If you’ve been missing your Vikings: Valhalla fix, Zack Snyder’s new animated series is gonna quench your bloodthirst (and your thirstiness). Twilight of the Gods is an ultra-graphic take on Norse mythology, telling the love story of mortal king Leif (Stuart Martin) and fearless warrior Sigrid (Sylvia Hoeks). But happiness doesn’t come easy to our star-crossed lovers: On their wedding night, Thor (Pilou Asbæk) wreaks his typical havoc, drawing them into the influence of Loki (Paterson Joseph) who, if you have any knowledge of the God of Mischief, is always playing a double-sided game. Leif, Sigrid, and their warrior crew must embark on a treacherous journey that throws them in the path of the gods.
Twilight of the Gods is gruesome, racy, and heroic, putting you under its spell from the very beginning. It plays fast and loose with Norse mythology but tells a compelling story with many nods to elements you’ll know already. Honestly—if you’ve ever read any Norse texts—the high level of violence and sex in every episode is more accurate than most adaptations. Although it still can get a little overwhelming at times.
The gods are portrayed as the sheer forces of nature they are, humanizing them only in their emotions but not in their power. The visual depictions of the gods and humans alike are rooted within Scandinavian culture; every being looks fiercely beautiful. And the animation works really well for the world’s fantastical elements, weaving old histories throughout the main narrative, to keep the ancestral tradition of telling tales around the fire stoked with fresh flames. All scored by the legendary Hans Zimmer, who demonstrates his usual prowess to bring each story to life.
The emotional drive of the series sometimes gets overpowered by the NSFW elements but, if you’re looking for thrills, chills, and blood-spills, this is for you. It seems Zack Snyder has found his next hit at the intersection of R-rated gods and wars. So go settle down under the luminous glow of the Northern Lights, because Twilight of the Gods is raring to share some epic Norse tales of family, grief, love, and revenge.
