In this case 13 is a lucky number. Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, an Arab poet, is sent to the barbaric north as an ambassador, exiled there actually, for falling in love with the wife of a powerful man. Not speaking the language he and his translator have literally just arrived to begin their duties when the tribe of Norsemen they are meeting with are asked for help by a second tribe of Norsemen. This second tribe has been attacked by the Wendol who, according to the Norsemen, are ferocious monsters that attack only at night or during a heavy mist and who eat their victims. The superstitious Vikings consult their oracle before leaving for battle and are told they will be victorious over the Wendol if only twelve of their tribe go to their countryman�s aid along with a thirteenth warrior who must be a foreigner. Forced to leave his translator behind and accompany the Vikings, Ahmed Ibn Fadlan, called Eban by his new comrades, must adapt quickly to new customs, a new language and to the horror of the Wendol, who may or may not be monsters but who certainly outnumber the Vikings.
Based on Michael Crichton�s excellent novel Eaters of the Dead, The Thirteenth Warrior is an exciting and beautifully filmed movie in addition to being one of the most intelligent adventure films to come along in quite a while. Antonio Banderas does a remarkable job playing Ahmed Ibn Fadlan as a man suddenly thrust into the role of stranger in a strange, and dangerous, land, but who�s intelligence and resourcefulness are more then up to the task. Certainly Banderas, who has played, and played well, his share of adventure heroes is up to providing the audience with action, but in The Thirteenth Warrior he is also a thinking man�s hero. Watching him deal with the language barrier after being shanghaied by foreign barbarians or thinking his way out of a trap while being pursued by man-eaters was more fun then seeing him actually battle the bad guys. Also, the most interesting thing about this film is that while Banderas� character of Ahmed Ibn Fadlan was the central character he was not actually the hero of The Thirteenth Warrior. That distinction went to Validimer Kulich who played, Buliwyf, the leader of the Norse warriors who become Ahmed Ibn Fadlan�s comrades in arms. Instead of the flash or the smart aleck comment that tends to mark today�s action heroes Kulich played his role with the quiet courage and dignity that often marks true heroes in the real world. In addition, Dennis Storhoi played Buliwyf�s second in command, Herger the Joyous, with an optimistic intelligence that was, well, a joy to watch. And when you combined these there tremendous performances, Buliwyf�s leadership, Ahmed Ibn Fadlan�s intelligence and Herger�s joyous courage the result is a teamwork between both the actors and their roles as good as anything you�ll ever see in the movies.
The Thirteenth Warrior�s only flaws are minor. The setting and atmosphere of the film are accurate, almost too accurate, since any further authenticity would have left the film far too stark. And more could have been made of the differences in culture between Ahmed Ibn Fadlin�s neat and precise Muslim heritage and the boisterous, unruly nature of the Norsemen. But these are minor nits to pick and The Thirteenth Warrior is an epic film, one that gets thirteen out of thirteen stars, and is well worth watching.
Average Grade: B+
