The 13the Warrior (1999)

Director: John McTiernan

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Omar Sharif, Vladimir Kulich

More Info: IMDB

Tagline: Prey for the living.

Plot: In the early years of the 10th century, an exiled Arabian nobleman falls in with a band of Vikings. Disgusted by their poor hygiene and their barbaric ways, he nevertheless reluctantly agrees to accompany them to a distant kingdom, where an unspeakable menace terrorizes the land.



My Rating: 8/10

Would I watch it again? YES!

WOW! If you haven't seen this and 10th century adventure stories are right up your alley, then you need this, and badly. Banderas is the big name in the picture but he's not the real star of the film. That belongs more to Kulich (as Buliwyf (Beowulf)) than any other. Sure, Banderas is all through it but he's not the real hero. He's just along for the ride; and what a ride it is.

There's tons of action, gore and whatnot but it's the care and quality of it all that McTiernan put into it. He's taking it seriously and it shows. You want to know what else is great? THEY ACTUALLY HIRED ACTORS FROM NORWAY, DENMARK, SWEDEN, EASTERN EUROPE!!! It gave it a more realistic sense of time and place with actors that naturally look the part and sound the part. I get so pissed when you see a film and it's a bunch of pretty boys from California trying to be something they're not - MEN. These guys are hardcore badasses.

Great score by Jerry Goldsmith and location shooting. Oh, and there's the language barrier of Banderas' character (who spoke Arabic, not Norse(or whatever)) begins to learn the language over a series of campfire discussions by the men. He picks up a word here and there (they are not speaking English yet) in English and eventually is able to piece together some conversation. When one of them talks trash about Banderas, he shoots back in their tongue, thereby gaining the much-needed respect of the group.

Skeld the Superstitious: Blow-hards the both of you. She probably was some smoke-colored camp girl. Looked like that one's mother.

[Laughter]

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan (Banderas): My mother was a pure woman from a noble family. And I, at least, know who my father is, you pig-eating son of a whore!