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Ragnarok
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mystical enviro-drama has violence, teen smoking, drinking.
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Ragnarok
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Based on 3 parent reviews
Not for teens
Ragnarok: Netflix Original Series Review
What's the Story?
RAGNAROK is a Norwegian young adult series about a environmental end of days. Awkward teenager Magne (David Stakston) has returned with his mother and younger brother Laurits (Jonas Strand Gravli) to his childhood hometown of Edda, which is being destroyed by industrial pollution caused by Jutul Industries, and subsequent climate change. But when a random encounter with a local woman leaves him with strange new powers, he slowly realizes that he may have a bigger purpose. But this doesn't make high school any easier, especially since the popular Jutul family kids, Fjor (Herman Tømmeraas) and Saxa (Theresa Frosta Eggesbø) rule the social scene, and his secret crush, Gry (Emma Bones) doesn't notice him. Luckily, he finds a friend in Isolde (Yiva Bjørkaas Thedin), a young environmental activist. As Magne struggles to find his footing, he begins to realize that the Jutul family is not what they appear to be, and that he is being called upon to fight against a Ragnarok, known in Nordic mythology as a series of natural disasters, the loss of gods as they battle the giants at the end of the world.
Is It Any Good?
Despite being a bit over the top, this series is surprisingly entertaining, and manages to be so while consistently delivering strong pro-environmentalist messages. Thor meets Twilight in this unique fictional climate change series (often referred to as "cli-fi"), which uses a powerful Nordic myth as the metaphor for a contemporary battle to protect the environment. Magne is a slow, clunky, dyslexic teen whose heroics are rooted in his natural desire to do good, and the use of hammers and brute strength to fix what is wrong. Meanwhile, the Jutul family are the obvious enemies, thanks to the corporations' Earth-destroying activities, and some strange dynamics that suggest that they know more about the mythical mountain dwelling giants (the Jøtul) than they let on. There's also plenty of teen angst that evolves throughout the supernatural drama to keep things interesting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way Ragnarok combines ancient mythology with contemporary characters and social issues to tell a modern story. Can audiences who are unfamiliar with these myths make sense of what is happening? Are there challenges?
What are some of the ways environmental issues are addressed in fictional t.v. and movies? Do t.v. shows like The Walking Dead and The Lorax really impact the way we think about climate change? Or are we just entertained by them?
Do you like watching t.v. shows and movies with subtitles? Or do you preferred them dubbed? Why?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 31, 2020
- Cast: David Stakston , Yiva Bjørkaas Thedin , Jonas Strand Gravli
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Science Fiction
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: September 7, 2023
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