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Editorial Review:
What happened to The 13th Warrior? Directed by John McTiernan (Die Hard), it's the tale of young Arab ambassador Ahmahd ibn Fahdalan (Antonio Banderas), who's banished from his homeland for loving the wrong woman. On his journeys he associates with a ragtag group of Vikings who are travelling back to their homeland to confront a nefarious threat that's cloaked in such superstition they're forbidden to speak its name. It is prophesied by a witch doctor that 13 warriors must confront the evil; however, the 13th chosen man must not come from the north. Suddenly Banderas is forced into the breach, somewhat against his will. More poet than battle-worn warrior, he must not only fight the aggressors but come to terms with the unfamiliar Norse culture. What follows is a vigorous and brutal adventure reminiscent of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.
Sumptuous and invigorating battle sequences fill the screen from beginning to end as the brave Norsemen battle insurmountable odds. Sounds good. So why did this film, once known as the Eaters of the Dead, sit on studio shelves for two years? Presumably because of the thoughtless editing that trimmed down the film to its bare bones, crafting an actionfest out of an epic. It's not often that you crave for a movie to be longer, but The 13th Warrior would have benefited from fleshing out of its subplots and characters. On the surface it's good eye candy with some fine pulse-quickening moments, and Banderas and the accompanying cast turn in sympathetic performances, epitomising camaraderie in the face of impending doom. However, if you're looking for a good thematic tale from the Dark Ages (akin to Braveheart), you may be disappointed. --Jeremy Storey
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Superb! This has been consistantly my favourite film for a long time. I don't know why? I have watched it six or seven times, always enjoying it, the story is pacey, there's humour, action, and loads more. Banderas shouldn't fit but does and gives, for me, his best performance in a film. Buy with confidence, fills loads of genres, action, adventure, fantasy, heroic fantasy, etc etc. Enjoy.
Beards, rain, pine and mist... Why do i enjoy this film so much? I absolutely love it. The soundtrack really supports the action of which there is a plenty. Beautiful picture, sharp and colourful. A good story which is pushed along by colourful and interesting characters. Superstition and myth alongside good old fashioned bravery and sheer tempus fugit. Banderas is surprisingly good in the lead role, but he is surrounded by very enjoyable performances. I have watched this over and over and still really enjoy it. 8.5/10
GREAT FILM, SHAMEFUL LACK OF BONUS FEATURES... I love this film, i mean LOVE it. Historical Fantasy at its very best.
Its easily as good as The Vikings (1958), better than Pathfinder (which i do like!) & nearly as good as Excalibur (1981).
Plenty of action, interesting Nordic characters, great locations, moody cinematography, atmospheric sets, decent FX and more than enough blood & severed limbs!
Its not a fantasy film as explicitly as Conan The Barbarian or Lord Of The Rings - Its more like Pathfinder or Troy in that sense,... more info
The best Vikings vs. Cannibals adventure movie ever made! The 13th Warrior is definitely the best Vikings vs. Cannibals movie. If that makes it sound like a down market schlocker, it's anything but, offering instead an imaginative account of what the real inspiration for the epic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf just might have been. Retitled (it was originally called Eaters of the Dead), re-edited, shelved and partially reshot by Michael Crichton, who replaced Graeme Revell's evocative world music score with an excellent old-fashioned adventure one by Jerry Goldsmith... more info
![The 13th Warrior [1999]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XNMMN125L._SL160_.jpg)
