Customer Reviews

Vikings: Journey to New Worlds (IMAX)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw this film originally in the omnimax format, then purchased it when it became available this October. This is a great, watchable overview of the vikings in their journeys to North America. Lots of reinactments - the ususal omnimax scenic photography. The film does NOT go into detail of the vikings influence in the east - if you are interested in that, I'd recommend the NOVA viking video.

Also - the NOVA film (2 hours) goes into greater detail on all their topics -but it is a dryer more 'academic' film.

Overall - great intro film if you find yourself intrigued by the Vikings :)

Despite the short running time, this is a very
enjoyable journey with the Vikings. The colorful
modern reenactments are done well and gives one a
good sense of what it felt like to live among the
Viking people.

The Vikings were a conquering sort and pillaged many
lands and slayed many people. This film goes into detail
about their pagan gods, beliefs, politcal assembly, and
their notable architecture on ships, mainly the longship
(aka Drakkar) which became a symbol of terror.

This film also describes the life of the hotheaded
Viking 'Eric the Red', whom was exiled from Iceland
due to a fued, and soon thereafter, discovered
Greenland and created its first colony.

This isn't a shoddily made documentary, but rather
a pleasant viewing experience that could have been
better elaborated on.

I rented this dvd to show to my 9 and 7 year olds to supplement our study of the Vikings. It was a big hit. It's not childish at all, but was very interesting and appropriate for their ages. The violence of the Vikings is discussed but not shown. The reenactments helped a lot to hold the attention of the kids too.

compared to the old nova series that i love, kids like this imax version of history better, due to the filming style in short snips and very colourful.

Boy do I love reading books and watching videos about these guys! Two ships with only 120 men could storm a town of thousands, pillage it senseless, and get away clean to do it again 20 miles down coast. Once their ships were so full of booty they couldn't plunder another town, they headed home, only to have to worry about later-launching Vikings who might decide to plunder them! How such barbarism could be so effective for centuries without anyone finding a way to thwart them is a mystery to me, but there it is.
Another mystery is why all of "civilized" Europe stayed within comfortable sight of land, while only the Vikings had the courage to sail beyond the horizon, braving the monsters and the end of the earth. Some say it was just greed, but that greed had to be backed up with a lot of courage and skill. It took another 500 years before Columbus risked a western voyage.

This DVD is listed as 62 minutes, but the running time w/o the extras is 37 minutes. An unseen, male narrator describes the events. Action is suggested rather than portrayed. The arial views as impressive. It's fine as a filler for my 6th grade history class.