Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Until the Light Takes Us

Play trailer Poster for Until the Light Takes Us 2009 1h 33m Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
46% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
This documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the controversial Norwegian black metal scene of the 1990s, an idealistic and innovative musical movement marred by jealous infighting and an unfortunate campaign of public violence. Drummer Leif Gylve "Fenriz" Nagell of Darkthrone and Varg Vikernes of Mayhem -- an innovative but troubled musician who spent over a decade behind bars for the murder of black-metal guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth -- tell their stories.
Watch on Prime Video Stream Now

Where to Watch

Until the Light Takes Us

Critics Reviews

View More
Chris Chang Film Comment Magazine 09/24/2014
A morbidly hypnotic yet generally disorganized affair. To be fair, you could argue that it stays purposefully true to the pervasive murk of its subject. Go to Full Review
Stephen Cole Globe and Mail 02/19/2010
2/4
Unfortunately, everything the neo-Vikings say is unchallenged. Go to Full Review
Joan Anderman Boston Globe 02/11/2010
1.5/4
Their dedication to giving the players their moment on the podium prevented Aites and Ewell from asking provocative questions, or, it would seem, any questions at all. Go to Full Review
Conrad Doucette Decider 03/11/2019
Fails to capture the excitement of the original Norwegian black metal scene or explain why its art is more important than the sensational events for which it is remembered. Go to Full Review
Frances Morgan Electric Sheep 12/16/2010
Neatly made, but frustratingly anaemic, so keen to avoid editorialising and judgement that it ends up lacking in clarity, tension and even coherence. Go to Full Review
Josh Bell Filmcritic.com 10/12/2010
3/5
When Aites and Ewell manage to illuminate the complex relationship between art and action, Until the Light Takes Us can be fascinating and powerful. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
02/28/2019 It’s takes a very fascinating topic but makes it boring See more dennis m 01/13/2019 Fascinating if for no other reason than to make you aware that such a macabre counterculture exists. See more 11/09/2017 The most boring people in the world perpetrate the most boring albeit gruesome murders ever Norway is so boring. Don’t meet your black metal heroes, kids. See more 10/03/2016 If one has never heard of the norweigan black metal scene in the 80's and 90's, Until the Light Takes Us makes for an interesting musical history lesson. For the rest however, there's actually not that much to recommend. See more 06/29/2016 Documentary about the black metal scene and its early roots featuring bands like Darkthrone, Mayhem, and Burzum. The story centers around these bands and the influence they had not only on the scene itself but the violence and reputation it created in the early 90's. Darkthrone's Fenriz is the main guy whom the works with along with input from Hellhammer, Varg, and Frost from Satyricon. I found it troubling to see a guy like Fenriz who seems very likable but yet depressed and sad of where black metal has gone in terms of popularity and also the tragedies surrounding his friends "Dead" who took his own life and "Euronymous" who was murdered by "Varg". 9/10 See more 09/28/2015 It does NOT tell the 'story' of black metal. In fact it mostly skips over its birth and growth throughout the 1980s. Regardless, this is more about the 1990s Norway scene and some of the major characters at that point. This particular group lead some sad lives away from the music and that is the focus. There is some history of the metal scene as well, but it did not seem the priority. See more Read all reviews
Until the Light Takes Us

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Heima 90% 96% Heima Watchlist CSNY: Deja Vu 68% 70% CSNY: Deja Vu Watchlist Berlin 78% 86% Berlin Watchlist It Might Get Loud 79% 85% It Might Get Loud Watchlist Joy Division 100% 92% Joy Division Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis This documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the controversial Norwegian black metal scene of the 1990s, an idealistic and innovative musical movement marred by jealous infighting and an unfortunate campaign of public violence. Drummer Leif Gylve "Fenriz" Nagell of Darkthrone and Varg Vikernes of Mayhem -- an innovative but troubled musician who spent over a decade behind bars for the murder of black-metal guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth -- tell their stories.
Director
Aaron Aites, Audrey Ewell
Producer
Aaron Aites, Audrey Ewell
Distributor
Variance Films
Production Co
Artists Public Domain, The Group Entertainment
Genre
Documentary, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 20, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 23, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$119.6K
Runtime
1h 33m
Most Popular at Home Now