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Hammer of the Gods (2013 film)

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Hammer of the Gods
Theatrical poster
Directed byFarren Blackburn
Written byMatthew Read
Produced byRupert Preston
Huberta Von Liel
StarringCharlie Bewley
Clive Standen
James Cosmo
CinematographyStephan Pehrsson
Edited bySam Williams
Music byBenjamin Wallfisch
Production
company
Distributed byMagnet Releasing
Release date
  • 5 July 2013 (2013-07-05)
[1]
Running time
103 min
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$641[2]

Hammer of the Gods is a 2013 British action film directed by Farren Blackburn and released on 5 July 2013. In it, a dying Viking king sends his son on a quest to seek out his older brother, the clan's only hope for defeating an approaching enemy horde.

Plot

Britain 871 AD. Young Viking prince Steinar leads a complement of 500 reserve warriors to England, following a Saxon uprising that is crushing the occupying forces led by his father, King Bagsecg. Arriving at his father's camp, Steiner attends a family meeting with his father, his older brother Harold, and his younger half brother Vali, who is disliked by everyone but Steinar for being half Saxon. Absent is Steinar and Harold's older brother Hakan, who has not been seen for over a decade due to a bitter falling out between him and their father, the cause unknown to Steinar.

Bagsecg, who is bed ridden and dying, dreads of leaving the throne to Harold (now next in line due to Hakan's absence) whose insistence that diplomacy being their best option would instead put their clan under English tyranny. He orders Steinar to kill Vali for cowardliness, to test his strength as a leader.

He refuses and warns Harold off who attempts it himself to gain favour with their father. Furious, Bagsecg dismisses Harold and Vali and charges Steinar with a near impossible task. Despite still harbouring contempt for his eldest son, Bagsecg orders Steinar to venture deep in to the hostile English lands to find and bring Hakan back, to assume the throne.

Steinar departs with his most closest comrades: his close friend Hagen, a Berserker named Grim, and Jokul; a superstitious believer in omens. Later they are joined by Vali who warns he has witnessed Harold secretly meeting with the Saxon King. Despite the urgency to return, Steinar pushes forward.

They approach Ivar the Boneless, a Viking recluse and paedophile who lives with a slave girl named Agnes and a mute catamite. He agrees to lead them to where he believes Hakan to be and departs with Agnes while abandoning his catamite.

The group however are pursued by hooded men who slay Grim and later capture them. Revealed to be soldiers of the Christian faith, their captain confirms that Harold has been secretly negotiating a surrender, on condition he remains in power over his people. But the captain proposes to Steinar that he would be best suited to rule his clan, if he agrees to submit to Christianity. Steinar refuses; knowing the stranglehold it would have on his people. Vali however switches sides to save his own neck and is taken to a nearby church, while Ivar is castrated for his perversions and foul talk.

After Agnes (who had evaded capture) frees Steinar, he then frees Hagen and Jokul. Ivar dies from blood loss but tells Steinar where he may find Hakan. They rescue Vali, but Hagen and Jokul demand he be killed for his cowardliness and treachery, forcing Steinar to kill Hagen instead to protect his brother.

Now down to four, they head in to an eerie forest and are captured again; this time by a tribe who dwell deep within a nearby cave. Taken there, Jokul is killed and served as the tribe's banquet, Vali again switches sides, while Agnes is claimed by the tribal chief, Steinar's older brother Hakan, who the tribe worship as a god. A delusion he himself believes.

During the tribal festivities, Steinar encounters his mother Astrid; whom he believed dead, and who is also deluded by Hakan's megalomania. Further shocking revelations are made as Steinar learns finally the truth behind Hakan's exile. To his disgust his mother and brother openly share a passionate kiss, revealing their incestuous relationship.

After Hakan kills Vali to further his dominance over the tribe, he and Steinar are lowered in to a dark pit to fight to the death, but despite Astrid secretly handing Hakan a knife to win, Steinar emerges the victor. The tribe bow in submission while Astrid, in an attempt to kill Steinar, is thrown in to the pit by him.

Steinar later returns to Bagsecg's camp with Agnes, and presents Hakan's head to his father. Harold argues he was supposed to bring Hakan back alive. But Bagsecg responds “He was sent to find a king” seeing that Steinar is now ready to lead their people.

Steinar then kills Harold for his treachery; much to Bagsecg's applause. Later with Agnes by his side he musters his army to confront the approaching Saxon forces.

Cast

Release

Reception

The film's reception was negative, with a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. "It's hardly high art, but for a cheapjack homegrown action flick this is surprisingly solid." Another review stated "A nasty, brutal and relatively short entertainment, aimed at middle-of-the-woad Conanists." All in all, it was a box-office flop.

References

  1. ^ "Hammer of the Gods Trailer, News, Videos, and Reviews". ComingSoon.net. 2013-07-05. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  2. ^ "Hammer of the Gods (2013)". Box Office Mojo. 2013-07-18. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
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