I have no idea how Hammer of the Gods ended up in queue. Maybe I liked the description. A Norse prince must search for his older brother because their father, the king, is dying, and the Norse forces are being pressured to assimilate and surrender to the Saxons.
Instead of watching Hammer of the Gods, just start watching Season 2 of Vikings then add a sprinkle of Apocalypse Now or Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, which is a common comparison among viewers. It will take more time, but in terms of quality, it is worth it. One of the actors in Hammer of the Gods plays an important character in Vikings.
The acting is not that great. All the characters are clearly played by British people. Hammer of the Gods seems to think that trying to shock the viewers will make the movie more interesting, but it just makes Hammer of the Gods seem like it is trying too hard. There is incest, catamites, pedophilia, cannibalism, castrating and cutting out tongues because why not. The fight scenes are adequate, but not impressive.
When Hammer of the Gods finally gets interesting, the movie ends. As a pilot for the birth of a new, brutal, battle-hardened Norse king who is ready to face new challenges, Hammer of the Gods could work, and I would be interested in seeing what kind of adventures, battles and decisions would unfold, but as a standalone movie, it is disappointing and a waste of time. Skip it.