Great movie- good character development and interesting situation. Based on a very good book by John Crighton "The Eaters of the Dead" it's a story set in the early middle ages but not in europe but first in Persia and then in Scandinavia/ Greenland (not specified). Omar Shariff has an early role that makes a good movie great. I don't want to give the plot away but it's a good movie to own as you will watch it time and time again. I put this movie right up there with Gladiator and films of this genre.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
The movie moves along at a rapid pace, pits what might be considered good against evil and sets up the storyline as such. The storyline and director keep "the enemy" mysterious while helping flesh out the characters brought together to fight this mysterious force. Banderas plays a middle eastern nobleman exiled to the North where he and his assistant/translator meet a boat of Northmen aka Vikings. Eventually a task befalls the group when help is requested from a king of a Viking village in the far north, and 13 warriors are then assembled and go to the village. The enemy slaughters a household of people outside the village to show their horrible side and later attack the main vilage in earnest. Banderas' character has to earn respect from the other 12 and learn their langauge. The group takes the fight to the enemy when they discover more about the mysterious enemy and their social structure. Well worth a couple of hours viewing. I enjoy the storyline and the action, similar to the Seven Samuri or Magnificent Seven in a group being assembled to help save a village from a larger numbered deadly force.Read full review
Eaters of the Dead: The Manuscript of Ibn Fadlan Relating His Experiences with the Northmen in A.D. 922 by Michael Crichton, published in 1976. The book was re released under the title The Thirteenth Warrior, and the film titled, The 13th Warrior, was released August 27, 1999. Directed by John McTiernan, starring; Antonio Banderas, and Vladimir Kulich, Omar Sharif, Erick Avari, Daniel Southern, Neil Maffin, John DeSantis, Clive Russell, Mischa Hausserman, Oliver Sveinall, Asbjørn "Bear" Riis, Richard Bremmer, Tony Curran, and Albie Woodington. The book is partly based on a real manuscript by an Arab traveller ibn Fadlan in the tenth century. The first three chapters, a retelling of Ibn Fadlan's personal account of his journey north, and his observations of the Rus', the early Russian people. The remainder of the tale is based upon the story of Beowulf. The movie is based on the book. A Grand Tale. The book is AMAZING! The movie is really good. willtrib - EasyCityBooks NOLARead full review
If you love anything to do with the Norse culture, then this movie is for you. It has a wonderful plot and the characters play their roles perfectly. Antonio Banderas does a wonderful job showing how a stranger can assimilate into an even stranger world. This movie was taken from the book "Eaters of the Dead" by Michael Chrichton and it held very close to the original story. I originally read the book back in the mid seventies and the story was so compelling that it stuck with me all these years. Highly recommended.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
We received it and watched it and I couldn't walk away from it. My husband was watching it without taking a few naps in the slower areas but was very easy to keep up with it. GREAT movie! Thank you. Ken & Margaret Champlin
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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