Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
disliked it.
It would be great if
Monty Python was purely the sum of its parts, since then each member could go out into the world on their own and make hysterically funny films that were just as clever as the ones they made together. Since it sadly isn't so, at least the post-Python films of
Terry Jones are interesting if a little short on the high comedy. Such is the case of Erik the Viking. While it's clear that a tremendous attempt is being made to blend accurate Norse myth with Python-esque jokes, the result is a bit of a muddled mess.
Tim Robbins in the title role tries to play everything at a lower-key, doing a sort of
Bob Hope loser turn while all around him is painted with broad brushstrokes. What's unfortunate is that there is a ton of funny material, but it's so disjointed it doesn't mesh together well. The plot is basically a quest to awaken the Norse gods so the Age of Ragnarok will end and the sun can return to the dismal northern world of the Vikings. But apparently, that's not all that important. What is important and only partially successful is how Jones tries to deliver laughs by delving into the deep traditions of Viking lore to create a Norse version of the platoons in the old WWII films. This includes: Sven the Berserk (Tim McInnerny), who hysterically goes berserk at the wrong time; Thorfinn Skullsplitter (Richard Ridings); Halfdan the Black (a very low-key bit part by
John Cleese); and Harald the Missionary (
Freddie Jones), who has perhaps the most consistently funny role as the lone Christian in this pagan group, and who doesn't perceive any of the dangers they encounter because he doesn't believe in them. Regrettably, these characters end up being amusing because they all fall back into the formulas that Python pioneered and then discarded 20 years ago. There's something inherently silly about all these rough and rugged characters going around speaking like Noel Coward. Even Jones, casting himself as King Arnulf, comes across as one of his old Flying Circus characters that the others properly left on the editing room floor. Robbins saves the film somewhat, because in the end, Erik is a likable character taking a symbolic journey into enlightenment. Too bad he had to put up with all this other stuff. ~ Dan Friedman, All Movie Guide