Stars: Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Omar Sharif

Director: John McTiernan

Summary: Ahmed is an exiled ambassador who, far from his homeland, comes across a fierce band of warriors. He is told that they are doomed to failure in a mission without a thirteenth warrior and Ahmed is given no choice but to join up to help conquer the mysterious enemy...

Director John McTiernan takes viewers back to 900 A.D. in THE 13th WARRIOR. After courting "an untouchable" Muslim princess, Ahmed (Antonio Banderas) is banished and sent North as an emissary. When traveling from Baghdad to Saqaliba, he stumbles into an encampment of Vikings. At first repulsed by their Nordic ways, Ahmed soon grows fond of the Northerners and joins their party.
When news is brought that a horde of flesh eating monsters are ravaging the land, the mystic Oracle ordains that a group of 13 must travel to fight their evil doings. Twelve Nordes rom the party are chosen, Ahmed, a Muslim, is picked as the thirteenth. Knowing that defeat is eminent, the 13 warriors must undergo indeterminable odds to battle and rid the land of the horrific flesh eaters.
The 13th Warrior is an epic tour de force created by two of Hollywood's most ingenious: Michael Crichton (JURASSIC PARK, LOOKER) and John McTiernan (PREDATOR, THE LAST ACTION HERO). Its sheer epicness and style make it an astonishing spectacle. Never before has such detail and large scale beauty been present in a Viking film.

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Reviewed by: philreyn
Posted on December 12, 2005 10:43 AM

A group of Vikings receive a call for help from a village that is being terrorised by strange creatures. These creatures continually raid, and take villagers away to use for food.
This is 'Magnificent Seven' style movie, with a horror story feel. Twelve Vikings, one Arab, and the remaining villagers set up a defence to stop the mysterious raiders, who only come at night, and are first seen in the distance as a glowing snake.
This is an eery kind of movie, with lots action, good tension, and it gets better with each viewing. Top shelf entertainment.

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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 Warriorwould 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

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	1999
Release Date:	January 8, 2001
Runtime:	98 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	B E D 888162
Keywords:	General, Warrior, Drama, 13th, Thirteenth
Genre:	Drama