A Viking Saga: The Darkest Day

I gave it a higher rating then it deserves but this is to offset the lower ratings for which it does not deserve. A tale of vikings raiding saxon territory, and the viking leader seeking a book which is supposed to be a holy relic of Christ as he feels it has power which he can use for his own advantage. The story follows the young monk who is the only survivor of a monastery where the book was kept, and his flight from the vikings. He is aided by a British warrior nobleman, and later on another (I leave unnoted so as to not spoil).

There are a few moments where it plods a touch, but overall I thought it well done. It is brutal in parts, but back in 733AD (when this takes place - part of the dark ages) it was brutal times. I thought the acting was good, the cinematography very good and it had gripping moments. Most of what happens is I think fairly predictable, but how many movies are not? There are always flaws in movies, but I think the ones in the movie can be overlooked plot wise. I have watched a thousand movies rated 5-6 that were not as good as this one at it current 3.5 rating, so I have no idea what the panning is about.

Just be advised, this is not a movie for children. There are brutal scenes of violence (and more) in the movie - entirely keeping within the character of the times and setting but stark just the same.

The published plot line indicates this movie is based upon a true story, or at least some sort of folklore. I have no idea of the accuracy or merit of that contention, and it seems to me it really does not matter.

Based on a noted event, the Anglo-Saxon Abbey on Lindisfarne Is. off the coast of Northumbria, England is attacked and ransacked by Scandinavian marauders. It reflects the Norse transition from the Vendel era to the Viking era. The case cover depicts a horned helmeted, leather strapped, bulked up warrior -- none of that is actually true.

The cinematography is really quite good, the period dress and appearances quite accurate, and the absence of any real bling for modern viewers is understandable in a film where realism is intended. Real Vikings, after long ocean voyages, were quite filthy with mostly poor diets and just not always the clean blondes people have been raised to expect.

A point that another mentioned is doubt the Vikings wore chain-mail as depicted but actually they did, even before the Viking era, and it's always been a point of contention between historians as to how that came to be. Possibilities including contact with remote people like the Romans or Sarmatians who were already wearing it.

The film is more of a human interest story as we follow the few actors almost like a documentary. I don't recall hardly any special effects and the military action people might expect from the cover is limited.

Before you view or purchase perhaps have a look at some of the trailers on YouTube. As a history nut I really enjoyed it

After seeing this movie on DVD tonight i am amazed that its IMDb rating is so low. I was absolutely impressed by it. The acting is great, the historic setting and scenery is convincing and beautifully shot and the movie has an interesting story line, going much further and deeper than the raw violence that is suggested by the poster. Yes there is violence in it, because it is a realistic movie, but it is not dominating. The main characters are developed in an interesting way and the viewer is drawn into the movie because he can identify with them. The music is also very nice and fits well to create an atmosphere that makes the 8th century England come alive

My son won a free movie at Red box by buying a big mac sandwich at the local burger joint and so he chose this movie title A Viking Saga: The darkest day. I guess we thought it would be entertaining and have some merit but little did we know. We picked out another boring and worthless movie that came to us free but alas I will have to pay for the gas for my car to return it. Nothing said nothing gained. If you do get the opportunity to choose a movie free I suggest you pick out something different than this one. My son is usually a good critic and he said only one word summed up the name for this movie.. BORING VIKINGS nothing worse ... If only I had the opportunity to read this critique I would not have wasted my time driving to and from the Red box.

For a film that had all the potential to be high paced and explore a wonderful bit of history, this sure fell flat on multiple fronts. The script was trite and slow, with many scenes of just trekking through woods or sitting on hillsides, repeating themes and plot points over and over again. This slowed the pace down to a point where I actually started to fall asleep in places. I understand low budget film making, but it really just felt like some friends got together and shot something quick over a few weekends. The fight choreography was painfully bad- that actors just looked really awkward and unsure... not sure if it was a result of lack of rehearsal time or poor instruction. In short, what could have been a delightful tale, turned out to be quite slow and anti-climactic. Oh and for the love of Odin, VIKING HELMETS NEVER HAD HORNS!!!