Lo there do I see my father. Lo there do I see my mother and my sisters and my brothers

Rating: 10/10 (25 March 2018)

To say that this is one of my favorite movies is an understatement. I have watched this movie more times than I can remember. Each time is a wonderful experience. The movie is backwards and forwards everything I want in a movie. A sweeping epic tale of warriors, danger, the unknown, battles, fear, pain, sadness, victory, death, happiness, different cultures, love, hopelessness, beauty and everything that makes a person human. A simple man from a completely different way of life is thrust into what would become his worst nightmare.
Antonio Banderas might not pass for an Eastern-born character but he plays his part masterfully. He is taken from his life of care-free luxury and transplanted into a world of war and death. The legendary Viking warriors have little time for someone who is not a fighter. They scoff at Ahmed and see him as no more than a child in their world. His transformation from an outcast to a warrior at the end is no less than breathtaking. Through hardship and trial Ahmed proves himself as capable as any of Buliwyf's fellow Vikings.
The cinematography is equally stunning as are all the performances in this film. It shows a brutal landscape with equally brutal people living in them. The score for the film is fantastic as well. Jerry Goldsmith masterfully weaves epic battles into moments of unease and then to triumph. It is a sad thing that the production of this movie failed it so completely. The director and the writer both could not come together as to what story they wanted to make and combined with the advertisement and setbacks it undid whatever success this movie could have achieved. I for one love this movie and am grateful to be able to experience it each and every time.