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The 13th WarriorRating:
Release Date: 15 January, 2002 Retail Price: $14.99 OUR Price: $11.24 You SAVE: $3.75! Cast: Complete Cast (8 total) |
The 13th Warrior Reviews
Enjoyable high adventure
While not quite of the epic proportions that it aspires to be, "The 13th Warrior" is nevertheless a rousing, entertaining action adventure, spiced with well orchestrated battles and director John McTiernan's (Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October) unique view of how an action film works. The film follows the adventures of Ahmed (Antonio Banderas), an exiled 8th century Arabian ambassador. Banished from his homeland for having an affair with a powerful rich man's wife, Ahmed is sent to the northern lands, to act as an ambassador to the barbarians who dwell there. Shortly after he arrives at his new "home", Ahmed is selected by an aged oracle to accompany 12 seasoned veterans, led by Buliwyf, to destroy the evil Wendol, an ancient evil threatening the lands of King Hrothgar. Ahmed, by no means a man of action, eventually finds his own identity as he and the 12 defend Hrothgar's realm against the evil enemy and, eventually, seek out and destroy them in their lair. This is one of Antonio Banderas' finer roles: though the part doesn't demand a lot of acting talent, Banderas seems comfortable in the role, and even manages to escape the "hunk" persona he created for himself in "Desperado" and "The Mask of Zorro". Aside from Banderas, the film is made up of Swedish character actors, with the exceptions of Diane Venora and Omar Sharif (always a delight to see) in small supporting roles. While "The 13th Warrior" doesn't quite hit the "epic" mark, in terms of either its scope or the presentation of its numerous battles, it is still one of the better films of this genre to have come out in quite some time. One interesting aspect of the film, based upon Michael Crichton's "Eaters of the Dead", is the way in which it deconstructs both the Beowulf legend and the conventions of the fantasy adventure genre. "The 13th Warrior" is not, contrary to initial appearances, a fantasy film, though some clues left earlier in the film report it to be: tales of a great dragon, the assumption that the Wendols are demons, etc. Once all is revealed, the Wendol are simply a hostile, cannibalistic tribe of barbarians who take to the shadows. While the idea of the Beowulf legend is hardly touched on in the film at all, it is still an interesting subtext for those familiar with the legend or with Crichton's novel...The battle scenes stand next to McTiernan's other fine action sequences: well staged, complex, and a bit confusing on a first viewing (all of McTiernan's films deserve at least a second look). The bombastic score is sweeping, just the right tone for a film of this sort, and the art direction and cinematography are stunning. It may not be a masterpiece, but considering its flawed history "The 13th Warrior" is still one of the finest "sword & sorcery" type pictures to hit the screen in quite some time.
Better Than Advertised
This movie got a great deal of flak from "professional" movie reviewers, so I put off seeing it for quite some time. I found much of the criticism unwarranted.
The film is one of the better book adaptations I've seen, and it should be - The Eaters of the Dead's author, Michael Crichton, also penned the movie script. Though the first few sequences seemed rushed, the overall pacing and tone of the film are very effective. The scenery is lush (it's so nice to see a movie that's filmed primarily on location for a change), the sets remarkable, and the costumes excellent. Though Antonio Banderas seems miscast as Ibin Fahdlan, he does a decent job with the part. The real stars of the movie, however, are the mighty Norsemen. Vladimir Kulich, Dennis Storhøi, and the raucous but noble host of others embody every boyhood dream I had of what Vikings should be. The only distraction from this party of merry warriors is their various nationalities lead to various accents. Oh well. They sure look the part and look as though they're having the times of their lives.
The "monsters" are effective, but somewhat underwhelming. The battle scenes, choreographed well by director John McTiernan (Die Hard), are engrossing, and they are the reason I rented the movie in the first place. Overall, it's an engaging film, full of action and suspense. Enjoy!
P.S. The DVD has a sharp picture and crisp sound, but the "special features" left something to be desired. There wasn't much at all... But that has no bearing on the quality of the movie.
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