It’s a great time to check out the film.
Our TV movie pick for tonight (Thursday, 12 December) is The Northman, one of the greatest action movies of the decade so far.
Co-written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Witch, the upcoming Nosferatu), the Viking film is based on Norse and Scandinavian legend and is set at the turn of the 10th century in Iceland.
Starring an absolutely ripped Alexander Skarsgård, he plays Amleth – who as a boy watched his king father (Ethan Hawke) be murdered by another family member (Claes Bang).
Narrowly escaping assassins, the young prince fled from home and grew up to become a vicious Viking warrior.
Following an encounter with a mysterious prophet (Bjork), the now-adult Amleth sets out to fulfil his oath to avenge his father – with the help of a female slave (Anya-Taylor Joy).
Released in 2022, The Northman’s stellar cast also includes Nicole Kidman and Willem Dafoe.
Holding an impressive 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, The Northman earned particular praise for its hard-hitting action set-pieces, its ferocious lead turn from Skarsgård, as well as the immersive and primal ways Eggers captured the tone of Norse mythology for the big screen.
And with the filmmaker’s new version of Nosferatu landing in cinemas next month, what better time to check out his previous film?
The Northman is airing on Film4 tonight at 9pm. It should also be available to stream on Channel 4’s website after it airs.
You can also check out JOE’s interview with Skarsgård and Taylor-Joy for the film right here:
Here are the other movies on TV tonight:
50 First Dates – Comedy Central – 9pm
A hit rom-com in which Adam Sandler falls in love with Drew Barrymore, who plays a woman who suffers from short-term memory loss.
The Expendables 2 – ITV4 – 9pm
Easily the best entry in the Sylvester Stallone-led action franchise.
Fahrenheit 451 – Sky Sci-Fi – 9pm
The 2018 version of Ray Bradbury’s classic dystopian story starring the two Michaels – B. Jordan and Shannon.
Papillon – Legend – 9pm
Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek headline this 2017 remake of the iconic ’70s prison drama of the same name.
Philomena – BBC Four – 9.40pm
Judi Dench and Steve Coogan star in this powerful drama based on the true story of Irish woman Philomena Lee’s 50-year search for her adopted son.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back – Sky Showcase – 10.15pm
Tom Cruise returns as Jack Reacher in this limp action sequel.
Assault on Precinct 13 – Legend Xtra – 11pm
Halloween and The Thing director John Carpenter’s breakthrough movie, Assault on Precinct 13 revolves around the inhabitants of a defunct police precinct who must defend themselves against a relentless criminal gang.
One of the tensest, tightest thrillers of all time.
Jaws 3 – ITV4 – 11.05pm
Dennis Quaid stars in this shark sequel that was released in 3D in theatres.
Unchained – Legend – 11.35pm
Also known as Bullet Head in some territories, this 2017 crime thriller stars Adrien Brody, Antonio Banderas and John Malkovich.
Angel Has Fallen – Film4 – 11.45pm
The third and last to date entry in Gerald Butler’s Has Fallen action franchise.
Read more:
- The JOE Film Club Quiz: Week 24
- The first two Godfather movies have just been re-added to streaming
- 28 Years Later first trailer seems to reveal dark fate for Cillian Murphy’s hero
- One of the best action thriller movies of the 21st century is now streaming
