The Monty Pythons had much cinematic success sending up Jesus, King Arthur, so after they split up I’m not surprised that some of the members would continue the trend. Terry Jones wrote and directed 1989’s Erik the Viking, which features Tim Robbins as a Viking who would challenge the (Norse) gods on their own turf by finding his way to Valhalla.
The big rehearsal dinner starts soon so not too much detail here but… This film doesn’t really succeed, there’s too much drifting away towards the straightahead and away from comedy, or else bits that just don’t work well enough. John Cleese is Robbins’ main opponent but he’s barely present in the end, the woman Robbins supposedly loves enough to challenge Valhalla is barely introduced to him before he (accidentally) kills her, and in the end there are no meaningful obstacles preventing Robbins and crew from fulfilling their mission. Like most of the Python films, this is generally a series of connected sketches and not enough of them are hilarious enough to make for a satisfying whole. Though I did quite like Robbins’ performance and Imogen Stubbs as Princess Aud. Gary Cady, as Keitel Blacksmith, is someone I would have expected to see a lot more of than he’s turned out in the years since.
Mildly recommended, mainly for Pythonistas.
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