History is messy. It’s usually written by the winners, but in the case of The Last King 2016 (originally titled Birkebeinerne), the story is written by the survivors. Specifically, two men on skis holding a baby.
If you haven’t seen it, you might think it’s just another historical drama with fur coats and muddy swords. It isn't. It’s actually a high-stakes chase sequence that covers miles of brutal Norwegian wilderness. Most people look at the poster and see a generic Viking-era flick. They’re wrong. This is a 13th-century political thriller on ice.
What Really Happened in The Last King 2016
The movie drops us straight into 1206. Norway is being ripped apart by a civil war between the Birkebeiners and the Baglers. The Birkebeiners were basically the underdogs. They got their name because they were so poor they wrapped their legs in birch bark. The Baglers, backed by the Church and the Danes, wanted total control.
When the King, Håkon Sverresson, is poisoned, he leaves behind an illegitimate son. This infant, Håkon Håkonsson, is the "Last King" the title refers to. He is the only thing standing between Norway and a total Bagler takeover.
Enter Torstein Skevla and Skjervald Skrukka. These aren't just characters invented for a screenplay. They were real Birkebeiner guards. Played by Kristofer Hivju (yes, Tormund from Game of Thrones) and Jakob Oftebro, they take on the impossible task of skiing a royal infant across the mountains to safety in Trondheim.
It was a suicide mission. Honestly, the fact that they made it is a miracle of human endurance. The film captures that desperation perfectly. You feel the cold. You see the frostbite.
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The Skiing is the Secret Sauce
Director Nils Gaup didn't just want actors standing around in snow. He needed them to move. Norwegian culture is deeply tied to skiing, and this specific historical event is the reason the Birkebeinerrennet—one of the world's most famous long-distance ski marathons—exists today.
Ever wondered why participants in that race have to carry a backpack weighing 3.5 kilograms? That weight represents the baby. That’s a real detail. The movie honors this by making the skiing feel visceral. It’s not graceful Olympic cross-country stuff. It’s survival skiing. They use single poles. They tuck. They crash into trees.
Why the Critics and Fans Disagree
If you look at the reviews from 2016, you’ll see a weird split.
Some critics called it "simplistic." They wanted more "Game of Thrones" style political maneuvering and less "chase through the woods." But they missed the point. The simplicity is the strength of The Last King 2016. It’s a survivalist story.
The Baglers are portrayed as somewhat one-dimensional villains, sure. They’re the "bad guys" in black. But in a civil war where one side is trying to murder a literal baby to secure power, nuance takes a backseat to the ticking clock.
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- The Cinematography: Peter Mokrosinski shot this. He used the natural light of the Norwegian winter. It’s blue, harsh, and beautiful.
- The Acting: Hivju brings his usual charisma, but Oftebro provides the emotional core. His character loses everything early on, and his protection of the baby becomes a form of penance.
- Historical Accuracy: While some of the fight choreography is "Hollywood-ized," the core events—the journey from Lillehammer to Rena and then to Trondheim—are remarkably faithful to the sagas.
A Civil War Built on Religion and Power
We need to talk about the Church's role here. In The Last King 2016, the Baglers are the arm of the Catholic Church. At the time, the struggle was between the monarchy's right to rule and the Church's desire to appoint kings who would be subservient to the Pope.
It wasn't just about who sat on a wooden throne. It was about national identity. The Birkebeiners represented a unified, independent Norway. The Baglers represented a Norway tied to continental European power structures. When you watch the film, keep that in mind. Every arrow fired at Torstein is an attempt to kill the idea of a sovereign Norway.
The Legacy of Håkon Håkonsson
Spoiler alert for 800-year-old history: the baby lives.
He didn't just live; he became Håkon IV, one of the greatest kings in Norwegian history. He ended the civil wars. He brought a "Golden Age." He even signed a treaty with Henry III of England.
Without those two guys on skis in 1206, Norway might have become a mere province of Denmark or Sweden much earlier than it eventually did. The Last King 2016 captures the exact moment the future of a nation was decided by the strength of two men’s legs and the wax on their skis.
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Practical Takeaways for History Buffs and Film Fans
If you're going to watch (or re-watch) this, there are a few things you should do to get the most out of it.
First, watch it in the original Norwegian with subtitles. The English dub loses the grit. The cadence of the language matches the environment. Second, look up the "Håkon Håkonsson's Saga." It’s a real document from the 1260s. Reading the actual accounts of the flight through the mountains makes the movie feel much more grounded.
Third, if you're a skier, pay attention to the gear. The production designers did an incredible job recreating 13th-century wooden skis and bindings. It makes you realize how spoiled we are with carbon fiber and Gore-Tex.
Next Steps for the Deep Dive:
- Locate a Subtitled Version: Seek out the "Magnolia Pictures" release for the best translation quality.
- Research the Birkebeiner Race: If you're into fitness, look at the elevation profile of the modern race. It gives you a terrifying perspective on what the real Torstein and Skjervald accomplished.
- Compare with 'The 12th Man': If you liked the survival aspects of this film, watch The 12th Man (2017). It’s another Norwegian survival story, but set in WWII. It pairs perfectly with this for a "Survival in the Snow" double feature.
- Visit Lillehammer: If you ever travel to Norway, the Maihaugen open-air museum in Lillehammer has exhibits that put this era of history into a physical context you can actually walk through.
History isn't just dates. It's people doing difficult things in cold places. That's what this movie gets right.