A Film With Soul

Rating: Null/10 (24 October 1999)

It was a Sunday afternoon. Not much happening. Got a call from a friend to see The 13th Warrior. The only thing I knew about it was that it starred Antonio Banderas. I entered the cinema not expecting much and left with a tear-streaked smile.
It is not quite what you would expect. Yes it is thin on plot, and yes, it should have been longer, more layered, more developed, but it had a lot of soul. Simple good vs evil, good triumphs over evil, poetic justice, sacrifice - everything that is a cliche today - but hey! Why's a cliche a cliche?
I thought it was a beautiful script - I don't care if these words would never have been spoken by warriors such as they. And the music - Jerry Goldsmith scores again! - is sublime.
So it isn't perfect, but it's still worth watching. (Oh yes - and ladies - there is Vladimir Kulich. *phew!*)