There is one scene where Vidar stands naked atop a snow clad Scandinavian cliff and jumps off to tear the heart out of a reindeer and eat it; that one scene is unlike what you would expect from the show and keeps you riveted till the end of the finale. The fantasy genre is popular because it is perhaps the easiest to watch, tends to be character driven, does not stereotype people especially younger ones and there are usually sequels and much more volume. #Ragnarok on #Netflix comprises three seasons of six episodes each and is a fantasy tale of the ending of the world where one teen has the power to stop it all. The first season is an absolute must watch; the story falls under its own weight and by the time you get to the finale, you are underwhelmed.
Magne (#DavidStakston) and Laurits (#JonasStrandGravli) move to small town Edds in Norway along with their mother Turid (#HenrietteSteenstrup), after their father dies young. She takes up work at the Jutul Industries plant. Jutul Industries is owned by the powerful Jutul family headed by Vidar (#GisliOrnGaroarrsow). His wife Ran (SynnoveMacodyLund) is the principal of the local school. Their children , Fjor (#HermanTommeraas) and Saxa (TheresaFrostadEggesbo) are the rich and spoiled kids in the school. Magne is dyslexic and dotes on his new friend in school Isolde (#YlvaBjokaasThedin). She makes YouTube vidoes about the damage done to the natural environment. One day, an old woman touches Magne on forehead and from then on he can sense the future. Laurits, meanwhile, is dealing with his sexuality but is an outgoing, effervescent individual. Things start going downhill when Isolde dies under mysterious circumstances. The story pits the giants against the gods as per the Norse mythology.
#AdamPrice’s #Ragnarok is in many ways a coming of age drama, a classic underdog story set amidst the Norse folklore and contextualized in the current day angst of climate change. The show is unique in that respect and will find resonance amongst youngsters for sure. The references to the Norse history are a constant refrain with Magne characterised as Thor, the god of Thunder. He can throw a hammer miles and outrun the best athlete. Laurits is Loki, the half brother. Iman, who works at the Elderly care facility is the goddess Freyja and Tyr is the god of war. The one eyed man Wotan with the old lady is Odin, the wise-all father.
The series is targeted at the younger audiences with its slew of younger, good looking actors. The climate change agenda is at the core. Pertinent here to point out that 98% of Norway's domestic electricity comes from renewable sources and all things to do with climate are close to the younger population. The show also deals with LGBT issues. There is of course Laurits but there is also reference to how Isolde was smitten towards Saxa. The background score with its multiple genres, electronic bands and synthesized music make the appeal complete. I thought Vidar’s character had lot more potential and i haven't figured out why they let him go so early in the tale. Watch out also for the English audio track; not exactly the best in terms of translation and the sing-song accent of Turid is quite irritating!
Spoiler alert but after a fantastic start in Season1, the narrative falls apart with a lof of open ends in the writing. The conclusion tries too hard to bung in the semblance of fact versus fiction and does not carry enough conviction. At the end of Season1, i thought #Ragnarok ticked all the boxes for the fantasy genre, but by the end of the show, I was taken aback by how it fell apart. Would it have been better to leave it on a high like any of the Marvel superhero stories and leave potential for a sequel later. I wonder!
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