Valhalla Rising
User Score
5.7 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 62 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 62
  3. Negative: 20 out of 62

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  1. TomB.
    Jul 24, 2010
    0
    Pathetically slow, formless film that includes little dialogue, and dull, hazy imagery to look at. The action sequences, when there is action, does capture the brutality of a Viking Warrior, but that is about it. No plot, no interest, no see. I am a very patient movie fan, but this slothlike speed is just too slow for me to even consider watching for its 92 minute runtime. I applaud anyone who can make it passed 30 minutes. If you love slow, drawn-out, boring, monotonous viking movies (if I had ever heard of one) than this deserves your viewing and the extremely overrated score as well.… Collapse
  2. GreggH
    Jul 24, 2010
    1
    Far too slow and boring to catch any interest what so ever.
  3. Moviepwnerer
    Feb 27, 2011
    1
    This movie made me want to cry, and not in a good way. Agonizingly slow, you get the feeling that the director wants you to suffer as a viewer and not in the vicarious way. No, you actually sit there and suffer, because the human need to foster the flame of hope wants you to believe that the movie will actually improve, but it never does. The filming however, is expertly done. The End.
  4. BloodBuzz
    Jan 24, 2011
    0
    This is an exceptionally terrible film. Artsy without being artful, devoid of any plot or character development, "Rising" ultimately manages to be an overwhelmingly pretentious waste of otherwise good actors' time. The film fails to produce any thoughtful musings on religion, mankind, and nationhood. Watch Planet Earth if you have a jones for beautiful nature cinematography, because this film offers nothing else.… Expand
  5. FDT44
    Jan 5, 2011
    2
    About as dormant, dreary, drowsy, dallying, dim, and dead a Viking portrayal could be depicted. Dreadfully poor lighting amidst complete and utter darkness. If you haven't caught on by now, than your sloooooow of mind is the perfect complement to this disaster. Exaggerated "D's" only fitting for a "D" movie. Enjoy!
  6. thecount222
    Dec 22, 2010
    2
    Ok, I like high concept movies that lack a traditional ending and are hard to predict. That being said I was infuriatingly frustrated by the pace of this movie. The cinematography was amazing the characters were well acted. If you took the One-Eye character and put him in a different movie I'd watch it and the sequel. There were brief action sequences with a ton of dramatic music followed by characters staring at each other and then staring at the scenery for what felt like a half hour at a time, it felt like tension was being built for no reason. I wanted desperately to like this movie and even more desperately for something, anything to happen during the endless back and forth cut aways between characters. 2/10… Expand
  7. cabrita
    Mar 28, 2012
    4
    It's one of those films that you feel cheated by when the credits roll. The time invested does not seem worth it even though there were some good elements in the film. Visually it is striking and full of depth. Thematically it is dull. Because the film demands itself to be interpreted because of nearly every word of it's dialogue being thematic the film should be expected to be deep and full of depth. However it is not. The film try's to make you like it by being confused by it but when you break it down there is not much to it unlike Hezog's aguirre which is quite similar to this film in story themes and visuals in a way.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
61 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 15
  3. Negative: 2 out of 15
  1. Empire
    Reviewed by: Kim Newman
    80
    Valhalla Rising gets into your mind and stays there. You can argue what, if anything, it's trying to say, but it is impressive cinema.
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  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    83
    When it comes to crazy, violent, semidelirious, testosterone-laden, proto-Viking tales about a mute visionary one-eyed warrior who breaks skulls, Valhalla Rising is pretty great.
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  3. New York Observer
    Reviewed by: Rex Reed
    25
    Valhalla Rising is nothing more than an updated version of the kind of time-honored Hollywood Viking movie Kirk Douglas used to do in his sleep, which means lots of inhuman, bone-crunching violence and no plot.
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