Aaron Bott

Alas, it's all style with no regard for the plot. How many times can audiences be expected to be excited by the fatigued revenge plot? (The protagonist suffers violence; an enraged protagonist executes unending violence in retaliation.) Revenge narratives are a lazy excuse to show lots of violence and gore, but they are not very interesting — nor are they very authentic to the human experience. And simply swapping male-female roles doesn't bring innovation or interest to the tired old trope. Opinions on Snyder's retelling of Norse Mythology appear to be divided. Like many others, I lean towards the traditional appreciation of Norse and Teutonic mythology and legend — I find the Eddas and other 'original' sources more captivating than contemporary revisions. However, I acknowledge that humans are natural storytellers and that retelling popular stories is a common practice. Therefore, I'm not bothered by the liberties Snyder and his team took. Nonetheless, I would love to hear a story about Vikings that portrays them and their culture as more than just as bloodthirsty and sadomasochistic. Regardless of opinion, I appreciate the actors and artistic teams that worked on this project. Many of them are very talented, and I enjoyed much of the art style. However, I reiterate that the plot was sorely wanting.