Review of The 13th Warrior (1999) by Bernardthebeast — 02 Feb 2020

Let me put my bias right at the front: when people ask what my favorite movie is, I say "pffbt, I have no favorites. If pressed, I say "The 13th Warrior.".

• Tremendously unique protagonist: an Arab, Muslim Poet, whose brains and creativity help in his evolution into becoming a warrior.

• An authentically Nordic cast: actors who convey the culture with palpable sincerity.

• A D&D-style tale of Nordic Viking warriors and their exploits: the formation of the party and their quest.

• Gritty and bloody, this movie treads between action and horror in places.

If you play video games, you might very quickly draw parallels between this and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (for good reason, as one of the lead protagonists in this film also voices one of the lead characters in that game: Vladimir Kulich as Ulfric Stormcloak, and here as Buliwyf). You might also find a comfortable familiarity with the scenery, the characters, in personality, apparel and weaponry.

There is no literal magic within the movie, only the myths that are dispelled upon further discovery. This movie is gritty and fairly realistic in a way that's somewhat refreshing; though we have confidence in the plot-armor of our main character, we learn the other 12 warriors may not have that kind of safety.

The movie starts slow, ramps sharply up in the middle, and slows down towards the end, potentially creating more questions than answers as they learn more about their antagonistic foes. In the end, the villains are defeated, and victory is assured, but not without unfortunate sacrifice.

For its cinematography, unique characters rarely seen on the Hollywood screen, its retelling of a classic myth, and its dedication to preserving the medieval tenacity of Nordic Warrior adventures, I give the film a 9/10. It's a subject that I love and enjoy, and this movie did a spectacular job in giving me what I wanted.

If you have similar interests, hopefully you'll enjoy it too! If not, this movie probably won't be anything special.