Before you see The Northman, see...um, the Eastman? This is The 13th Warrior, the 1999 Film that adapts Michael Crichton's book (which is not called this). It involves Vikings, so me randomly-deciding to watch/review it this week works out. Thanks, Odin!
The Plot involves an Arab Man...played by Antonio Banderas who ends up with some Northmen as an Ambassador for his King. He's dragged into a mission with them, in spite of him not being a Warrior. The Plot is a mix of a real tale- well, 'real' in that someone told it, not 'real' as in it likely having happened- and Beowulf. Why not?
The Film cost alot of money (it cost $150 million plus), got delayed for 2 years and ended up losing alot of money (around $125 million). It's also ended up being the second-to-last Film (so far) from Director John McTiernan (the guy who made Die Hard and Predator). It's also the last Film (for sure) that was Directed (for Reshoots) by Michael Crichton (who died in 2008).
Was it good though? Let's find out...
Ibn (Banderas) tells us via Flashback Narration (double clichés!) that he made eyes at the King's woman and was made an 'Ambassador' to a far-off land full of Vikings.
If you want to know who wasn't a fan of this Film, it was Omar Sharif, who quit Acting for 3 years after this.
At a big Gathering (the old King has died and a new one is chosen), a kid from a neighboring Tribe says that they were overrun by savages. A Soothsayer says that they can succeed if '13 Warriors go...and that one of them must not be a Viking.'
It was you or Shariff, buddy. You're the fake Arab, so you go!
He bonds with the Vikings by learning their language in record time by the power of observation.
That's...sure, why not?
The group- which includes a kid...until the next Scene- arrive at the Village and learn what happened.
That night, they are attacked by the Berserkers and two of them die. So I guess you're down to 10 now.
They prepare the Village for a major attack the next night, which of course is preceded by a last minute rescue of a Villager by Banderas.
The Berserkers are just as deadly- killing 3 more Warriors- but not as careful.
Now they know that they are just men who act like Bears (but also ride horses and use weapons).
Realizing that they can't withstand many attacks like this, they take the advice of another Soothsayer and take the fight to them.
They find the Cave they live in and try to take out the Leader.
I guess she was an old woman originally (like in the Book), but they replaced her with this would-be Enchantress in Reshoots.
She's killed, but poisons the lead Viking.
Sadly, this does not break their ranks and they go in for one last attack.
The upset Warriors- down another person or two- get rallied by their King and fight on!
The win the day, but the King falls dead from the poison.
Ibn returns home as a Hero, promising to tell their tale in Writing. This ignores the fact that Vikings had written language for the last 1,000 years, but whatever. The End.
A good, ambitious Film that definitely tried to do alot. Does it always succeed? No. Does it often fail? No.
The worst complaint you can make is that the Film is sometimes shallow Set Pieces. It often tries to be more- by giving a few Characters an Arc, for instance- but it doesn't always work. When some guys randomly die trying to save people, for instance, it feels kind of abrupt and not some big, earned moment.
The bulk of the Film succeeds at being a realistic-looking tale of the time, which is good. It's nice to see these Films that went way over-budget actually LOOK like they spent some money. The Casting of Banderas, of course, is...just a thing that you'd expect from '90s Hollywood.
The 13th Warrior is a good Film for fans of Period Action Films, Vikings and this kind of stuff. It's no
Lord of the Rings or anything, but it is good. One sin- relegating Sven Ole-Thorson to a Cameo Role...
Next time, let's go back to the '70s for some classy Drama. When a Superman and a Batman Actor face off, sparks will fly. Stay tuned...
Great movie… an even better read!
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