Vikings stand alongside samurai, spartans, ninjas, knights, and cowboys in the pantheon of historical figures woefully misunderstood by decades of bombastic fiction. Everyone enjoys watching a mighty warrior disembark his longship and split a man’s skull with an ax the size of a stop sign, but there’s more to Norse culture than raiding. Iron Gate Studio’sValheimfocuses on logistical elements of the Viking fantasy by dropping the player into a Norse limbo.Hammer of the Gods, on the other hand, doubles down on blood and gore.
Hammer of the Godscomes to the screen from director Farren Blackburn. Blackburn is better known for his TV projects than his features. He arguably peaked with his first outing, winning a BAFTA for directingThe Fadesin 2011. His 2016 psychological horror filmShut Inmade its money back, but critics tore it to pieces. On the small screen, he has his name on a few episodes ofMarvel’s Netflix shows, including the excellent “Nelson V. Murdock” episode ofDaredevil. He most recently directed four episodes ofThe Winter Kingfor MGM+.Hammer of the Godsdoesn’t appear to be a part of his career he’d like to revisit.
July 5th, 2013
Rotten Tomatoes Score
29% from 21 reviews
Hammer of the Godsfollows Steinar, the youngestson of Norse KingBagsecg. Bagsecg oversees an occupation in Britain, while Steinar leads a massive army to support his father. The king is bedridden, facing an imminent natural demise. His eldest son, Hakan, left Britain in a rage after an unexplained conflict with his father. Without Hakan, Bagsecg is obliged to hand his crown to Harold, his second oldest. Bagsecg fears the day Harold takes command, so he tasks Steinar with finding Hakan before he passes away. Steinar enlists his best friend Hagen, a gifted warrior named Grim, and a superstitious mystic named Jokul on his quest. Steinar’s youngest half-brother, Vali, catches up to Steinar to tell him Harold has been meeting with the enemy. Their journey quickly spirals out of control into amess of blood and violence.
Valheim
Hammer of the Gods
The Viking aesthetic dominates most of the game’s look and feel.
The Viking aesthetic dominates most of the film’s look and feel.
Players are advised to enjoy the game with friends.
The main character brings a cadre of varied allies with him.
The central quest involves constant combat and an endless army of enemies.
There’s practically no story.
There’s practically no story, though there was supposed to be one.
Valheimis a game about hunting and gathering the things a Viking warrior needs to survive and carry on with his battle.Hammer of the Godsis just about the conflict. One could watch the film and imagine the harvesting, foraging, and mining that went into every attack. It has more in common withConan the Barbarianthan Iron Gate Studio’s flagship project. Still, the everpresent fantasy version of Viking culture remains a pervasive pop-cultural concept for a reason. Anyone who wishesValheimwas a little less likeMinecraftand a little more likeGod of Warwill loveHammer of the Gods.
How doesHammer of the Godsend?
Steinar’s quest goes off the rails when he meets Ivar the Boneless,a historical Viking leader. Ivar leads Steinar and his men to Hakan after several diversions. Hakan leads a tribal cult that worships him as a deity. Steinar also discovers Hakan in an incestuous relationship with their mother, leading to his exile. Steinar fights Hakanin gladiatorial combatafter the elder brother kills Vali. Steinar wins, killing Hakan and his mom to take over the cult. He returns to Bagsecg with Hakan’s head, expecting punishment. The king applauds his son, confident he’s leaving his army in good hands. Steinar finishes the job by killing Harold, mustering his forces, and engaging the Saxons in combat.
Hammer of the Godsis a generic Viking action thriller with a few engaging set pieces and very few compelling characters. It’s an excuse to portray 103 minutes of Viking violence without the need for anything as complex as an emotional narrative. The family drama could have been meaningful. There’s a bitofGame of Thronesimplied in the premise, but it can’t find the writing or acting chops necessary to sell anything more watchable than aMortal Kombatmatch.Hammer of the Godsearned a hilarious $7,343 at the box office in its infinitesimal theatrical release. It was forgotten before it was released, butValheimfans might enjoy a brief, blood-soaked break from grinding for ore.
