Very well made entertaining movie

Rating: 8/10 (2 September 2007)

I found myself glued to the television despite my inability to understand most of the early dialog in The 13th Warrior. Curiosity kept me from turning away and the action hooked me. Antonio Banderas' performance is intelligent and understated. He may headline, but the unknown actors take the lead with very strong performances. Omar Sharif is certainly recognizable, but of limited exposure here. It's sad that he belittled such a great movie because of it's box office failure. This movie has a LOTR feel about it without the high end production. The production here is just right for the story and cast. The main attraction over LOTR is that it only runs 103 minutes. Beware, if you are easily affected by carnage. But, if you enjoy a classic tale of good vs. evil and competitive action, you will embrace this adventure.