REVIEW #154 Vikings Valhalla (Season 1)

Vikings Valhalla is the much anticipated Netflix sequel series to the popular Vikings show. Set 100 years after the events of Vikings, we follow a new generation of Vikings as they try to cement their own path across Europe. 

CAST & THE ACTING 

The cast itself is relatively unknown, there are a couple of familiar faces but I wouldn’t expect casual TV and film fans to recognise them. However despite that, the acting is actually pretty good with a wide variety of passionate performances that create an exciting atmosphere that the audience can really enjoy. For me the standout was Frida Gustavsson who played Freydis Eriksdotter. It was an impressive performance, delivering on the emotional, dramatic side and also on the combat choreography too. Without wanting to compare the series too much I’d imagine she is going to be the Lagertha type of character for this series and she’s seems like a good choice. The two central, male protagonists are played by Sam Corlett (Leif Eriksson) and Leo Suter (Harald Sigurdsson) and they both perform well. Suter seems to have the dominant personality and the ability to carry the series with his charm and humour, something you notice from the first episode. Corlett’s performance however grows as the series goes on but he does brilliantly well in the combat sequences. There a few average performances but as a whole the cast is promising and has the potential to really grow into their characters as more seasons are released. 

THE STORYLINE 

Set 100 years after the events of Vikings, we see a whole new generation of Vikings with many of them now adopting the Christian faith too. The main link to the original series is through the character Harald Sigurdsson, who is the great great grandson of King Harald Finehair. It’s a really interesting period to set the series because the Vikings have really merged with Saxon life, both in residence and in faith. Events happen which throw a spanner in that merge and that’s what sets the course for the entire series. The main issue is definitely the pacing, it takes a while to really hit its stride but when it does there is a lot to like about the plot and it’s characters. They certainly had a tough job because Vikings had some of the best characters from any TV show in my opinion, so it was always going to be hard to create new ones that could live up to them. The trio dynamic forming between siblings Leif and Freydis and then Harald Sigurdsson as the third, is a really likeable one and is certainly the centre piece of the show. I do think they need something more unique for season 2 because the first failed to do anything different from the original series so if that continues it could get stale really quickly. Granted there were some nice action sequences and some newer topics introduced that cause confrontation between clans but season 2 needs to be bigger. 

CINEMATOGRAPHY & SPECIAL EFFECTS 

Vikings: Valhalla was actually quite ambitious with their cinematography, they went big early on and had a huge sea storm scene that actually didn’t look too bad at all. The blue tones and colour palette utilised in those scenes created some nice visuals and although it wasn’t the best bit of CGI that I’ve ever seen, for a debut season I had to respect it. One of the most important elements of any Vikings series is filming the combat sequences in a way that they look organic and exciting at the same time. It’s an integral part of the DNA for these type of shows and I believe they have achieved it here. I do think the overall aesthetic could have been a little grittier, a bit darker perhaps. The scenes set during the day just looked a bit basic and I think that if they just played with the colouring a little it could have looked a lot more cinematic. Perhaps that’s a little harsh for a pilot season of a new show but I think that could have set the bar high and made a serious impression on the audience. However, all things considered they did well in this category for sure.

OVERALL (7.8/10)

A really promising debut season for Vikings: Valhalla and although it’s far from perfect it has left me with a lot of excitement for season 2. It was always going to be hard to follow such a beloved show like Vikings but it is certainly a valiant effort and there are at least two or three characters that given the writing continues on an upward trajectory, the audience can really fall in love with. Granted as it stands they can’t really compete with the likes of Ragnar, Lagertha, Floki, Bjorn Ironsides and Rolo but I will still keep and open mind moving forward. The acting is good and although the pacing is a little slow the plot has set really strong foundations for future seasons. The cinematography and special effects were ambitious from the start which I liked, it set a good precedent for the rest of season one. It’s on Netflix now so be sure to give it a go!

Thanks for reading.

Callan