Viking Wolf – Netflix Review (3/5)

VIKING WOLF on Netflix is a new werewolf horror movie from Norway (org. title: Vikingulven). Despite a title that sounds like something from the 80s or 90s, the story is very contemporary. In some ways, it’s even a new take on the subgenre. Read our full Viking Wolf movie review here!

VIKING WOLF is a new Netflix werewolf horror movie from Norway (org. title: Vikingulven). This time, the story – as revealed by the title – finds its werewolf origin a thousand years ago. This is where the movie begins; Vikings out plundering find a wolf-like creature and bring it back to Scandinavia, where the curse has stayed ever since.

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Be sure to also check out the Netflix movie Troll which came out in 2022 >

There are elements that feel like a very respectful homage to the classic An American Werewolf in London in terms of practical effects. However, you should also prepare for CGI which works well in some scenes and not so great in others.

Continue reading Viking Wolf movie review below. Find the film on Netflix from February 3, 2023.

As bloody as you’d expect

As with any werewolf movie, it does get pretty damn bloody. And fast. The 17-year-old girl Thale just moved from the Norwegian capital, Oslo, to the small town of Nybo. They made the move when Thale’s father passed away and her mother (along with a kind new husband and her younger sister) got a new job with the local police.

Shortly after arriving, Thale attends a party in the forest near a lake. During the party, a female student is brutally killed. Thale watches as the girl is pulled into the woods by something she can’t quite identify. An animal of some sort, maybe a wolf?! And yes, Thale also came into contact with the wolf as she tried to help the girl.

All of this sounds like a classic werewolf movie, and in many ways it really is. The title, which sounds like a B movie from the 80s or 90s, doesn’t really match the actual story. This isn’t kitsch or campy, but a more serious and sinister approach instead.

Werewolf via both practical effects and CGI

What worked the best for me, when it comes to the actual werewolf business, is the use of practical effects. Of course, this is due to the An American Werewolf in London feel that Viking Wolf pays tribute to. However, don’t expect any of the charm or quirks of that movie. And yes, CGI is also used, but not nearly as much as I initially feared.

The whole Viking approach is also quite curious as it makes perfect sense when the story plays out in Norway. The actual Viking part of the story is only used in the opening scene, to set the stage, but anything else could also have ruined the present-day story.

One thing, I was not a fan of, is the way people act and react to the events around them. Even hunters out hunting suddenly become incapable of reacting, and this just irritates me. As does the dumb high school-age bullies that seem virtually indifferent to a classmate having been murdered. They’re busy bullying Thale in a way that feels way too forced!

The Viking Wolf ending

Yes, I do have to mention the ending of Viking Wolf on Netflix since I suspect many will dislike it. For a moment, I thought the movie would end in a very bold way. And it does, in a different way, but one I suspect many will hate.

In a somewhat classic horror subgenre movie, people expect a certain development and ending.

I’m not saying I didn’t like the Viking Wolf ending, but I am absolutely certain that many will not be a fan of it. Anytime answers aren’t very definite, people get irritated and I can accept that. But not wrapping everything up nicely also makes room for a second movie, so maybe Viking Wolf 2 is in the works?!

Watch Viking Wolf on Netflix now!

The director of the Norwegian werewolf movie Viking Wolf (Vikingulven) is Stig Svendsen. He previously directed the US horror movie Elevator (2012). He also co-wrote the screenplay with Espen Aukan, who wrote the screenplay for Troll (2022).

The cast has quite a few popular Scandinavian actors attached. Including the always-strong Swedish actor Liv Mjönes (Midsommar, Kyss Mig), Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne (Furia), Vidar Magnussen (Post Mortem), Kasper Antonsen (Netflix series Ragnarok), and Arthur Hakalahti (Skam).

If you enjoy werewolf movies, then you should definitely check out this one. It’s not my favorite werewolf movie, but I did enjoy it more than I expected. It does feel a tad too long and I could’ve done without the stereotypical stupid characters that ruin the darker vibe of the story. Other than that, it’s a pretty solid horror movie for a Friday night at home!

Viking Wolf is on Netflix from February 3, 2023.

Details

Director: Stig Svendsen
Writers: Espen Aukan, Stig Svendsen
Cast: Liv Mjönes, Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne, Arthur Hakalahti, Sjur Vatne Brean, Marius Lien