Short version: A true story, it's Game of Thrones on wooden skis (but with no dragons, less sex, and more blondes). Highly recommended - see it!!!
Longer version: Wow, I loved this film! A 2016, award-winning historical epic from Norway, it's a tale of medieval royal scheming and treachery around the succession of Norway's royal line, and the heroic and dramatic efforts to save the toddler who represents the last living heir to the throne (the bad guys want to kill the kid, the good guys want to save him).
It's got a simple story, but big drama, big thrills, big mountains, endless chases, a lot of axe- and sword-fighting, spectacular scenery, Northern Lights, lots and lots of snow, and zero CGI effects (everything shot out in the elements). There are incredible looong shots of guys on old wooden skis, fighting, shooting arrows, swinging axes, and general amazing mayhem all while zooming down, through and back up stunningly beautiful snow-covered mountainsides at high speed. The skiing sequences were breathtaking, the scenery and cinematography is jaw-dropping. It will definitely make you want to visit Norway (it may also make you want to break out your old wooden cross country skis!).
There's a lot of chasing, a good bit of fighting, not excessively brutal or terribly grisly by today's standards, not a lot of "splatter" (if you know what I mean). Still, probably not appropriate for young kids (there's definitely some head-smashing and a bit of blood).
It's got larger-than life heros (including Kristofer Hivju, a Norwegian actor many will recognize from a prominent role as one of the leading "wildings" in Game of Thrones). As Hivju said in an interview (with a twinkle in his eye): "It's beautifully shot in the most beautiful parts of Norway. We have the huge mountains, we have the northern lights, we have a lot of people with big beards on skis, all trying to kill each other...what else do you need?" 'Nuff said!
You'll want to throw a couple big birch logs on the fire, pull up a warm comforter, maybe break out the lutefisk (nah), and start thinking about flights to Lillehammer. It definitely roused my inner Norse gods and probably will do the same for you. Uff da!!!