Show of hands… When you first saw the film, who absolutely thought RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK was the greatest thing on Earth? Me too. Let’s try this again. Show of hands… When you first saw the film, who thought there was nothing more awesome than JURASSIC PARK? Wow. Me too! Well, I’m not about to tell you this film equals either of those modern masterpieces, but what I will tell you is that RAGNAROK is a film that succeeds, in part, because it incorporates the massive influence both of the previously mentioned films have had on modern cinema in a subtle, yet effective way that evokes those memories while maintaining its own vision.
Written by John Kare Raake and directed by Mikkel Braenne Sandemose, RAGNAROK is the story of an archaeologist named Sigurd with family problems who stumbles onto something extraordinary while seeking answers to ancient questions through relics. Sigurd, played by Pal Sverre Hagen, is so committed to his outside the box, often controversial theories, that its costs him his family and possibly his job, but his drive leads him, his two colleagues and two children, on an adventure like nothing they’ve ever dreamed possible.
In Norse mythology, “Ragnarok” roughly means “end of the world,” but this can be somewhat misleading, as this is not a natural disaster movie on steroids, like ARMAGEDDON or THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. Surprisingly, RAGNAROK is far more low-key and intimate, which is actually a compliment. The film maintains a relatively small cast of characters and is set primarily in a remote mountainous forest, fenced off from the general population and containing a very deep lake that Sigurd determines is historically referred to as “the eye of Odin.” Finding this mysterious lake is key to his unraveling the mystery of a rune stone he found that he believe is actually a map to an important viking discovery.
Sigurd is so focused on his goal, that he loses sight of what’s most important to him. His kids. In a self-serving effort to reconnect with them, he opts to turn his expedition into their family summer vacation. His son jumps at the opportunity, but his older daughter is nothing short of pissed off that they aren’t going on a real vacation. What they find instead will open their eyes and their imaginations, and may even rekindle a new family spirit in the process. So, here’s the thing. RAGNAROK is, with all honesty, more of a family film than anything else. Once again, this is a compliment. While the film is not overly graphic or violent, there’s no nudity and little to no profanity (we’re assuming they aren’t omitting anything in the subtitles), RAGNORAK is still an engaging story that is appropriate for kids and adults without being nauseatingly lame and sappy, like so many family-friendly options.
Get the idea out of your head. This is a foreign film with a modest budget. You will not be inundated with Michael Bay scale special effects or massive action sequences. Believe it or not, there is an actual story that develops and characters to relate to during the first two acts of the film. With that said, we are not introduced to the “creature” until the final act of the film. Trust me, we are rewarded with more than enough exposure to the creature in the final third of the film, and the filmmakers have pulled off the CGI with commendable success. Once again, consider the modest budget and accept that while it’s not Hollywood level stuff, it’s far better than Syfy Channel original films and we eat that SHARKNADO stuff up like its cognac-filled pot brownies laced with acid.
One of the coolest things about RAGNAROK is that it introduces kids of all ages to new elements of mythology outside of the usual norm, even if it’s not entirely historically accurate. To be fair, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON gets credit for being the first film in recent years to revitalize the Norse culture and viking legends in mainstream film, but to have a film of that culture make it to our shores is more appealing to me in many ways, and I loves the dragon training films. I know there will be a slew of genre buffs who trash the film for being too mild or catering to a less “pure” genre audience, but I say they need to get over themselves. I, too, am a genre buff, but I make a point not to limit myself and in return I reap the rewards of films like this. No, RAGNAROK is not perfect, but I praise the willingness to embark on such a journey.
RAGNAROK will be available through iTunes/Video On Demand and in select theaters beginning August 15, 2014.
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
