Severelly underrated masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (4 June 2012)

OK, let's get things straight: The 13th Warrior isn't a masterpiece in the sense we use for "Citizen Kane", for example. As some have already pointed out, the plot is quite thin (even if you have to be totally illiterate in order not to figure out this wants to be a re-interpretation of Beowulf) and has some bad inconsistencies. Of course there's no way an Arab (speaking a semitic language) would learn old Norse (indo-european language) in a few weeks by just listening etc etc etc.
HOWEVER, this isn't what this movie is about. The 13th Warrior is just a vehicle made to get the modern-day man in touch with the "kill or be killed", "stand your ground or everyone in your village dies" spirit. I mean, if the scene where Buliwyf barely drags his feet (and his sword) to stand in the way of the incoming onslaught of the primitive's cavalry charge doesn't fill you with adrenaline (and with the sudden urge to grab a damn spear or something) it means that you're either a old woman or... (well, let's not go there, you know what I mean :D )
On top of that, I'm willing to bet that many of the bad reviews are actually caused by the very positive depiction that this film gives to Arabs. Add positive view on Arabs to Norse mythology and you easily can figure out why some critics will rate this movie as complete crap. Well, it isn't.
Someone wrote here (with acted disgust) that this is a movie for men who like to bang their chest with their fists (gorilla style). Well, I ask you: should we completely forget what we're actually made of? :D