Truth in advertising should also include trailers.

Rating: Null/10 (7 February 2000)

I'm cynical enough not to hope that a movie will come close to its trailer, but sometimes I still feel ripped off.
Judging by that first sentence you might think that I hated the movie. No, didn't hate it, but I did feel misled. The movie has some elements that would make for a great adventure story with some mythical overtones. An Arab in the land of the Vikings (Weird, but hey I'm game). Throw in an oracle or two, a little scenery, and Omar Shariff to boot.
Well, you keep thinking that Banderas is gonna do something really cool throughout the movie and ... nothing. A clever remark here, and an insight there. I must say though, once I gave up on Banderas and what I thought the story was about I found myself rooting for the Vikings (a surly, unruly, unkempt, unsanitary, and virile lot). I was even somewhat pleased by the ending. The hero I picked, and it wasn't the Banderas character, won.
Had the movie been advertised differently I may have enjoyed it more. The unlikely adventure of an Arab poet in the land of the Vikings.
All that being said, as a movie it was Ok. If you need to kill some time this movie can be a nice, albeit sometimes gory, action/adventure.