Zack Snyder’s ‘Twilight of the Gods’ Is an Adrenaline-Pumping, Bloodsoaked Orgy of Action [Review]

Netflix’s ‘Twilight of the Gods’ mixes Norse mythology with sex, magic, and extreme violence as its strives for a mythical quest that’s truly for mature audiences.

“The age of petty Gods must end.”

The past decade has been a goldmine for subversive tales about Gods and mythological warriors, whether it’s American Gods, Ragnarok, KAOS, or even YA fare like the Percy Jackson series. Additionally, animation has really run wild with this subject matter in both despondent action dramas like Blood of Zeus and farcical comedies like Krapopolis. This is certainly territory that feels right at home for a stylized filmmaker like Zack Snyder, who initially turned heads with his historical action epic, 300, only to tackle increasingly fantastical subject matter and repeated ruminations on the nature of “Gods.” In this sense, Twilight of the Gods feels like it’s been a long time coming for Snyder. It’s the perfect synthesis of his hyperbolized sensibilities that celebrate violence, mature situations, and power struggles through an abstract lens. 

Twilight of the Gods is a fitting synthesis between 300 and Rebel Moon that gives Snyder a lengthy leash for his ideas. Snyder thrives with this “original” property as he plays with many familiar tools and tropes that have always been in his wheelhouse. This leaves audiences to inevitably consider what Snyder would do with the popular video game IP, God of War, before it splashes blood in their faces and tells them to move on and enjoy the ride. Twilight of the Gods is an entertaining deconstruction of Norse legends and revenge storytelling that will resonate with mythology buffs, but also those who just want a heightened, hard-boiled action series with overwhelming stakes where there’s no greater victory than bathing in the blood of the enemy.

A bold, bloody journey through Norse mythology can be tackled in many different ways. It can be easy to get lost in such dense lore and ideas, but Twilight of the Gods positions its narrative as a focused “man on a mission” story, albeit one where there’s a band of supernatural warriors who seek a sacred God-killing weapon, the Heretic Spear. Sigrid, the daughter of giants and a warrior who has always felt as if she doesn’t belong, leads a deadly team and drives forward the story. Sigrid emerges as a truly bad ass action hero and one of the best, most complex characters that Snyder has ever had a hand in crafting. That being said, each character receives satisfying catharsis as they conquer their unique demons – both figurative and literal – and grow stronger by the season’s end. Sylvia Hoeks (Blade Runner 2049, The Girl in the Spider’s Web) gives a raw, emotional performance as Sigrid and leads an absolutely stacked ensemble cast that includes John Noble as Loki, Rahul Kohli as Egill, Jamie Chung as Hel, and Lauren Cohan as Inge.

Twilight of the Gods gleefully riffs on classic Norse mythology, Gods, and the fantasy genre as it strikes down expectations and rewrites the status quo. “The age of petty Gods must end,” is declared early in the series as a mantra for its characters, but it’s just as applicable to Twilight of the Gods itself. This series is all about the demystification of Gods and revered figures. Twilight of the Gods aims to not just take them off their pedestals, but literally cut their heads off and turn them into cannon fodder. Twilight of the Gods strives to have its world descend into chaos and establish a new status quo of bloodshed and tyranny. At its core, this series highlights how everyone – even Gods – have fear and regrets. Twilight of the Gods is grandiose in nature, but it’s oddly humanizing and humble with the universal message that it preaches. It evolves into an enlightening meditation on faith, power, and the universe’s cyclical cycle of war and if it’s even possible to throw the future off its axis. Twilight of the Gods effectively taps into the Machiavellian powerplay dynamic of series like Game of Thrones. Duplicitous deals are made and alliances perpetually form and crumble as no one knows who they can trust and where their interests lie.

Twilight of the Gods, in every moment, has fun with many of the genre’s established tropes, yet it moves through them fast enough that this never becomes a chore. Snyder projects can occasionally overstay their welcome and struggle with pacing and brevity. Fortunately, at only eight episodes, Twilight of the Gods understands the value of how less can be more and this series never becomes a slog that drags its feet through storytelling. Each episode has a distinct purpose that succeeds as an individual installment, but also contributes to the season-long mission’s greater whole. There’s also consistent action peppered throughout the season. This is far from a situation where the series withholds all the good stuff until its end. 

