Vicky the Viking: The Magic Sword, the DVD review

Vicky the Viking

The genesis of Vicky the Viking is much longer than one might imagine. The first appearance of the character dates back to 1974 thanks to an anime in turn inspired by a series of children's books from the sixties by the Swedish writer Runer Jonsson. Two live action features inspired by the character were also produced in 2009 and 2011, Vicky the Viking and Vicky and the Treasure of the Gods, while in more recent years the franchise has found new life thanks to digital animation. In fact, in 2013 a second animated series was produced, which is nothing more than the remake of the anime, made in 3D computer graphics. In the footsteps of this trend, the most recent animated feature film is inserted: Vicky the Viking: the magic sword, released in home video since April thanks to the work of Koch Media.

A family quarrel between men e dei

The story tells the exploits of the very nice Vicky, a young Viking who is a bit bizarre. In spite of the village's expectations of him (and of his father in the first place), he is not in fact a brutal and strong warrior, but a thin boy with a superfine intelligence. However, this will not be enough to show him in the eyes of his father who seems to prefer the heroic and barbaric deeds of his tribe. One day, however, after managing to steal a magic sword capable of turning everything into gold, Vic's father accidentally transforms his wife into a very precious statue.

To remedy the problem, a delegation of Vikings will have to face a long journey to the gates of the legendary Asgard. The path will be full of pitfalls and as if that were not enough our heroes will also have to contend with a crew of rival pirates. It will be precisely on these occasions that Vicky will be able to demonstrate her creative and non-violent value to all of her, leading the expedition to the destination. Here a further surprise awaits them: the feud between the two brothers Thor and Loki seems to have never ceased and the god Odin is in difficulty in stemming his boys.

This parallelism between men and gods, or rather, among the generational problems present both in Odin's family and in that of little Vicky, it is one of the most interesting aspects of the film. Attention, Vicky the Viking: the magic sword is primarily a film aimed at a children's audience. Its purpose is to entertain and entertain with a story of magical adventure capable of attracting the attention of the little ones to the end. There is therefore (rightly) not much more space for more substantial issues or more mature reflections. However, it remains undeniable that the combination of divinities and Vikings is present and successful, an excellent starting point to try to offer some space for reflection even in a simpler and more genuine product.

A strong and engaging playful (video) component

The narrative structure of Vicky the Viking: the magic sword lends itself greatly to the play market. On the one hand, in fact, the story seems to be structured by levels, almost as if it were a video game in which, test after test, one gets closer and closer to the goal. On the other hand, the various environments and characters encountered leave their mark and constitute a gallery of unforgettable icons that are well suited for a sort of collection. The village of Vicky, the gates of Asgard, the pirate island, the gigantic sea waves ... are all elements that perfectly connote the film making it lively, colorful and full of adventure.

The fun is therefore guaranteed and Vicky the Viking: the magic sword lends itself to being one of those films capable of stimulating the imagination and the more creative side of the little ones, thanks also to an effective protagonist in this sense. In fact, the very young Viking makes himself recognizable thanks to brilliant intuitions and a resolute character that allows him not to be discouraged by any obstacle and to use his imagination and ingenuity where muscles are not enough.

Even style and features used tend towards an accommodating aesthetic form within everyone's reach. In fact, the film makes use of dry and simple lines to reproduce, decorated with bright and bright colors that hypnotize the gaze of the most childish audience in a simple way, without baroque visual intuitions. Yet the show is not lacking, especially in the most agitated sequences where the direction is decidedly ready and skilled in knowing how to convey through images a narrative tension at the height of the story (unmissable and breathtaking, above all, the scene of the threatening sea waves).

A slightly disappointing DVD Home Video edition

We definitely recommend families to retrieve Vicky the Viking: The Magic Sword because it is a great children's film, intelligent and entertaining at the right point. It is a pity, however, that the home video edition released on the market is not exactly one of the most attractive. The menu is simple and immediate and the qualitative yield absolutely reflects the expected standards. However, the extra content is practically absent, except for the movie trailer which, honestly, we didn't feel the need for.

We realize that, especially for products designed for the little ones, the various documentaries focusing on behind the scenes or other more specific technicalities may be superfluous. Yet Vicky the Viking: The Magic Sword is a film that, in its own way, thematizes creativity, so it would have been nice to have the opportunity to implement similar ideas with content designed specifically to deepen these aspects in the family.