MovieChat Forums > The Northman (2022) Discussion > As happy I am that this movie is coming,...

As happy I am that this movie is coming, I have to ask one question...

posted 2 years ago by whynotwriteme (7323)
9 replies | jump to latest

Why must almost every Sword & Sorcery Barbarian movie involve the hero's parents being killed and him seeking revenge? Ever since the first Conan movie, that's all that movie barbarians seem to do. In the books, they are usually looking for treasure or hunting a monster or something, but in the movies, it's always "You killed my Faddah!"

I think Barbarian movies would be much better off with amoral spaghetti western style heroes, just out seeking loot and wenches to dally with.

[–] CDWard (69) 2 years ago

The plot would not appear to be breaking ground, admittedly, but I'm still giving it a shot.

[–] Karl Aksel (1453) 2 years ago

There are only a limited amount of plots possible in fiction. For action movies there are these:

-Defeat a villain for revenge
-Defeat a villain for the greater good
-Defeat a villain to rescue someone
-Defeat a villain who is attacking you

I think that's about it. All of the above may be combined with each other.

[–] Darren (1171) 2 years ago

In this case they are basing the story on the same legend of Amleth that Shakespeare used as the basis for Hamlet. It's an actual story that comes down to us from the Viking age. Revenge tales like this are what they wrote down, and a lot of the sagas are about revenge. It made for exciting, dramatic storytelling.

[–] FootOfDavros (7157) 2 years ago

Yeah, it all looks a bit Lion King...

[–] Darren (1171) 2 years ago

You realize the story of Amleth predates the Lion King by something like a millennium, right?

[–] FootOfDavros (7157) 2 years ago

I had absolutely no idea... Can you tell me anything about the hero's journey as well?

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 2 years ago

lol you betrayed your ignorance first. Why act like you're making a joke now?

[–] FootOfDavros (7157) 2 years ago

LOL indeed.

Read my initial post and the one directly above it (i.e. posted before mine) then decide upon whom the ignorance lies...

Read and comprehend before typing. Thanks 👍

[–] spacecomedy (1992) 2 years ago

The desire for vengeance is such a primal thing. I think that's why so many films use that theme. Pretty much all of Tarantino's films are vengeance tales, too. Also, when a villain kills the protagonists' family, it gives the hero a sort of justification to commit all manner of violence.