A great film about the psyche of men

Rating: 10/10 (23 February 2012)

The premise of this story is simple. A lonely village in "The North" sends a messenger to ask for help from Buliwyf and his band of Northmen who are informed by a witch that 13 men must go to the aid of the place which is troubled by a dragon or monster of some kind. Other villages in the area have disappeared and no one has heard from them. Ahmed or "Ibn" joins them as a Persian prince who slept with a powerful man's wife and has been evicted from his homeland. The king makes him an ambassador to "barbarians" who live in other lands. Where he meets up with Buliwyf and his men. The witch says the "13th man" must be an outlander, and thus Ibn is recruited to join them. Over time, he starts to understand their language and customs (which he thinks are very barbaric at first) and wins over the Northmen as he and Buliwyf defend the village of an old dying nobleman.
This is one film that gives men goose-bumps because it shows the best characteristics of what men do best and every man wants to do. Protect and fight for his home. It's something that was bred in us but that we no longer do. We fight for country but seldom get the chance to fight for village. I don't know any guy that would turn down the chance to join "Ibn" and this band of Vikings deep down.
A great film that men of the modern age could try to aspire to...to be strong, brave, honorable, and just...and deal with our weaknesses as best we can. Cheers.