Eric The Viking (1989)

Eric The Viking (PG-13) - Review

"First we're flying - now we're sinking!"

Terry Jones, member of Monty Python (and primary director of it's films) wrote and directed this slight farce about Vikings going on a quest to blow a horn and save the middle ages from Ragnarok (written for his young son and based on Norse mythology).  A young Tim Robbins stars as Eric, a conflicted young man who feels uncomfortable with rape and pillage that his peers adore.  After the accidental slaying of a victim, his guilt sets he and a band of jolly vikings on a quest to reawaken the gods and set the world aright (and bring her back to life).  Along the way he must battle greed and capitalism (personified by the sublime deadpan of John Cleese), giant hokey plastic monsters and contend with the travails of love on an island of perfection.
Robbins is great, his men are varied and entertaining, the villains are bureaucratically brutal, the visuals of Norway and the city of Hi-Brasil well done and immersive.  So why doesn't the film wholly work?  Eric the Viking takes itself quite seriously for being an almost Python Film, the moments of British humor are great but either too few or too many (depending on your taste).  Not a parody of the standard quest film (a fullon Python focus would have stood that convention on its head), it tries to be a magical fantasy quest with a few moments of zaniness and the mix just doesn't work.  The excellent performances and comedic value of the entire cast offset the threadbare premise and some well intended missteps.  Starts strong but fades quickly, Eric narrowly avoids falling on his own sword.

5 Bezerks out of 10 (MEDIOCRE)