Valhalla Rising

This is probably the hardest movie I've ever had to critique. The director of Bronson goes in a wildly different direction with Valhalla Rising, making a movie that makes the surrealism of Bronson look normal. There's very little plot, even less dialogue, and long stretches of time where the only sound is the ambient music. It is maddeningly difficult to follow if you're not paying 100% attention to it, and even then you'll probably still be scratching your head for the majority of the flick. Despite this, however, you can't take your eyes off of it. The cinematography is absolutely amazing, and the acting is very captivating. Mads Mikkelsen, who I thoroughly enjoyed as the quiet but imposing antagonist in Casino Royale, never says a word, and yet you can't help but like his character. His enigma-like quality endears him to the audience when set against the other characters; his silence is his purity. I can't say I love this movie, but I can definitely say I strongly admire it. It's an incredibly bold piece of filmmaking that should be viewed by fans of cinema art.