Old Fashioned Action: The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die

Netflix is ​​a fan of historical dramas. That’s good, because I am too! This time we’re looking at The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, and because The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is quite a mouthful to have to repeat over and over, I’ll refer to the movie as Seven Kings in the sequel.

In this article I answer the question that every Netflix viewer asks himself when scrolling through the offer: is it what? Before we come to a final judgment, the following aspects are discussed separately: jet plot, characters and acting, production and the action.

The plot

King Edward is dead and leaves behind more than one son with ambitions. Oh yes, and vikings are invading. The plot of Seven Kings will not take long to think about. There is little set up. The good guys are good and the bad guys are bad. Christians pride themselves on their morals and values ​​and pagans dance nightly in drunken ecstasy in front of large fires.

The film also lacks a bit of a common thread and comes across more as a loose succession of set pieces. This problem stems from the problems with the protagonist, who is more a plaything of the universe than a man with a plan of his own. Since Uthred was the main character in the series, I can only conclude that this should have been the case in the film, but that seems doubtful in practice. Perhaps as a protagonist we should have followed a more active character, because there are those.

The advantage is, you don’t have to have seen the series to appreciate the film. Despite many references to previous material in the series, anyone who hasn’t seen an episode will rarely scratch their heads while watching the film.

In the last scenes of the film, the makers show that when it comes to a satisfying ending, it’s still better to have guts. I’m not going to tell you exactly what I mean by that. Suffice it to say that in my opinion this movie has a powerful ending, especially for Uthred and Aethelstan.

Characters and acting

Apart from a single flat statement by a peripheral character, the acting can at least be called solid. The film clearly benefits from the previous series in this respect. It can be read from every gesture that the returning actors (and therefore the characters) know each other well. It gives the film a factor that many productions today lack: namely the feeling that you are watching a world where real people live.

However, this fact does not always work in favor of the new viewer. Little time is spent introducing new characters, so the film may leave new viewers a bit out in the cold.

Of the main characters, Uthred is again the weakest link. Flat acting is de rigueur these days for anything that doesn’t openly aim for comedy. I assume this serves to create a more realistic atmosphere. Now not every emotion has to splash off the screen with the melodrama of a theater production, but Uthred in particular often shoots in the wrong direction. As a result, I can hardly empathize with him at least. Emotion evokes emotion, and the opposite is equally true. Aethelstan (played by Harry Gilby), eldest son of the old king, excels at captivating acting.

One final note: I don’t know if Uthred’s accent is based on solid linguistic research, but it is annoying.

production

In this category, Seven Kings scores the most points in my opinion. It is clear that special effects of the highest order have not been paid for, but that is to be expected given the status of the series on the platform. CGI is used sparingly and, above all, effectively. It is noticeable that some shots are mainly digital, but good lighting ensures that they do not stand out as clearly fake. The physical sets and costumes (historical accuracy aside for a moment) are of high quality. Together with the natural acting, it makes the setting of the film extremely believable.

The action

But of course a historical drama is not complete without a fight. Fortunately, Sevens Kings generously provides for that. Whether you can appreciate it depends mainly on what you are looking for. For the historians among us, there is plenty to fall over. Warriors that perform maneuvers as if they were pokémon moves (Shieldwall, boar wedge), armies that run at each other like a loose mess after one volley of arrows, and not one protagonist wearing a helmet! And you don’t need to have read any history books to be annoyed by the shaky cam and digital blood effects.

Still, in terms of the action, there is certainly something to praise. More thought has gone into the choreography than in most films. For example, Uthred repeatedly shows techniques that actually come from historical martial art. The film also uses action to compensate where the acting often falls short: in creating drama. Especially during the cataclysmic final battle (a must-have for this kind of movie).

To watch or not?

In the worst case you can say that it is great entertainment for just under 2 hours. If you are a little less critical, there is much to enjoy. Solid and sincere acting, fantastic sets and atmosphere plus a lot of action. The first hour meanders a bit, but in the end it all comes to a satisfying conclusion, both for new viewers and fans of the series.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die has been streaming on Netflix since April 14.