A solid epic...

Rating: 9/10 (30 August 1999)

This is not a film that will appeal to everybody. That has to be said first. It is not because of acting; in fact, if you look, you'll see that there is some fairly good acting by the principles (who have all the screen time, so the bit parts don't really come out). It is not because of the effects; the effects are actually quite good. It is because this sort of story has never, to my knowledge, been told on the screen (and yes, I have seen Conan).
The 13th Warrior is a proper Norse/Germanic epic. It is filled with larger-than-life heroes, horrifying monsters, and lots of battle and glory. There is very little in the way of romantic interest, which is not surprising in the least. The film is based on Michael Crichton's Eaters of the Dead, which is in turn based on Beowulf.
And as a rendition of Beowulf, it is very well done. Some vast liberties have been taken with the plot, but the spirit of the poem remains. The story is told through the eyes of an Arab traveller (Antonio Banderas) who voyages to Hrothgar's hall of Heorot with twelve Vikings led by Buliwif, the son of Hygelac. There they encounter the Wendel, bear-like monsters who are said to eat the bodies of the dead, and they battle both inside and outside of the hall.
If I have any criticism of the film, it is that at times the battle scenes are so crowded that it is very difficult to keep track of what is going on. However, if you are a fan of Beowulf and Norse/Germanic epic, then this is a must see. If not, then this will be a new and hopefully enjoyable experience. One warning, however: it is quite gory. 4.5/5