Matt Poitras’ feature length documentary To Go Viking follows a Texas branch of the Jomsburg Elag group of Viking battle re-enactors through their life, training and battle as they prepare for the ultimate test at the 17th Slav and Viking festival in Wolin.
Primarily focussing on Clinton Dale, a member of the Texas Elag; To Go Viking takes us across Europe and introduces us to key members of this exclusive society that has its own rites, ceremony and traditions. We’re taken deep into their world, shown how they battle, how they build their armour and how they live their lives. We see them as real people and not just Vikings; shown how they balance it with their lives at home and how they manage to live a ‘true’ Viking lifestyle. All too often documentaries focus on only one aspect and ignore the stories behind the people; but with great transition and editing To Go Viking avoids this pitfall and creates a really entertaining spectacle.
To Go Viking is an incredibly well put together piece with a great balance between action and interview .Enough time is dedicated to each individual to get to know them without boring the audience with needless detail. It’s a surprisingly difficult balance to get; but with an interesting subject matter and a great selection of people, Matt Poitras has found this balance seamlessly. He’s created an intelligent piece that gives the viewer a real understanding of what’s going on without losing their attention and much of this is down to the enthusiasm exhumed by the members of the Jomsburg Elag.
The lack of a narration may seem strange at first, but as the documentary goes on the subjects themselves do a fantastic job of telling their own story and provide the main bulk of the entertainment. Much of the success of this documentary and why I loved it is down to the people that are documented. They’re inviting, real, honest and from all over the world. There are no egos, no pretentious characters and no sense that this is an exclusive world from which we, the viewer, are exempt. Quite the opposite. To Go Viking feels not only like we’re watching Clinton Dale on his journey to Wolin, but that we are experiencing the same journey with him and that is truly a rare thing.
A great watch for fans of documentaries and not just those interested in Nordic culture. It’s one I’d recommend watching on a quiet Sunday afternoon and maybe a horn of ale!
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