that at first hot-take may look like a set of Game of Thrones, but turns into a very different nuanced bloodbath with a storyline that is surprisingly sophisticated for this kind of carnage.

Close one eye at the Northman trailer if you’re squeamish…

Filmmaker Robert Eggers (THE WITCH) certainly has a knack for the macabre, as there are moments in THE NORTHMAN that include a stunningly frightening gorgeous Björk moment that will leave a haunted mark.

Photo: Alexander Skarsgard, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Eggers, Director/Co-Writer/Producer

For Kidman fans in Kidmania, here is yet another noteworthy performance at what appears to be the height of her skills and career at the moment. Complemented by an equally curious and talented Anya Taylor-Joy, the movie is just the escape to primitive Iceland that one could hope for as Summer Blockbuster season comes.

Photo: Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman, Robert Eggers, Director/Co-Writer/Producer, Willem Dafoe, Anya Taylor-Joy - Focus Features, LA Premiere - The Northman

THE NORTHMAN from Focus Features is likely to become the escapist runaway hit foretold by the singular storytelling gift of Robert Eggers. Consider this review a gush for the blood-soaked saga. It's all that you've heard, and likely will garner a few nominations for the next Award Season.

Visit the movie here, or better yet in theaters near you now.

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