The 13th Warrior
Disney / Buena Vista (1999)
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
In Collection
#405
5*
Seen It:  Yes
(6/13/2011)
717951004659
IMDB   6.0
102 mins USA/English
DVD  Region 1   R
Antonio Banderas Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan Ibn Al Abbas Ibn Rashid Ibn Hamad
Vladimir Kulich Buliwyf/The 1st Warrior
Dennis Storhøi Herger the Joyous
Daniel Southern Edgtho the Silent
Neil Maffin Roneth the Rider
John DeSantis Ragnar the Dour
Clive Russell Helfdane the Fat
Mischa Hausserman Rethel the Archer
Oliver Sveinall Haltaf the Boy
Asbjørn 'Bear' Riis Halga the Wise
Richard Bremmer Skeld the Superstitious
Director Michael Crichton
John McTiernan
Producer Michael Crichton
Ned Dowd
John McTiernan
Lou Arkoff
Writer Michael Crichton
William Wisher Jr.
Warren Lewis

What happened to The 13th Warrior? Directed by John McTiernan (Die Hard), it's the tale of young Arab ambassador Ahmahd ibn Fahdalan (Antonio Banderas), who's vanquished from his homeland for loving the wrong woman. On his journeys he associates with a ragtag group of Vikings who are traveling back to their homeland to confront a nefarious threat that's cloaked in such superstition they're forbidden to speak its name. It is prophesied by a witch doctor that 13 warriors must confront the evil; however, the 13th chosen man must not come from the north. Suddenly Banderas is forced into the breach, somewhat against his will. More poet than battle-worn warrior, he must not only fight the aggressors but come to terms with the unfamiliar Norse culture. What follows is a vigorous and brutal adventure reminiscent of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. Sumptuous and invigorating battle sequences fill the screen from beginning to end as the brave Norsemen battle insurmountable odds.

Sounds good. So why did this film, once known as the Eaters of the Dead, sit on studio shelves for two years? Presumably because of the thoughtless editing that trimmed down the film to its bare bones, crafting an actionfest out of an epic. It's not often that you crave for a movie to be longer, but The 13th Warrior could've benefited from fleshing out of its subplots and characters. On the surface it's good eye candy with some fine pulse-quickening moments, and Banderas and the accompanying cast turn in sympathetic performances, epitomizing camaraderie in the face of impending doom. However, if you're looking for a good thematic tale from the Dark Ages (akin to Braveheart), you may be disappointed. --Jeremy Storey
Edition Details
Chapters 17
Release Date 8/7/2001
Packaging Keep Case
Screen Ratio 2.35:1
Audio Tracks ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC]
FRENCH: Dolby Digital Stereo
Layers Single Side, Dual Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes 1
Personal Details
Purchase Date 1/18/2000
Owner Thomas Eisenmann
Store Best Buy
Purchase Price $19.95
Condition Excellent
Reviewed Widescreen Review
Bit Rate 448 KB
Anamophic Yes
Links IMDB
DVD Empire

Features
Anamophic
Color Closed-captioned Widescreen Dolby

Widescreen Review
Story Synopsis:
Based on the Michael Crichton novel, “Eaters Of The Dead,” “The 13th Warrior” stars Antonio Banderas as an exiled ambassador who, while traveling with a band of 12 fierce Nordic warriors, joins their fight against hideous man-eating creatures.

DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced picture, viewed in component video, exhibits a rich, fully saturated picture with natural colors and fleshtones, and the deepest blacks. Images are sharp and finely detailed throughout. Much of the film, lit by fires and torches for a distinct quality, exhibits excellent shadow delineation. Other sources have claimed that the picture is poor due to its dark quality, but the picture is absolutely solid and impressive in a completely blackened room. Edges are occasionally enhanced, but never distracting. Minor artifacts are apparent, but there is no pixelization for a picture that will surely please in all aspects. The picture measures 2.32:1, anamorphic and letterbox.

Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack on the DVD is an exciting sonic presentation that is sure to be wonderfully entertaining. Fidelity is remarkable, and the sound is delivered with an often prominent, aggressive presence that can seem bright during the loudest moments. Nonetheless, much praise is due for this film’s dynamic and active soundtrack, which utilizes the 360-degree listening space throughout the film, always depicting a holosonic "painting" of the environment on-screen. This achievement is aided in large part by the effective utilization of split surrounds. The sound design for this film is remarkable as well, with the poignant sounds of swords making their daunting impact on shields and bodies. Bass is deep, and sometimes powerful with extension to 25Hz in both the main channels and the .1 LFE. The dialogue, for which it is directional at times, is well-recorded, with natural-sounding voices, but spatial integration compromised due to male voices sounding close-miked (an indication of an ADR production). The music score, composed by Jerry Goldsmith and recorded/mixed by Bruce Botnick, is excellent, with a prominent, expansive, sweeping presence that is also rich and dynamic. For the sense of adventure, excitement, suspense, and urgency, this film soundtrack’s convincing package of multichannel sound effects, visceral low frequencies, and an impressive music score is a sure winner!

This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality
Superb Music Score Recording Quality
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality
Reference Quality
Collector Edition