Ragnarok [Sub: Eng]

An action-adventure yarn wrapped around a monster-movie core, Ragnarok elevates familiar B-movie material with well-matched cultural specificity and realistic family dynamics.

"Ragnarok" is the rare Spielberg clone that feels like it was made by people that not only know what they like about Spielberg's films, but are capable of evoking them.

Sandemose certainly proves that fjords are strikingly cinematic, but he never fully capitalizes on the Ragnarok mythos or the Oseberg backstory.

Bring it on, Norway. "Ragnarök" is a fantasy adventure that's really impressive. Although it can scare younger children, most of the family will be just fine with this hybrid of a B-movie creature feature and the Nicholas Cage flick, "National Treasure."

"Ragnarok" plays like Norway's answer to "Jurassic Park." If the film is derivative of Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster, the skillfulness with which the similarities are deposited is also what makes it memorable.

Ragnarok ain't a home run, but it's a solid double, and certainly enough to cause Hollywood scouts to raise an eyebrow.

An old school Hollywood style action adventure from a country not exactly known for them, director Mikkel Sandemose has packed Ragnarok with good-natured cinematic nods to Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park and Alien.

("Better than Sharknado 2!" may not be a desirable pull-quote, but there you are.)

The feature doesn't run out of gas, but here's a rare occurrence where characterizations and performances are so engaging, it's a disappointment when they pause to engage in pure cinematic pursuits.

While Ragnarok may lack a gruesome bite, there's a tense, thrilling, throwback adventure here akin to a second-tier Indiana Jones - with a monstrous, Nordic twist.

Ragnarok calls to mind the late night B-grade horror flicks ubiquitous at middle school sleepovers.

In the end, any and all potential B-movie fun is extinguished by Ragnarok's depressingly listless anonymity.