The Lost Viking (2018)

Directed by: Emmet Cummins | 103 minutes | action, adventure | Actors: Dean Ridge, Ross O’Hennessy, Kezia Burrows, James Groom, Ioan Hefin, Chris Hampson, Ian Virgo, Michelle McTernan, Elin Hayes, Katra Knight, Ean Skinner, Chris Barnicoat, Phillip Jones, Wolfie Hughes, Stuart McNeil, Lee Partridge, Les Kenny-Green

Movies and series about Vikings have proved extremely popular in recent years. In addition to TV hits like “Vikings” and “The Last Kingdom”, horror director Robert Eggers has also had his eye on the subgenre. In 2022, Eggers will release his highly anticipated film ‘The Northman’, starring Alexander Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy and Willem Dafoe. In the same trend, there are also other filmmakers who are only too happy to take a piece of the cake. Sometimes that works out well, and sometimes it doesn’t. ‘The Lost Viking’ by director Emmet Cummins belongs to the second category.

The film follows the struggles of a young Viking named Vitharr (Dean Ridge). When his family is massacred by a rival clan, Vitharr must survive in the wilds of Britain. He hopes to find shelter with his uncle, a notorious Viking king. However, his quest brings with it all kinds of dangers. While Vitharr is hunted by the men who killed his family, he also falls into the hands of slave drivers. If that ends well…

‘The Lost Viking’ is an empty, clichéd movie that fans of Viking movies won’t like to watch. The film feels and looks cheap, the script is half-baked and the acting is reminiscent of that of a local theater company. Protagonist Dean Ridge has only one face, and that is the face of someone who is completely lost. His performance as a ‘tough’ leading man is unbelievable and his attempts to communicate emotion kill all. A pack of rice cakes is even more appealing.

While fans of Viking movies won’t be happy with this print (the movie offers uninspired and poorly filmed action), ‘The Lost Viking’ is also a slap in the face for history buffs. Although the Viking Age falls in the early Middle Ages, there are also Romans in this film. Obviously these are the bad guys, and of course the exact logic behind this is never explained. Could these be time-traveling Romans? In any case, it would have made the movie a lot more fun. Now ‘The Lost Viking’ is mostly colorless and dull. Everything a movie shouldn’t be.