Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

The Last Kingdom: Season Five Blu-ray Movie Review

'The Last Kingdom: Season Five' arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Universal. This season brings our hero's journey of the previous seasons to a close as viewers find out if Uhtred is able to to reclaim his legacy at Bebbanburg, and if King Edward can realize his father's dream an England united under one king. Featuring all 10 episodes spread across three discs, the third disc also hosts a small number of special features. A Digital Code is not included.

This being the last season of the series, it is a poor place to join Uhtred on his quest. Please start your viewing with season one. For those of you who have been with him for every battle and betrayal and simply need a refresher before continuing on with the final season, please follow the links to read about Season One , Season Two, Season Three, and Season Four.

The previous 36 episodes of seasons one through four have led here, to the moment where the two burning questions that have endured since the first season will be answered. Will Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) reclaim Bebbanburg, the North Umbrian kingdom that he believes is his birthright, and will King Edward rule over a unified England? The second question seems the more tenuous of the two, at least for a time. The conniving Lord Aethelhelm (Adrian Schiller) continues to exert his influence over King Edward (Timothy Innes) before plotting to marry Aethelflaed's (Millie Brady) daughter Aelfwynn (Phia Saban) to the King of Scotland, depose Edward, and install his grandson as King of Wessex and ally/puppet of the Scots. Along the way Uhtred and the rest of the Danes are to be eradicated. While the King of Scotland may not trust Lord Aethelhelm, he is nonetheless intrigued about expanding his kingdom, and simultaneously removing the threat of the Saxons and the Danes.

Unfortunately, in an effort to unite these two questions and provide a more singular focus for the season, the series bases our villains and their nefarious schemes, very early on in the season, in Bebbanburg. Bebbanburg! The same Bebbanburg that is Uhtred's ultimate prize. As soon as this is made clear, a significant amount of the tension that was present for all previous seasons vanishes. Based on his previous performance, we become virtually certain Uhtred will succeed in thwarting Aethelhelm's plans. It's simply inertia. It's inevitable. Instead of fretting about how Uhtred is going to once again prevail, we're left with technically interesting but more secondary or tertiary questions. One quickly pulls out a mental scorecard and prepares to check off boxes related to: Who will come to Uhtred's aid? Will they stop the wedding? Which of Uhtred's friends/allies will die? Which of the villains perish and by who's hand? Will King Edward once again display disloyalty to Uhtred when the battle is finished? And so on. Considering the stated goal of our hero it's a most welcome place for our story to close out its run, but for a series that's enjoyed pitting our heroes against impossible odds, twists of fate, and changing alliances making most outcomes uncertain if not doubtful, the end seems all too assured. "Destiny is all!", is a phrase fans of The Last Kingdom know very well. We hear it at the end of the voice-over recap that begins every episode. But as the gods seem to play with Uhtred for their sport, we're never quite sure where he's going to end up. We don't really know what they have planned for him. Until now.

Were it left to me, I would have preferred to have had Aethelhelm and his allies holed up anywhere else in the world of The Last Kingdom, allowing for the typical heroic accomplishments and setbacks to occur before getting the final massive confrontation with those forces to decide the fate of Wessex and Mercia, Saxon and Dane. Following the obligatory feasting once the dust had settled and the cost of the victory was counted, then and only then, in the final seconds of the final episode, would Uhtred sound the charge to attack the enemies inhabiting the fortress that is his birthright with a cry of "For Bebbanburg!" on his lips and his thundering army directly behind him. Fade out. Roll credits.

This isn't to say that The Last Kingdom: Season Five isn't entertaining. It definitely is. Character development continues for Aelswith and Aedith, leaving the viewer genuinely sad to say goodbye to both of them. Adrian Schiller's Lord Aethelhelm remains as one of the series' most formidable opponents who grows more arrogant, callous, twisted, and dangerous with every episode. His schemes are always well thought out, even if they sometimes suffer from poor execution due to his available pool of lackeys. But win or lose, as long as he draws breath he's a threat. Brida's storyline here is perhaps the season's most interesting and complicated. Brilliantly portrayed by Emily Cox, over span of these five short seasons we have adored her, cried for her, feared for her, cheered her, and feared her. She expertly and seamlessly traverses between hero and villain and back again inhabiting both ends of the spectrum with ease. At the behest of young Uhtred, who himself has suffered greatly by Brida's hand, Uhtred has finally arrived at a place where he can forgive her for all of the pain she has caused him, remembering that she was once, and likely still is, someone he loves deeply. The inner turmoil and emotion that Cox displays as she wrestles to see a new way forward is heart-wrenching. In the end, it's these story elements and moments that feel like a greater prize than Bebbanburg.

The Last Kingdom: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The 1080p presentation for The Last Kingdom: Season Five is as familiar as Uhtred's trademark voice-over opening. The blue/grey color palette endures as yet another defining element of the series, and the series wraps with the same drab and dingy look with which it began. Bold and vibrant primaries do not exist here, and the best we can hope for are some occasional lush greens in the forests as we travel from Mercia to Winchester and Bebbanburg. But these are also rare, as we see more muted fall and winter colors instead of warmer spring and summer tones. Detail levels are again pleasingly strong, with faces revealing stubble, fine lines, and scars. Armor, furs, and embroidery yield significant richness and textural depth, not only in their construction but in their varying levels of age and cleanliness. Time in the wilderness provides ample opportunity to enjoy environmental particulars such as fallen leaves, the pebble-laden coast of Bebbanburg, and the overgrown site of the pivotal fire from season one. I did not notice any banding or other other issues which were sometimes noticeable in earlier seasons.

The Last Kingdom: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fans who have purchased copies of the previous seasons will know exactly what to expect here. Once again, the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 underwhelms but is perfectly serviceable. Here, for the final season, the track is as front-focused as ever, but competent. Dialogue is handled well, as is interstitial and background music, both of which exhibit excellent clarity and precision. Sound effects, especially ringing swords, battered shields, and other sounds of battle are presented convincingly, with marching troops and battering rams being presented with excellent booming depth. Surrounds are utilized sparingly and immersion isn't a priority for this track. It's an acceptable audio track but it could have been so much more.

The Last Kingdom: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The special features for this season are found on disc three and consist of:

• Strength & Sensitivity: The Women of 'The Last Kingdom' (6:31) - Eliza Butterworth (Aelswith), Emily Cox (Brida), Ruby Hartley (Stiorra), Millie Brady (Aethelflaed), Stefanie Martini (Aedith), and other female members of the cast and crew discuss the traditional roles of women from this time period and how this series is able to portray women as more complete characters who can be leaders, warriors, and the equals of any man.

• The Making of Season Five (7:01) - A group of cast and crew including Alexander Dreymon (Uhtred), Emily Cox (Brida), Stefanie Martini (Aedith), and Eliza Butterworth (Aelswith) talk about how intricate the story has become, how the scale has again increased, the volume of fights and stuntwork, the massive sets, and Dreymon's directorial debut in episode 2.

The Last Kingdom: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Last Kingdom: Season Five brings the historical drama of Uhtred to a close in a manner that is both fitting and satisfying, even if it is a bit unsurprising. Character development, schemes, allegiances, and betrayals keep the episodes engaging, with the "how" of the journey never failing to provide all of the entertainment and thrills that the ultimate destination may not. The special features that accompany the series' swan song are unfortunately meager, but the audio and video presentations are of the same quality that fans by now have come to expect. For fans, The Last Kingdom: Season Five comes highly recommended.