Overall, I found "Gåten Ragnarok " to be a decent family oriented adventure movie. Considering this category normally contains stock characters, simple story lines, and cliché plot twists, this movie still managed to entertain. I'd recommend it to any kid who doesn't mind subtitles.
Where this movie rated better than average was its production location and Norwegian atmosphere. If you've ever seen a Canadian produced movie for the SyFy Channel, you could say this was the similar, but much better. Here, the budget CGI is used sparingly and to effect and the actors are good enough to carry the story without the special effects department taking over the show. Moreover, the location and the wet and dark Norwegian atmosphere is a welcome change to the Hollywood style we've grown so accustomed too. I felt like I was in "no man's land" near the arctic circle and I've actually lived in Alaska!
*** The following is not a spoiler because it's the beginning of the movie, but stop if you need to. ***
It wasn't all great, though. Like a previous reviewer, I found there were definitely plot devices that I found absurd, cliché and unnecessary. What bothered me most was the beginning. Our protagonist, Sigurd, has recently translated a previously undiscovered "rune" from the famous Oseberg Viking vessel. He believes these "writings" point to unknown knowledge or treasure somewhere in Finnmark near the border of Russia. What is formulaic and annoying is that instead of being congratulated on his discovery, his patrons immediately call it fantasy and withdraw all his funding. Of course this leaves us with the stereotypical hero on his own cliché, but what was the point? The lack of curiosity of these people who use their money to fund archeology was so implausible as to be stupefying; so my suspension of disbelief became simply disbelief. Fortunately, once the adventure began, we are quickly drawn into the mystery, which is what a good adventure should do.
So regardless of that hapless introduction to our character, the travel up North, the meeting of the guide, and the trek through the woods kept my attention. I enjoyed the location and its historical background as the border with Russia. The scenery was splendid and the rusted cold war machinery really added to the ambiance.
What dragged a little in the last parts were the clumsy way at which the necessary formulaic events unfolded. I say necessary, because this is a formula movie, but they only fail when you start to see and predict the formula. So the last third of the movie played a little into what we knew was going to happen, you just don't know to whom.
So like a previous reviewer, I'll list some of the family adventure movies I liked and didn't so you'll know where this one stands for me. Indiana Jones was fun and the formula was played perfectly. Jurassic Park, which still had annoying "naysayer characters", was still a solid adventure. Movies like "National Treasure" and "The Mummy" were a bit cluttered with fast editing, unbelievable plot devices, and and overindulgence in CGI over acting which becomes boring. I'd say this one falls in the middle. Not as CGI rich as Brendan Fraser's "Journey to the Center of the Earth", but more down to earth than that blockbuster.
Decent for me is a 6-7 on the IMDb scale. Entertaining enough with a nice Norwegian take, but not thought provoking or without clumsy plot devices to move us forward.
Where this movie rated better than average was its production location and Norwegian atmosphere. If you've ever seen a Canadian produced movie for the SyFy Channel, you could say this was the similar, but much better. Here, the budget CGI is used sparingly and to effect and the actors are good enough to carry the story without the special effects department taking over the show. Moreover, the location and the wet and dark Norwegian atmosphere is a welcome change to the Hollywood style we've grown so accustomed too. I felt like I was in "no man's land" near the arctic circle and I've actually lived in Alaska!
*** The following is not a spoiler because it's the beginning of the movie, but stop if you need to. ***
It wasn't all great, though. Like a previous reviewer, I found there were definitely plot devices that I found absurd, cliché and unnecessary. What bothered me most was the beginning. Our protagonist, Sigurd, has recently translated a previously undiscovered "rune" from the famous Oseberg Viking vessel. He believes these "writings" point to unknown knowledge or treasure somewhere in Finnmark near the border of Russia. What is formulaic and annoying is that instead of being congratulated on his discovery, his patrons immediately call it fantasy and withdraw all his funding. Of course this leaves us with the stereotypical hero on his own cliché, but what was the point? The lack of curiosity of these people who use their money to fund archeology was so implausible as to be stupefying; so my suspension of disbelief became simply disbelief. Fortunately, once the adventure began, we are quickly drawn into the mystery, which is what a good adventure should do.
So regardless of that hapless introduction to our character, the travel up North, the meeting of the guide, and the trek through the woods kept my attention. I enjoyed the location and its historical background as the border with Russia. The scenery was splendid and the rusted cold war machinery really added to the ambiance.
What dragged a little in the last parts were the clumsy way at which the necessary formulaic events unfolded. I say necessary, because this is a formula movie, but they only fail when you start to see and predict the formula. So the last third of the movie played a little into what we knew was going to happen, you just don't know to whom.
So like a previous reviewer, I'll list some of the family adventure movies I liked and didn't so you'll know where this one stands for me. Indiana Jones was fun and the formula was played perfectly. Jurassic Park, which still had annoying "naysayer characters", was still a solid adventure. Movies like "National Treasure" and "The Mummy" were a bit cluttered with fast editing, unbelievable plot devices, and and overindulgence in CGI over acting which becomes boring. I'd say this one falls in the middle. Not as CGI rich as Brendan Fraser's "Journey to the Center of the Earth", but more down to earth than that blockbuster.
Decent for me is a 6-7 on the IMDb scale. Entertaining enough with a nice Norwegian take, but not thought provoking or without clumsy plot devices to move us forward.