My Favourite Movies: The 13^th Warrior

Adapted from a Michael Crichton novel (Eaters of the Dead) this 1999 movie is the best thing I’ve seen Antonio Banderas star in. Playing a disgraced Muslim poet in the early 10^th century he is sent as an ‘ambassador’ to the primitive peoples of the North. When their caravan is attacked they flee in the direction of the nearest river only to be confronted by several Viking long-ships in mid-ceremony for their fallen leader. When another ship arrives on the following day, the new leader of the Viking trading party Buliwyf (played by Vladimir Kulich) is asked to come to the aid of an old friend whose lands are under attack from an apparently supernatural force. Calling on their soothsayer to aid them in choosing who will go on such a perilous mission she points to the stranger in their midst who must be the 13^th warrior. Travelling to a land he has never seen and has barely heard of, Ahmed (Banderas) must learn a new language, new customs and a new way of fighting if his compatriots are to understand and respect him. Oh, and he has to survive the attacks of the Vender who come in the night and cannot be killed!

This has to be one of my most favourite films. I think I probably picked it up on ‘spec’, partially because I quite like Banderas but mostly, I suspect, because it’s about Vikings which I’m a sucker for. I probably didn’t expect very much which might explain why it had such an impact on me. Someone – either Crichton or John McTiernan, the director – I think did their homework. The death scene of the Viking leader is straight out of the history books (actually a real Arab account of the event) which impressed me. The Vikings themselves are almost exclusively played by either Scandanavians, Eastern Europeans, Irish or Scots which probably wouldn’t have been much out of place in the year 922. My favourite of the group was probably the only Latin speaker – Herger – played superbly by Norwegian actor Dennis Storhoi. The Banderas love interest was supplied more than adequately by the stunningly beautiful Olga played by Maria Bonnevie from Sweden.

Of course with a Viking picture you should expect lots of sword play, drinking and dark humour. This is supplied during several pitched battles, at night and (thankfully) in daylight, as well as several individual contests which, again, looked authentic. Whilst not exactly epic – only lasting 98 minutes and largely confined to a small piece of presumably Denmark or Norway - this film will nevertheless provide high entertainment for anyone who enjoys the clash of swords and the gallows humour of men willing to kill and to die in equal measure. I’ve probably seen this movie 5-6 times now and I enjoyed it as much the last time (this Saturday) almost as much as the first time I saw it over a decade ago. I even still notice things that had passed me by before. Highly recommended.