Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America
User Score
4.6 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 3 out of 7

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  1. RichardS.
    Aug 3, 2009
    0
    This could have been dudes from my high school camping. The all time lamest movie. Only one Indian in it and we get to see someone take a shi*. What drama!
  2. JayH
    Jul 25, 2009
    6
    A simple film, the photography is mesmerizing at times, as well as irritating occasionally. Good performances, but not much acting is needed. It has a realistic feel to it and an effective score.
  3. jimp
    Aug 28, 2009
    2
    I'm not sure about the Norse Discovery of anything. In this film, two immature D&D players run around in the woods for two hours, killing chickens, fish, monks, and finally our patience. At one point, the director actually films someone defecating... and I'm not sure why. According to the jacket: In the 11th century, Vikings, Native Americans, and Irish monks collide on the shores of North America in a historical epic adventure of exploration, personal glory, and religious dominance. Epic adventure? This barely qualifies as a hero's journey, let alone an epic adventure. They wake up, walk 200 feet, say about 10 words, and repeat this 20 times ad nauseum. What's so epic about being lost in the woods? Abandoned by a Western exploration party and stranded in the New World, two lone Vikings struggle for survival while still in the grip of their Norse ways. eaturing an icy black metal soundtrack including Burzum, Morbid Angel, Judas Priest and Dimmu Borgir. Of course, in order to appreciate any of that music you have to NOT put it on x2 speed, so that the figures on the screen actually move at a normal pace … Collapse
  4. PhilM
    Aug 6, 2009
    0
    What the heck was this? A high school project for someone who wanted to be a Viking. I lasted ten minutes before fast forwarding chapters to see if this would improve later in this movie. Nope.
  5. morganslade
    Oct 15, 2010
    6
    Flawed but interesting. Had some issues with it, not quite as many as the rest of the people here it seems. While I too was not a huge fan of the real chicken killing or human defecation, I thought it was effective in evoking a feeling of being stranded long ago. I dont think the lo-fi camera or 70's editing was unintentional and I thought they served the story. the whole thing messed with genre and time period well and threw the viewer off in an interesting way. I even sort of dug the bad overdubbing (I dont think the actors were saying what actual voice recording was.) some of the camera work was nauseating, and I dont know if i could have watched it on the big screen. I give it big props for doing something new and interesting. I doubt anyone can say they have seen something like this. Was glad to not watch another indie flick with a quirky girl and a depressed guy or a sorta funny mobster and his spoiled daughter or something. Definitely polarizing, so be warned.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
51 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 6 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Variety
    Reviewed by: Peter Debruge
    50
    "Pathfinder" meets "Gerry" in Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America, a striking and virtually wordless story of two Vikings separated from their tribe and left to stumble through the North American wilderness.
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  2. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nicolas Rapold
    40
    The spectacle of two dudes mucking about in the primal forest becomes tedious.
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  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Manohla Dargis
    50
    Though there's no doubt that Mr. Stone is as serious as a heart attack when it comes to creating an air of authenticity -- hence the sloppily butchered chickens and authorial defecation -- he never settles on a coherent tone for the movie.
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