Margrete: Queen of the North
A sumptuously beautiful, in-depth and intriguing look at a little known, but critically important piece of history.
Queen Margrete (Trine Dyrholm), regent for her adopted son Erik (Morten Hee Andersen), is about to see her dreams realised. After having worked for years to form the Kalmar Union, allying Sweden, Norway and Denmark, she now rules a peaceful nation. But on the verge of a promising marriage for her son to an English princess, disaster and conspiracy strike. A man has appeared (Jakob Oftebro); and this man claims to be not only the rightful heir to the throne, but her long lost, presumed dead, son.
As a portrait of Scandinavia, Margrete: Queen of the North, with its stunning landscape shots, remarkable costuming, and take on one of the crucial moments in history for the nordic region, could hardly be more apt. Indeed, the film serves to remind us of the power of the nordic countries throughout history; the fact that they could and did stand on their own two feet as towering behemoths of the medieval world, toe to toe with the Teutons, Brits and Romans. It further reminds us that today, in the gladiatorial arena of film, they hold their own also.
There’s something truly early season Game of Thrones about this film. It isn’t concerned too much with how Margrete - portrayed wonderfully by an intense and powerful Trine Dyrholm - formed the alliance in the first place. Instead, we are thrust into a mid-reign power struggle, spurred on by a truly revelatory appearance. It’s furtive discussions in stone passageways, mothers having to choose whether to kill their own sons, betrayal in the bedchamber stuff, rather than a swords and sandals epic - and it’s all the better for it.
There are moments when the film drags a little. It could have benefitted from dropping 10 or 15 minutes. But the underlying story here - the mystery that has endured for centuries - coupled with the inventive ending and the shock of the outcome, means that ultimately Margrete: Queen of the North is a success. Visually, directorially, narratively, but most importantly emotionally, the film hits in all the right places.