Twilight of the Gods thrives through its battles and forward momentum, but the season’s strongest episode may be a more reflective detour that indulges in magical campfire tales that contribute to the season’s thematic backbone and beautifully articulate Twilight of the Gods’ mission statement. It’s validating to recognize that the few moments in the season where the characters stop to catch their breath are still profoundly rewarding and entertaining. It’s such an effective episode that could ostensibly function as a backdoor pilot if Snyder and his production company, The Stone Quarry, were interested in expanding upon Twilight of the Gods’ scope and allowing the series to tackle other iconic moments in this godly timeline. The series does great work with how it fleshes out this universe, its different realms, the powerful entities that occupy it, and the war for supremacy that’s on the precipice of breaking out.

There’s a deep storyline and spiritual journey throughout Twilight of the Gods. However, many viewers will naturally gravitate towards the series’ over the top action sequences where brute strength, magical powers, and wicked weapons clash. Twilight of the Gods showcases demons, deities, giants, sea monsters, magical wolves, and more. There’s a welcome balance between innocuous fetch quests for things like magic apples and battles against apocalyptic creatures. They’re truly incredible spectacles that fully take advantage of animation’s limitlessness. Twilight of the Gods is also filled with gorgeous, lush environments that breathe further life into this fantastical adventure.

Jay Oliva, who has been Zack Snyder’s dedicated storyboard artist through many of his productions, including Man of Steel, really gets to flex his artistic muscles here. Oliva ostensibly brings his most ambitious storyboards to life in triumphant showdowns that are given the freedom to last an entire episode, rather than being restricted to several minutes in a feature film. Those who are fans of the heightened action sequences from any of Snyder’s films have a lot to celebrate in Twilight of the Gods and won’t be disappointed, even if they’re disinterested in Norse mythology. Twilight of the Gods is rich in Snyderisms all the way down. 

The season culminates in all-out warfare that’s an extremely satisfying way to conclude a series where utter doom is perpetually teased. Twilight of the Gods doesn’t hold back with its violence. This is also an animated series that’s filled with sex and nudity, almost as if to prove that it’s a show that’s exclusively designed for adults. There are some incredibly exaggerated sequences where primal polyamory reigns supreme. Twilight of the Gods can’t help but showcase bare breasts and the female form. It occasionally feels a little gratuitous, but it fits with the series’ setting and helps reclaim the idea that animation can be just as much for adults as it is for kids.

There’s a tendency for many Netflix animated series to have a certain rote look, which is thankfully not present with Twilight of the Gods. Xilam Animation, a French animation studio, crafts a simplistic art style that still facilitates complex combat and exaggerated action sequences that almost feels like Samurai Jack or Primal meets Brave. The visuals are often stunning and they accomplish a unique aesthetic that helps the series establish an original voice that stands out from its animated Netflix peers. A derivative animation style would quickly kill any interest in this show. Twilight of the Gods understands this and creates something special, even if the animation isn’t especially complex. It feels simultaneously old-fashioned and modern, but in a way that complements the series’ ethereal subject matter. It’s able to indulge in stylized flair that frequently breaks free from reality’s limitations through creative touches. It also doesn’t hurt that Hans Zimmer handles the series’ score, which is often the series’ secret weapon. It helps cultivate an impressive gravitas during even the more muted moments.

Twilight of the Gods is entertaining middle of the road television that will excite audiences in the moment, but won’t necessarily have everyone making repeated trips to Vanaheim. It’s not on the same level of Blue Eye Samurai, Arcane, Castlevania, or even Hilda, but it confidently holds its own with comparable fare like Blood of Zeus, Captain Laserhawk, and Yasuke. The series tells a fulfilling and complete story across these eight episodes, but it also leaves the door open for an even bigger second season if the series connects with a big enough audience. Regardless of Twilight of the Gods’ legacy on the animation industry, Zack Snyder and Jay Oliva are two visionary storytellers who will hopefully continue to play around in this medium. They’re perfect for merciless, mature animation that isn’t afraid to bare its teeth and break flesh.