The Draugr (2022) is a chilling blend of Norse mythology and psychological horror. Set against the icy vastness of rural Iceland, the film follows a small team of archaeologists and survival experts who uncover a long-forgotten Viking tomb. At the center of their expedition is Dr. Harper Lawson, a driven anthropologist determined to authenticate ancient runes linked to undead legends.
As the team descends into the tomb, they disturb something far older and far more vengeful than any of them expected: a Draugr — a mythic undead Viking warrior cursed to protect his buried hoard and the secrets of his tribe. But the film wisely avoids turning the Draugr into a typical monster. It becomes a looming, intelligent force that torments the intruders not only physically, but psychologically. Each character begins to unravel, haunted by personal guilt and distorted memories, as if the tomb itself knows their deepest fears.
Visually, The Draugr excels. The cinematography highlights Iceland’s bleak beauty — vast, snow-covered plains contrast with the claustrophobic darkness of underground chambers. Shadows move unnaturally. The wind seems to whisper. The film builds tension slowly, opting for atmosphere over cheap scares, and that patience pays off.
Rachelle Lefevre gives a grounded, emotional performance as Dr. Lawson, capturing both her academic ambition and growing dread. Zach McGowan brings rugged charm and intensity as the expedition guide. The supporting cast is serviceable, though a few characters fall into horror-movie stereotypes and lack depth.
The Draugr creature itself is portrayed with restraint — rarely fully seen, more often glimpsed in flickering torchlight or heard echoing through stone corridors. When it does appear, it is terrifying: armored in rusted steel, with eyes that burn with otherworldly hatred.
At its core, the film isn’t just about survival — it’s about consequences. The dead do not rest peacefully when disturbed. And some knowledge may be better left buried.
In a follow-up set two years later, Dr. Lawson returns to Iceland after a new burial site is discovered — one predating even the first Draugr. But this tomb holds more than just one cursed soul: it contains a circle of draugar, once elite guardians of a blood rite believed to preserve immortality.
As villagers fall ill and begin acting strangely, Lawson must work with a local folklore scholar and a reluctant priest to unravel the curse. The sequel expands beyond the physical threat of the undead to explore the spiritual corruption left behind by ancient rituals.
Atmospherically darker, with more ritualistic horror and ancient Norse symbolism, Blood of the Ancients would deepen the mythology and raise the emotional stakes. It’s not just about waking the dead — it’s about deciding whether they were ever truly gone.
