kevinagillihan To say that this is one of my favorite movies is an understatement. I have watched this movie more times than I can remember. Each time is a wonderful experience. The movie is backwards and forwards everything I want in a movie. A sweeping epic tale of warriors, danger, the unknown, battles, fear, pain, sadness, victory, death, happiness, different cultures, love, hopelessness, beauty and everything that makes a person human. A simple man from a completely different way of life is thrust into what would become his worst nightmare. Antonio Banderas might not pass for an Eastern-born character but he plays his part masterfully. He is taken from his life of care-free luxury and transplanted into a world of war and death. The legendary Viking warriors have little time for someone who is not a fighter. They scoff at Ahmed and see him as no more than a child in their world. His transformation from an outcast to a warrior at the end is no less than breathtaking. Through hardship and trial Ahmed proves himself as capable as any of Buliwyf's fellow Vikings. The cinematography is equally stunning as are all the performances in this film. It shows a brutal landscape with equally brutal people living in them. The score for the film is fantastic as well. Jerry Goldsmith masterfully weaves epic battles into moments of unease and then to triumph. It is a sad thing that the production of this movie failed it so completely. The director and the writer both could not come together as to what story they wanted to make and combined with the advertisement and setbacks it undid whatever success this movie could have achieved. I for one love this movie and am grateful to be able to experience it each and every time.

williamgregorburton This is one of the best "medieval" movies I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them: El Cid, Braveheart, Excalibur, The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring series, Ivanhoe, Adventure of Robin Hood, and the unlisted Prince Valiant. I have watched The 13th Warrior over 20 times.The music is very good, the story is believable: hominid anthropology overlap credible, holds together well, and I have always thought the film's portrayal of Ibn Fahdlan's learning transition, learning Old Norse by listening quietly to the other characters, makes his (our) transition to understanding all of the characters speech quite believable. Good job, there.The battle scenes are great, well constructed, lots of long-shot perspective, avoids cheap close-ups, the cannibalistic bear warriors fierce, the horse riding first rate, and the cave fight scary. As I do not like enclosed spaces, this portion is very believable.While the only notable actor, besides a short cameo by Omar Sharif (Melchisidek), is Antonio Banderas (Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan); I thought the ensemble acting of the others including Dennis Storhøi (Herger) Vladimir Kulich (Buliwyf) were very good. I have yet to see these actors, except Tony Curran, anywhere else.The only complaint I have is the geography. As a geographer, I know full well that Scandinavia can be, for the most part, short on coniferous forests. I deduced that the filming was done, not on location, but in Canada, which I found later to be true. Admittedly, it was probably cheaper to shoot in Canada, and made the story more enjoyable with a few more trees.I am amazed that there are those who've submitted reviews on this site, who rated the abysmal Conan The Barbarian higher the the The 13th Warrior! Honestly, after reviewing the movies on the Best Medieval Movies Of All Time, I cannot think of a better movie than The 13th Warrior.

Kirpianuscus not great. but real interesting. for the idea to present three Medieval societies together. for the flavor of a period in its deep symbols. for the mixture of fantasy and heroic. for the tension. and, in not ordinary manner, for the fight scenes. a film about faith out from religion's circle. because it is picture of a new world's birth. and that fact, presented without great expectations but in right manner, using symbols more than action, using the emotions more than heroism, is the inspired way to describe a history's slice in honest style. sure, the accuracy is not the greatest virtue. but the message, the old fashion message is useful. maybe, not only for do an interesting show, but for discover another side of the roots of contemporary society's challenges.

Python Hyena The 13th Warrior (1999): Dir: John McTiernan / Cast: Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Omar Sharif, Vladimir Kulich, Clive Russell: Savage blood bath of fear as cannibals behead victims in all its gory detail. It doesn't make one bit of difference what number Antonio Banderas is. We know he is suppose to fight off these cannibals and basically kicked their asses. These warriors come across a village that live in fear of cannibals known as the Eaters of the Dead. They attack when the mist is out and take the heads of the victims. The warriors realize that they may have to seek out the cave of the enemy. Predictable, repetitious and extremely graphic. The visual elements succeed and director John McTiernan provides tension. This would seem fitting material for him, having previously made Predator. Both films are similar in that faceless warriors are killed by a nearly unseen force, and it boils down to one person to make the difference. Banderas labors under flat material. He never emerges as a personality. He fears, trains then goes out and fights. During this retaliation more warriors are slain in graphic detail. Diane Venora, Vladimir Kulich and Omar Sharif are wasted in cardboard appearances. This film is so relentlessly graphic that it is about as much fun as witnessing a live birth. Pointless encore of brutality and disgust that should be placed in a grinder. Score: 2 / 10