Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Paynbob It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

MartinHafer "The Viking" is a very old fashioned film, though at the time audiences must how been wowed since it was made using the Two-Strip Technicolor process. This created color...of a sort. These films tend to actually looks more green-orange because those are the two colors that are overlayed to create a sort of color look. However, while other studios were converting to sound, MGM chose to make this epic as a silent--which, along with the rest of the film, is pretty old fashioned in its view of Vikings.True Vikings did not wear the horned-helmets or hawk winged helmets you see throughout this movie. Their costumes also were far more practical than the silly outfits worn in "The Viking". What gives? Well, the costume designer actually was designing vikings according to how Wagnerian operas portrayed them. It was 100% wrong--but fit the image that Wagner was trying to create in his crazy operas. So, the film is sort of like a Wagner story without the music!As for the story, it's actually seemingly true in some ways. Eric the Red really did have a son named Leif who apparently was among the first white folks in North America. Interestingly, however, back in the 1920s. That's because the only 'proof' of this voyage were the Viking sagas--stories sung to celebrate the feats of the Vikings but have no real proof to them. This proof did not come until more recent years when Norwegian expeditions were able to find some artifacts in Canada that must have been brought by Vikings.So is the film any good? Well, the plot involving a captured slave who captures the heart of a Viking girl is pretty silly. The part about Ericsson and his voyage is a bit more exciting however, and makes up, a bit for the silly romance and dumb costumes.Overall I say you'd be much better off watching the 1958 film "The Vikings". It's more historically accurate, much more exciting and has just about everything you could want in such a film.

Michael_Elliott Viking, The (1928)** 1/2 (out of 4)Leif Ericsson (Donald Crisp) sales off in hopes of going West of Greenland looking for uncharted land. Along the way he battles with viking queen Helga (Pauline Starke) as well as a slave (LeRoy Mason) she bought. If you're looking for a history lesson then I'd recommend you get a book because there are certainly many liberties taken with the "truth" here. However, at the same time, I've always said that you shouldn't come into a movie expecting a history lesson because a movies main goal should be to entertain you and for the most part THE VIKING is an entertaining film. It is somewhat historic because it was an all-color production that has some of the best looking 2-strip Technicolor that you're going to see. Coming at the end of the silent era we're also greeted with a soundtrack as well as several sound effects. I don't think there's any question that the main reason to see this is for the Technicolor, which is certainly very beautiful and there's also no question that MGM went all out to make sure there were plenty of colorful items in front of the camera. The look of the costumes, sets and ships are certainly beautiful to see in color and you can tell that the studio pumped up the look so they could show off all the colors. The beautiful blues of the seas were a major highlight as was the bloody red that actually happens during some of the more violent scenes including one man get stabbed as well as another getting an ax in the head. The sound effects are mainly crowd noises such as cheers but there are still enough of them to make you forget you're watching a silent movie. The actual story being told is rather weak because there's a love triangle that really goes no where and some of the alterations to history are a tad bit funny and I don't think the filmmakers were wanting you to be laughing. The three leads are decent in their roles but I'd be lying if I said any of them really stood out. There are some rather wild moments including a brief bit where the men believes there's a witch and ghost below decks and another violent fight where the Pagans go after the Christians. Fans of Technicolor will certainly want to check this out as will silent film buffs but I'd be willing to bet that the rest will find themselves bored. THE VIKING isn't perfect and it's too flawed to be a good movie but there's some entertainment to be had.

xerses13 THE VIKING (1928) is a well made actioneer from the 'swan song' of the 'Silent Era'. Like most late silent films it had a synchronized soundtrack which featured music, sound effects and muffled voice overs. The most salient feature of the film is its brilliant Technicolor, using the new, Process Three (3) two (2) color Technicolor. The print shows strong cleaning and restoration and the soundtrack is quite clear with little distortions. The acting is natural as per the late 'Silent Era' and the title cards informative without being intrusive. This is a independent production by the Technicolor Corporation released through M.G.M. The basic plot is one of exploration and the conflict between the new accepted belief of Christianity and the older Pagan ones.DONALD CRISP (1882>1974) leads the cast as Leif Ericsson with Pauline Starke, Helga Nilsson the main feminine interest. The other male lead was LeRoy Mason, Lord Alwin, Helga's eventual love interest and mate. Mason after this film confined his acting too 'B' Westerns with various 2nd tier and 'Poverty Row' studios. Like-wise Ms. Starke career all but ended after Silents. As for DONALD CRISP, he looked fit and authoritarian in this picture. Mr. Crisp handled his action sequences well, no surprise since he had done so before in DON Q; SON OF ZORRO (1925) a Douglas Fairbanks production. After a successful career both in Acting and Direction during Silents, he went on too triumphs in Sound as a character actor. A career that spanned 1908>1963. Winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941). There are several other points of interest of this film. At the end there is a specious claim that a 'Watch Tower' in Rhode Island was of Viking origin, built by Leif Ericsson. Dating has shown it to be no earlier then the 17th Century. Some of the coastal exteriors appear to be shot at the same location as Douglas Fairbanks THE BLACK PIRATE (1925). Which the Technicolor Corporation provided its expertise and technology. Then finally two (2) of the supporting actors. Richard Alexander, Sigurd went on to more notable fame as PRINCE BARIN in the first two (2) FLASH GORDON serials. Uncredited Frank Shannon appeared as a Viking in Eric The Red's 'Kings Hall' in Greenland. He is better known as Dr. Alexis Zarkov in all three (3) FLASH GORDON serials.THE VIKING moves along at a good quick pace and has little padding, running at only 90". It is worth watching just for the Historical value as one of the earliest complete Technicolor features, but does not cheat in either action and acting. True the music and staging appears to come via a Richard Wagner opera, but there is nothing wrong with ripping off the best. A good all around watch.

rogerskarsten I attended a screening of THE VIKING last evening at the Silent Movie Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Yes, the 2-strip Technicolor is lovely, and I agree with one of the other reviewers here who stated that the muted colors serve to emphasize the film's setting in the distant past. However, if you're expecting any degree of historical authenticity, forget about it.Anyone who knows something about Viking history, including the figures of King Olaf of Norway, Leif Ericsson, and Eric the Red, will have to work hard to suspend disbelief. The story is preposterous, the costumes straight out of 19th-century productions of Wagner's RING cycle, and the synchronized soundtrack also depends heavily on Wagner's music for many of the film's themes. In this sense, the film is very much a product of 1928 and the way the Viking era was envisioned in the popular imagination and by film-makers of the time.The standout performer here is Pauline Starke as Helga, who with her flowing blonde hair, perfectly chiseled cheekbones and Nordic facial characteristics, is the living personification of Arthur Rackham's drawings of Brunnhilde and the other Valkyries. She of course is accompanied by Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" on the soundtrack every time she approaches a horse. Helga finds herself in a love quandary as the object of desire of not two but three men. Starke is a compelling performer, steely-eyed and fierce as nails, but also soft and ravishing.This is a film that I am hard-pressed to recommend, because I can't get past the absurdity of its story. Yet for those who can accept it on its own terms, it is indeed a lovely film, and even oddly fascinating in the sort of way that bad films can sometimes become cult classics.