Valhalla Rising

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Valhalla Rising

2010

1h 40m

Action

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

60 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 11th-century Scandinavia, an enslaved man dubbed One Eye (Mads Mikkelsen) because of an old facial wound stages a violent uprising against those who imprisoned him. One Eye links up with Eirik (Ewan Stewart) and other Christian fanatics who aim to use their muscle to spread God's word. Headed for Jerusalem, One Eye and his shipmates must cope with crew infighting and attacks from the coastline. But the journey's challenges are only a harbinger of even greater brutality.

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Critics Consensus

Visually gripping and anchored by a magnetic Mads Mikkelsen, Valhalla Rising delves into violence and faith in brutally uncompromising fashion.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

08/10/2022

Refn tries to turn his protagonist into a Christ figure at the climax, which might have worked better if the rest of the film weren’t an endless slog of mud, blood, and graphic disembowelment.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

05/31/2011

B

Mikkelsen verifies that, even without saying a word, he's an unnervingly unhinged presence.

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Ty Burr

Boston Globe

07/29/2010

2.5/4

If only the pieces added up to an experience that sticks and that didn't finally succumb to a shrug of entropy.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

08/09/2023

2.5/4

Though gorgeously shot in Scotland to capture hazy and bleak landscapes of green mountains and dense forests, the film’s beauty hardly compensates for its inaccessible tone.

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Taylor Baker

Drink in the Movies

09/09/2021

78/100

Episode 27: Valhalla Rising / Bronson / Starred Up / True Detective S3

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Víctor López G.

Espinof

05/15/2021

9/10

A unique sample of that grand cinema that trascends its status a a story told in images to be considered a true experience.

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KarthiK P.

@madkarthi Jul 19

beautiful landscapes and stunning cinematography. It goes in a boring way for me. It lacks dialogues. It is mostly silent. I feel like it really needs more words. They tried to give something unique but something is missing. I still enjoyed it while watching on Bluray. Mads Mikkelsen is intense again. I like the color grade and that viking vibe. The start was amazing and the end was too.

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Allan H

@Allan118 Dec 17

aesthetic indulgence

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Egg H

@Eggberto Sep 24

This is a dark, psychological, depressing movie with its fair share of extreme violence but no real battle scenes. This movie is for adults only, as it's very slow and dark. There is nothing Hollywood about this film, and that's probably why I liked it so much. A mix of fantasy and horror with doses of stark reality showing the harshness, brutality and loneliness of an adventurous life during the Dark Ages. Definitely an "art house" type of movie. For a somewhat similar, but not depressing movie with more action and some humor, try "Sisu".

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Hairysteve20 T

@RT55137698 Sep 19

Odin takes a holiday in, I think, 12th Century Scotland. Possibly Caithness. Held by Norse slavers as a kind of gladiator, he wins bouts against other slaves until rescued by a band of Christian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Mute and blind in one eye he is accompanied by a small boy who speaks for him. They take to the sea with the pilgrims but are becalmed and blinded by fog until they finally drift onto the shores of North America. I would recommend watching the movie to find out what happens next. It's moody, bleak and violent without a clear explanation of what's happening or why. Enjoy the landscapes and the acting, don't expect a tidy resolution!

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Gareth v

@geewah Aug 11

A moody, art-house take on Viking lore—rewarding if you surrender to its atmosphere, frustrating if you’re looking for action or clarity.

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Katelyn O

@RT15634492 07/07/2025

Genuinely so boring and a hard watch. Gory, sure. But the story sucks and it's not easy to follow. Would not recommend unless you want to waste 90 minutes

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Nicolas Winding Refn

Director

Mads Mikkelsen

One-Eye

Gary Lewis

Kare

Jamie Sives

Gorm

Ewan Stewart

Eirik

Alexander Morton

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Synopsis

In 11th-century Scandinavia, an enslaved man dubbed One Eye (Mads Mikkelsen) because of an old facial wound stages a violent uprising against those who imprisoned him. One Eye links up with Eirik (Ewan Stewart) and other Christian fanatics who aim to use their muscle to spread God's word. Headed for Jerusalem, One Eye and his shipmates must cope with crew infighting and attacks from the coastline. But the journey's challenges are only a harbinger of even greater brutality.

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Producer: Johnny Andersen, Henrik Danstrup
Screenwriter: Roy Jacobsen, Nicolas Winding Refn
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: BBC Films
Genre: Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 23, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 28, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.5K
Runtime: 1h 40m