If you prefer films that take the most honest, unflinching stance, over crowd-pleasing ones, you can’t go wrong with Mortal (2020). Directed by Andre Øvredal and starring Nat Wolff, this stunning fantasy action film explores the terrifying repercussions of a God losing his temper.

​Unlike mainstream blockbusters, which mention the collateral damage as a footnote, this one puts a more meaningful and needed emphasis on it, even if it’s a bit abrupt. It’s an experience that stays in your mind long after the credits roll  especially if you have grown tired of typical superhero films. 

Mortal (2020) Plot Overview: A Norwegian-American with Deadly Powers

The story follows Eric (Nat Wolff), a young Norwegian-American, with an unclear past, living in Norwegian wilderness. When a young boy, Ole, tries to harass him, Eric tells him to stay away from him, or he’s going to burn. Ole doesn’t listen and thus collapses dead. That incident brings Eric into police custody, where he meets Christine (Iben Akerlie), a young psychologist.

She is asked by the local police to speak with Eric, who takes responsibility for Ole’s death. There, he reveals that he can control water and ignite fire with his bare hands. As he becomes upset, his powers unleash, causing electrical fires in the building.

​Christine tells him that his emotions control his powers and helps him calm down to limit the damage. The rest of the movie explores whether he masters his powers or continues to pay for them. 

Mortal’s Bilingual Dialogues and Polarizing Ending

These are the departments where the film falters. The film has two versions: one is in Norwegian (Torden), while the other is in English (Mortal). I obviously watched the latter, but the issue I felt here was that when characters were talking with Eric, it was in English. In comparison, other characters conversed in Norwegian.

I guess by doing that, director Andre Øvredal was trying to show Eric’s isolation. And, I appreciate the sentiment, but the constant language switching did put me off. It’s not like I haven’t seen films where characters talk in a different language for some time. But to see a film where characters do that for most of the runtime was a new experience, and not in a good way.

Switching gears now, the film’s biggest talking point is its abrupt ending. When I watched this for the first time, the ending felt really sudden and upset me. I stuck around hoping to see the post-credit scene, but there isn’t one. I figured that they either went with that ending to leave you with the impact of the final scene, or they planned to do a sequel soon.

Either way, the ending is really polarizing. You might love or hate it, but it’s really tough not to think of it. Nevertheless, if the director’s vision was to get you to search, “Mortal 2 Release Date” randomly, I have surely been a victim of that. 😀

Andre Øvredal’s Direction: Atmospheric Tension and Pacing in Mortal

Barring the bilingual dialogues and the sudden ending, Director Andre Øvredal has done an amazing job. His biggest stroke of genius was putting a much greater focus on the impact a God’s short temper can create. When Eric loses his composure at the end, it’s told that his powers caused a large number of casualties, and he is now wanted as a terrorist.  

Even though I would have liked a more detailed look into the mess Eric created, the direction seemed fresh and appealing to me. Another feather in his cap is that he has kept the runtime incredibly well-paced. I never felt my attention leaving me, thanks to crisp editing by Patrick Larsgaard and the 104-minute runtime.  

​But please don’t mistake it for a film that is filled with action sequences throughout. It does take moments to breathe, accelerate and cool down. If you go in expecting a ride to the moon, you will be disappointed.

A New Side of Nat Wolff: Analyzing the Lead Performance in Mortal

When you look at Mortal’s story, you will feel that it needed a lead that could portray a character who is scared of his power and eventually looks convincing as an angry God. As a longtime Nat Wolff fan, it makes me incredibly happy to say that he has hit it out of the park here.

I was introduced to the brilliance of the guy in “Stuck in Love” (2012) and then “Paper Towns” (2015). He was amazing in both, and I believe he is among the best actors to play a sweet, kind character. At the same time, I wished he played characters on the other side of the fence too, as he did in “The Stand” (2020-21).

In Mortal, we get to see the whole shift from a guy terrified of his powers to a hero and then, a short-tempered God. When he eventually snaps, the contrast is just that much more shocking, especially because he is so good at playing positive characters. At that moment, you feel for him while also not being unable to defend his actions. That unsure space he leaves you in is the biggest indicator of how good he is in this.

Iben Akerlie as Christine is lovely, as well. At the end, you really feel for her character, and the character deserved so much more than the world offered her. In a way, it mirrors our real life too, where the nice ones rarely get the appreciation they deserve. And, finally, Priyanka Bose as Agent Hathaway makes for a formidable antagonist even without the powers.

Final Verdict: Is Mortal (2020) Worth Watching?

Mortal is a must-watch for anyone seeking a grounded take on the superhero genre.It focuses on the burden rather than the fun of being extraordinary. Now, is it perfect ? Not at all. I wish the dialogues were in one language and had a different ending, if there wasn’t a sequel. But it is an honest attempt to serve us something distinct. 

Yet, keep in mind that the ending might haunt you, especially in the context of global political climate. It is a perfect reflection of our real world, where the actions of our leaders decide our fate, even if we are just as innocent as the bystanders in the film’s ending. Dark ? Yes. Dishonest ? Absolutely not