Entertaining and Enjoyable Viking Hero Epic

Rating: 7/10 (10 June 2006)

The 13th Warrior is an enjoyable and Entertaining Film Version of Michael Critchton's Eaters of the Dead and is a retelling of the Old Angelo-Saxon Epic Poem Beowulf. The Northmen are an amusing and intimidating bunch, although they look a little old, with exception to Banderas and Dennis Storhoi, who is excellent in his Hollywood debut the Northmen are well over 6 fee tall. The Wendols are appropriately murky and misty, the action is quite good. The performances are fairly good with exception to Diane Venora, and Omar Shariff, who exits quickly after picking up a nice paycheck. Vladimir Kulich, makes a great action hero without saying much. His imposing prescence and heroic performance are the best thing about the movie. Maybe only Arnold could have played a better Buliwyf. The film was delayed for about 2 years and Michael Critchton stepped in to do reshoots. The re-edited Critchton version is shorter than the McTiernan cut, which was released. For a little the alleged big production run a muck talk the film is very solid and never dull. The cinematography is good, the sword play fantastic. It one of Hollywood's better Viking epics, where the Vikings are the good guys. 7/10 Enjoyable.