Mortal movie review

MOVIE TITLE: MORTAL Now available on Hulu

RATING: No rating was listed. I would probably rate it PG-13 for blood and some violence.

LENGTH: 1 hour, 44 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B-

IN A NUTSHELL:

This is a Norwegian film with English subtitles, although there is quite a bit of English spoken too. It’s kind of a dark origin story of a superhero, although the protagonist doesn’t actually save very many people. Marvel this is not. If you think that’s a good thing, you just might enjoy this movie.

It was written and directed by Andre Ovredal. I’ve never seen his other movies, so I didn’t know quite what to expect. If you like this movie, I’ve heard his other films are even better. They include TrollHunter , The Autopsy of Jane Doe , and The Tunnel (Tunnellen). Honestly, I thought it was cool that a Norwegian would create a modern-day version of a Norse god.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

You see a person with a lot of burned skin.
A person has a hard time controlling his emotions. Talk to your kids about that and offer some helpful tips.
Some people die.

THEMES:

“Maybe we’re not meant to understand everything.” – Sheriff
It’s healing to have someone believe in you.
Religion is an interesting aspect of the story. People wonder if Eric is a gift from God like Jesus. One of the characters notes that if he is, he wants to help and be on the “right side.”
Greek/Norse mythology is also a part of the story, as some people believe Eric is a descendant of Thor.
Fear
Power

THINGS I LIKED:

I liked the very beginning of the film because it was intriguing and I had no idea what was going on.
You get to see some beautiful Norwegian landscapes. It felt like I got to take a little trip to Norway.
That’s cool how they made Christine’s hair stand up in the jail scene.
Some special effects look really good. Others, not so much.
Some of the makeup design is very effective. Others, not so much.
Cool movie poster.
The color palette was very dark and grey, perfect for a brooding story of mystery and danger.
I love the aspect of searching for one’s family roots. My twin sister and I wrote a book about how to do just that! It has lots of how-to information, as well as inspiring stories from real people who had amazing experiences while researching their family tree! You can check it out the eBook on Amazon.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The acting isn’t exceptional and has even been criticized by many reviewers. I’ve seen worse. I thought Nat Wolff and Iben Akerlie did fine and were believable.
Sometimes it’s hard to understand what people are saying because they speak so quietly.
Some scenes are dark, which will make viewing on small devices difficult.
There’s no humor. It’s a very dark drama.
The music was often too noticeable, rather than supportive of the scenes on the screen.
There was a character whose motivations were very strange played by Priyanka Bose. After being saved, she tries to hunt down the protagonist to kill him. Why? I thought there would be a surprise reveal in the end that she was a superhero villain, but absolutely nothing happened with her character arc. Such a missed opportunity and disappointment.

INTERESTING LINES:

“I think people, in their hearts, are generally good.” – Christine (Iben Akerlie)
“Are you the next Jesus?” – Christine (Iben Akerlie) “Jesus didn’t kill people.” – Eric (Nat Wolff)
“I love ferries. It’s like taking a break from the world for a minute.” – Christine (Iben Akerlie)

OTHER MOVIES YOU MIGHT ENJOY IF YOU LOVE THOR:

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