In The Last Viking, Anker (Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Frankenstein) is released from prison for robbery, only to learn that the money he stole was buried by his brother, Manfred (Mads Mikkelsen, Dust Bunny). To make matters worse, Manfred can no longer remember where he stashed the stolen loot. As the brothers set out to find the money, the search turns chaotic, and Anker and Manfred experience a journey of family and identity.
The idea of two broken halves completing a whole figure is on full display throughout The Last Viking, and it is satisfying to the end. Director Anders Thomas Jensen (Riders of Justice) constructs a classic underdog character and each brother forms a crucial part of it. Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Mads Mikkelsen are amusing and even touching as the film’s odd couple, or rather odd brothers. We learn that Manfred has developed amnesia and a split-personality disorder, both of which conditions seriously hamper the brothers’ hunt for the lost money.
Mikkelsen is the true shining star. That statement may sound like something you would attribute to a fresh acting talent who just made a big splash with their film debut, but it’s not the case here. Mikkelsen, a veteran actor whose film career spans 30 years, has made a name for himself as the go-to actor in bringing unscrupulous villains, like NBC’s Hannibal Lecter and Casino Royale’s Le Chiffre, to life.
Mikkelsen’s Manfred is a delightfully complicated protagonist and a welcome step away from the actor’s usual choice of characters. Manfred is a broken and unkempt man whose afflictions drive the plot forward but also create real-world frustrations with the loved ones in his life, like Anker. The Last Viking is a touching portrayal of brothers reconnecting and the pent-up, transgressive meanness that can accompany it. Laurels must be given to Jensen for crafting a complicated and intentionally messy dramedy that never feels like it sacrifices one genre for another.
Patrick Howard
Patrick Howard has been a cinephile since age seven. Alongside 10 years of experience in film analysis and criticism, he is a staunch supporter of all art forms and believes their influence and legacy over human culture is vital. Mr. Howard takes the time to write his own narrative stories when he can.