At some point, director John McTiernan started alternating between movie types in his career choices. For every intelligent script he seemed to choose (Medicine Man, The Thomas Crown Affair, Basic) he's choose something, let's say, a little more basic (Predator, Last Action Hero, Rollerball). The latter films tended to be less wordy, more high concept and high on'cheese'. The 13th Warrior, McTiernan's adaptation of the Michael Critchton novel, Eaters of the Dead, is in that category too.
The concept is simple; to retell the mythic Beowulf story as if it really happened...and show how that tale came to be recorded in to history. So the dragon becomes a slithering line of cavalry, armed with flaming torches, the monster become the Wendol (a primitive tribe of cave dwelling cannibals). It being a Critchton piece, it also comments on how humanity struggles to adapt to new cultures and technology (the educated Arab looks down upon the simple Viking folk who in tern look down upon the tribal neo-neanderthals of the Wendol).
Banderas is fine in the lead, while the supporting cast do well,(but are rarely given a chance to stand out in the script). Each of the 13 warriors are distinct enough from each other to make them recognizable, but this is no Predator where you instantly got to love each of the posse. The whole things got an earthy realistic look and, like Medicine Man, is accompanied by a very fine Jerry Goldsmith score.
As much as I like this film (hell, it's essentially The Magnificent Seven with Vikings...what's not to like?)I'm not sure the directors traditional hand-held style, that is so copied these days, suits an historic tale such as this. It's also got a feeling of being not quite as spectacular as it might have been (but the thing was re-shot and re-edited a bit in post-production).
Still, it's the best Viking movie out there so I'm not complaining.
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