The 13th Warrior doesn’t completely come together, but I nevertheless find it to be enjoyable. Direction is officially credited to John McTiernan and the story is an adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel “Eaters of the Dead.” That too was the film’s original title, but its initial cut was received poorly by test audiences, so reshoots were ordered and a new ending was conceived, all of which were directed by an uncredited Crichton. The film was then released on August 27th, 1999 under its new title and promptly bombed at the box office. I decided to take a look back for its 25th anniversary.
Antonio Banderas plays Ahmed Ibn Fahdian, an Islamic court poet in 10th-century Baghdad, then considered one of the greatest cities on Earth. After a dalliance with the wife of a powerful noble, he is essentially sent into exile as an ambassador to the Norsemen who control the western area of modern-day Russia. Accompanied by Melchizedek (Omar Sharif in an extended cameo), the worldly Ahmed is out of place amongst the hulking and crude Vikings.
Not long into their stay, Ahmed is roped into a mission to save a kingdom to the north. Along the way, Ahmed earns the respect of his companions. When they finally arrive at their destination, they learn that the area has been plagued with attacks by ferocious man-eating monsters. Ahmad’s fierce companions are unafraid though, and soon engage the supposed beasts.
If anything, this is a beautiful-looking film. Shot on location in the wilds of British Columbia by Peter Menzies, Jr, the piece has a stark authenticity to it. The forests, hills, rivers, and caves bring on an easily immersive atmosphere. Furthermore, the costumes and sets are well done and sell the period piece aspects. Armors are particularly impressive.
Performances are fine, with Banderas seeming comfortable in the lead. Fight scenes and action sequences are competent and nicely brutal, though I wouldn’t say the film is particularly gory. In another behind-the-scenes wrinkle, Jerry Goldsmith was brought in to score, replacing original cut composer Graeme Revell. Goldsmith’s score is completely fine, if unremarkable. The film nicely cultivates a foreboding tone, with audience expectations toyed with by our uncertainty as to whether what we’re seeing is a period action piece or a sword and sorcery adventure.
Most of my problems stem from the structure of the third act. William Wisher and Warren Lewis’ script works well enough up until that point, but it’s easy to see where changes were made late in the game. I haven’t read Crichton’s source novel (which itself is based on the epic Beowulf poem as well as the real-life account of Ahmed), so I don’t know if the stuff he produced is closer to his original vision or not. All I know is that it has a funky double climax and a much too pat conclusion. Purportedly way over budget, it feels like maybe a few more scenes were needed but were ditched considering the circumstances.
Despite a wonky ending, John McTiernan’s (and Michael Crichton’s) The 13th Warrior is still pretty fun. It always leaves me wondering what the original vision looked like, as the production design and performances are more than solid. Antonio Banderas is as charismatic as ever in the lead and shares a nice rapport with his fellow actors. It is recommended, with one big caveat, for fans of Braveheart, Kingdom of Heaven, and Centurion.
Michael Cavender