Viking Legacy (2016) Directed by Tom Barker & Victor Mawer




As I often say; you shouldn't attempt to make big and historical movies if you don't have the proper budget for it but in this case the movie luckily seems to know its own limitations and it never attempts to be anything that it isn't.

Really, it's one of the most basic and straightforward genre movies you'll ever see, especially story-wise. A typical 'travel from point A to B' type of plot, in which something and/or someone has to be protected from a bunch of different villains, while occasionally running into some (small) action. It feels kind of weird how the movie isn't ever really putting its emphasis on the story or is trying to develop it and its characters into something truly interesting or original. It's as if the movie realized that it's story simply just wasn't its strong point. So what is its strong point? Well, nothing really, to be honest.

But the good news about the movie is that I personally never was bored with it. Perhaps it's true that it's simple too short to get bored by but it also definitely is true that there's always something happening on the screen. Since the characters are traveling the movie itself is constantly in motion as well and it never slows down for some distracting drama, stupid romance or silly side-plots, in its progress. And when it does it's simply too short and irrelevant to become much of a distraction really. I doubt all of this was done deliberately but it does help to make the movie a pretty pleasant one to watch, despite of all of its obvious limitations.

It's no big budget movie, so just don't expect any big, long and spectacular fight sequence, featuring tons of scruffy looking Vikings. There are some fight scenes but it's all some very basic and cheap looking stuff. There are also no big sets but I have to say that the movie still manages to do a pretty decent job creating a 'Viking world' and all of the props and costumes certainly look convincing.

The acting is questionable, the story basically non-existent (or at least not very relevant) and there's absolutely nothing spectacular or memorable about this movie but really, as far as these cheap genre movies go this one actually is not as terribly as you would might expect. It's just some simple, fast entertainment, that doesn't bores of ever becomes truly terrible to watch with any of its flaws or still obvious limitations. It's not a recommendable movie but it's certainly a watchable one, though most people are probably still going to have more fun making fun of it that actually genuinely enjoy anything that's happening on the screen.

5/10

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