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the 13th warrior
A middle eastern diplomat is sent to build foreign relationships as a punishment for being attracted to a higher officials wife.In the process he is forced to team up with a group of Norsemen to rescue a village from a savage army of non humans.
This movie came from a period of time which I would like to call as golden age of high risk movies.Movie studios still haven't figured the formula to make billions as they do now. There are only few IPs worth investing multi hundred millions into.So studios were forced to invest into the ideas of successful directors and writers and movie stars.Michael Crichton following the success of Jurassic Park wanted to make a movie based on his book eaters of the dead.He was able to assemble John McTiernan(Director of Die hard and Predator) to helm the project and also Crichton wanted to have some input on the project. With the success of Jurassic Park and cache from McTiernan filmography , they were given full reigns by the studio.
The most impressive thing about this movie is the scope of it. The huge budget shows on the screen.Everything about the movie feels real.You are transported to the time period.The second most impressive thing about it is its willingness to take ill-advised risks. At this budget the movie needs an all american movie star at the helm to recoup its money back in a traditional sense.But the film makers were hoping for it to be surprise hit. Even though the budget of the movie kept increasing after the shooting began had they not believed that the quality of the film would bring in audience they wouldn't have gone on to spend more to finish the movie. Add to that the presence of a middle eastern lead in a movie about Norsemen you get a very bold film.
The plot revolves around the concept of chosen one and coming to terms with one's destiny. These concepts could have been dealt in a much deeper and darker way but instead the filmmakers choose to make an action movie with these concepts being glossed over and given a backseat to the action elements of the movie. The concept of "fear of the unknown" was done much better but there is some disconnect between the fear of characters in the movie and the fear of audience. Audience might not be as scared of the protagonists as the characters in the movies do. Respecting the ways of others is a concept the movie dealt with in a practical manner. In reality people do not respect others just because they are different. They respect others if they prove that they are worth respecting.
One of the weakest elements of the movie is the transition of a diplomat into a warrior being able to fight protagonists who seem to be bred for war.Antonio banderas was good fit for the role.All the supporting characters were good.
This movie was dealt a bad hand at box office and critical reception. It should receive the same respect as Independence day. If independence days is still being remembered as a fun blockbuster then this movie needs to be remembered as a dark action blockbuster and not as the biggest box office bomb of all time.
A middle eastern diplomat is sent to build foreign relationships as a punishment for being attracted to a higher officials wife.In the process he is forced to team up with a group of Norsemen to rescue a village from a savage army of non humans.
This movie came from a period of time which I would like to call as golden age of high risk movies.Movie studios still haven't figured the formula to make billions as they do now. There are only few IPs worth investing multi hundred millions into.So studios were forced to invest into the ideas of successful directors and writers and movie stars.Michael Crichton following the success of Jurassic Park wanted to make a movie based on his book eaters of the dead.He was able to assemble John McTiernan(Director of Die hard and Predator) to helm the project and also Crichton wanted to have some input on the project. With the success of Jurassic Park and cache from McTiernan filmography , they were given full reigns by the studio.
The most impressive thing about this movie is the scope of it. The huge budget shows on the screen.Everything about the movie feels real.You are transported to the time period.The second most impressive thing about it is its willingness to take ill-advised risks. At this budget the movie needs an all american movie star at the helm to recoup its money back in a traditional sense.But the film makers were hoping for it to be surprise hit. Even though the budget of the movie kept increasing after the shooting began had they not believed that the quality of the film would bring in audience they wouldn't have gone on to spend more to finish the movie. Add to that the presence of a middle eastern lead in a movie about Norsemen you get a very bold film.
The plot revolves around the concept of chosen one and coming to terms with one's destiny. These concepts could have been dealt in a much deeper and darker way but instead the filmmakers choose to make an action movie with these concepts being glossed over and given a backseat to the action elements of the movie. The concept of "fear of the unknown" was done much better but there is some disconnect between the fear of characters in the movie and the fear of audience. Audience might not be as scared of the protagonists as the characters in the movies do. Respecting the ways of others is a concept the movie dealt with in a practical manner. In reality people do not respect others just because they are different. They respect others if they prove that they are worth respecting.
One of the weakest elements of the movie is the transition of a diplomat into a warrior being able to fight protagonists who seem to be bred for war.Antonio banderas was good fit for the role.All the supporting characters were good.
This movie was dealt a bad hand at box office and critical reception. It should receive the same respect as Independence day. If independence days is still being remembered as a fun blockbuster then this movie needs to be remembered as a dark action blockbuster and not as the biggest box office bomb of all time.