Where to watch: ‘The Northman’ is now playing in theaters nationwide.

What do we expect from movies today? That they merely entertain us (and be preferably under-90 minutes)? I think of Russell Crowe’s rhetorical shout from 2000’s Gladiator: “Are you not entertained?,” how it’s directed not just at those watching from the arena but to the film’s audience themselves. When a film is so extravagantly imagined and so magnificently constructed that its ambitious artistry is so obvious onscreen, is that not enough to be entertained? I imagine writer-director Robert Eggers will ponder asking audiences this sentiment with his brutal and brilliantly ambitious new film, The Northman.

The Northman (now playing in theaters nationwide) attempts to be something that lives in the shallow end of being merely “entertaining.” Or perhaps more honestly, it attempts to be entertaining by way of blowing movie-goers’ goddamn minds away with its period-faithful, painstakingly created images and sequences of Viking past. We’re supposed to feel every bit of muck and mud that this Northern Man trudges through, along with feeling every broken bone and torn tendon (whether his own or others) in his single-minded quest of avenging his slain father. It’s all so visceral and felt that we can’t help but be stunned into helpless submission on this journey into the depths of darkness.

With three feature films now under his belt, we can safely identify the joy–or drive (or obsession)–that Eggers follows when making his films. That being, re-creating worlds of a primal and dangerous past to subject his audiences to. He’s a filmmaker who hears this siren’s singular call, pulling him (and us along with him) back into time to revisit and unearth some ancient enchantments and spirits that have laid dormant. Simultaneously, Eggers is a man clearly possessed with the need to honor the most period-accurate production choices (which was captured in this fascinating Eggers profile by The New Yorker). It’s as if he were the appointed chaperone on a disturbing and perverse time-traveling field trip.

Related: Review: ‘The Witch’

While 2015’s The Witch and 2019’s The Lighthouse were trips that ended in madness, either losing your mind or yer beans, The Northman is actually the most straightforward of Eggers’ three “The” films. It’s the story of Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), who, as a child (Oscar Novak), swears to avenge his father, King Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke), after he’s murdered by his uncle Fjönir (Claes Bang). If that story sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the story that inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet (which inspired Disney’s The Lion King). What we get here for its 2h 16m runtime is the unwavering journey that Amleth takes in infiltrating and strategically advancing himself to be able to make his inevitable challenge to his uncle.

Related: ‘The Lighthouse’: Take This Drunken Plunge Into Madness

Unfortunately, it’s here where The Northman falls on its own sword. For being so visually astounding and ambitious, the story stays, dare I say, faithful to its simplest form. Knowing we’re waiting for this avenging son to make do on his self-made promise, we’re kind of left waiting to see what moments of consequence are stuffed here until then. Amleth meets Olga of the Birch Forest (Anya-Taylor Joy) and a partnership and romance ensue. But unfortunetely, we’re kept away from any inner-character scenes by the brooding mad, bear-like Amleth (Eggers and co-screenwriter Sjón kept it from going there). There is a bit of a surprising twist that comes late in the film (which I won’t ruin) but even that didn’t disrupt what is ultimately a pretty predictable story that dulls the impact of the final death blow.

Yet, while The Northman stays painstakingly committed to reaching that ambitious north star, I’m still on the side of advocating for and celebrating this film. While it won’t be as beloved as The Witch or The Lighthouse, it’s still a dazzling, commanding film that inspires awe for what movies can be. Yes: I am entertained.

2h 16m. ‘The Northman’ is rated R for strong bloody violence, some sexual content, and nudity.