By Matthew Bitz
I have always been one for broadswords, warriors, and epic battles, so when The Thirteenth Warrior came out on video recently, I jumped at the chance to watch it, and, I was not disappointed, but you may be.
As a die-hard action fan, I thought it was just great, providing intense combat and all sorts of neat swordplay, Antonio Banderas is the star and he manages to give a decent performance as an Arab Emissary caught up in a desperate struggle for survival alongside Viking warriors.
OK, so the plot has a little to be desired. In fact, if you are not a big fan of this sort of thing, the plot leaves a lot to be desired as do a lot of the acting and the directing.
I was disappointed to say the least that a movie I had so highly anticipated seeing did not live up to my expectations for it by a long shot. Not to say that the film did not have its moments, it a couple of good ones and anytime there is battle and people running around with broadswords is OK in my book.
However, The Thirteenth Warrior fell short in the areas that it was trying to succeed in, creating the feeling of a large medieval, Braveheart-style epic, and build up suspense and terror through believable acting. Antonio Banderas gives a credible performance but not enough to pull this one up out of the state that it quickly sinks into.
But if you are an action buff like me, and don't have to be critical of the films that you watch, I would definitely recommend it for you. My buddies who have seen it think it was great. They, however, are like me and are big time action fans. This one is simply a matter of preference. If you are into this sort of film, then you'll think it's great. If you demand solid plot and good acting, save your money, or rent something else.
