A strange film that tries to realistically portray what life would have been like for two Norse explorers in pre-colonized America, Severed Ways has its local premiere tonight at 7 at the Cleveland Museum of Art as part of the Museum's "Friday Night First-Runs" series. Here's our review.
Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America (US, 2007) A couple of Viking warriors get left behind on the shores of North America and are forced to cope with harsh conditions and restless natives in this film that imagines what life was like before America was colonized. The film has an air of authenticity, as we see our two heroes struggle to make lean-to shelters and hunt wild animals they can eat. They even get separated at one point, but a run-in with a native brings them back together as they attempt to "conquer" the land that their Viking pals left behind. But the generic heavy-metal soundtrack and long, slow passages that involve little or no dialogue make the movie an adventure flick with much standing in the way of genuine adventure. ** (Jeff Niesel)
