Gustaf Skarsgård

In Black Bag (2025), Gustaf Skarsgård’s Philip Meacham gives Michael Fassbender’s George Woodhouse five names to investigate, and the fifth belongs to Woodhouse’s wife. Skarsgård is there to set the problem before the film gets down to dinner and suspicion. Steven Soderbergh’s direction and David Koepp’s script leave little room for wasted time, and he fits that brisk economy. It is a useful introduction to his place in an ensemble, though not to the physical acting that makes him distinctive. For that, the eccentric shipbuilder in Vikings offers considerably more.

The early Swedish films Evil (2003) and Patrik, Age 1.5 (2008) preceded the wider international recognition that came with Vikings (2013). As Floki in Michael Hirst’s series, Skarsgård has a sustained role that calls on his commitment to physically demanding work. Posture, movement and voice matter to his performances, particularly when the character is eccentric enough to tempt an actor into a collection of tricks. We value the effort to make such a character physically convincing, although eccentricity alone would be a poor reason to stay with a series. Vikings earns the time through its battles, countryside and performances, despite dialogue that can be painfully blunt.

We laughed at the Adidas boardroom detour in Air (2023), where Skarsgård and Barbara Sukowa briefly interrupt Nike’s account of itself. As Horst Dassler, he contributes to the comedy in Ben Affleck’s film about the deal to sign Michael Jordan, but the scene is over in a minute. That brevity suits the film’s pace while giving little opportunity to develop the people around the table. The result is enjoyable, within a film whose willingness to return to the deal after acknowledging exploitation leaves us with reservations. Choose Vikings if it is Skarsgård’s work that interests you, provided you can forgive the dialogue.