The 13th Warrior

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The 13th Warrior

R

Released Aug 27, 1999

1h 43m

Adventure

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

33%

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90 Reviews

66%

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100,000+ Ratings

A Muslim ambassador exiled from his homeland, Ahmad ibn Fadlan (Antonio Banderas) finds himself in the company of Vikings. While the behavior of the Norsemen initially offends ibn Fadlan, the more cultured outsider grows to respect the tough, if uncouth, warriors. During their travels together, ibn Fadlan and the Vikings get word of an evil presence closing in, and they must fight the frightening and formidable force, which was previously thought to exist only in legend.

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Critics Consensus

Atmospheric, great sets and costumes, but thin plot.

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Paul Tatara

CNN.com

Akira Kurosawa's brilliant samurai movies -- especially 1957's Throne of Blood -- are a visual influence. But the script lacks the dignity that infuses Kurosawa's equally blood-thirsty characters.

Feb 6, 2018

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

Michael Crichton's story is underdeveloped and narrow in range, resulting in a tale more curious for its odd confluence of elements than for their edifying deployment.

Jun 17, 2008

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

At its best, this achieves the beauty and grandeur of a Kurosawa epic -- at its worst, however, it feels like a Python remake of The Vikings.

Feb 9, 2006

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Chuck Klosterman

Akron Beacon Journal

On paper, that description undoubtedly seems ridiculous. But remember -- what The 13th Warrior does best is make the ridiculous seem (for lack of a better word) "cool."

Rated: 3/4

Oct 26, 2023

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Alistair Lawrence

Common Sense Media

All in all it proved to be a cinematic outing that was definitely unlucky for some.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 21, 2021

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Betty Jo Tucker

ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Exciting battle sequences, intriguing period costumes, fascinating cinematography, and stirring background music contribute to the epic nature of 'The 13th Warrior.'

Jul 10, 2011

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Audience Member

Another one that the majority of critics got utterly wrong. Before we had VIKINGS we had THE 13TH WARRIOR, a cleverly woven action story that spins the old Beowulf legend into an engaging action piece worthy of Kurosawa.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/13/24

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Audience Member

It's LOTR meets Vikings. I thought it look dated but I was pleasantly surprised. Like LOTR it still looks good. It looks better than most movies out now. I'm not sure how I missed this gem. Ignore the "professional" reviewers. I wanted some Saturday Night entertainment and boy did it deliver. Acting. Story. Cinematics. Action. Monsters. Gore. Humour. Adventure. A real ending. Ticked every box.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/07/24

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Kevin F

One of the most baffling misses with the box office in history. Great story, cast and direction from McTiernan and Crichton delivers a classic adventure film.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

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James S

The professional critics are out of touch. It was a great move!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/26/24

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Steve K

The professional critics hate this movie. Let them. This a truly enjoyable movie. The characters are fantastic. The story is an intriguing one. So many great scenes, including when “Ibn” demonstrates his knowledge of the Viking language and instruction of how to write. The interplay between the vastly different cultures of the Norse and the travelling Muslims is fascinating. This movie has a few imperfections, but I found it exciting, fun, and much of it beautifully written and acted.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/06/24

Full Review

Ryan K

Probably one of Banderas' best, filled with great quotes, suspense, high-tempo action, and the ending befits the build-up. This "stranger in a strange land" epic is WORTH YOUR TIME. I've probably watched it over 100 times. Keeps getting better!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/25/24

Full Review

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Michael Crichton

Director

John McTiernan

Director

Antonio Banderas

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan Ibn Al Abbas Ibn Rashid Ibn Hamad

Diane Venora

Queen Weilew

Dennis Storhøi

Herger the Joyous

Omar Sharif

Melchisidek

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Synopsis

A Muslim ambassador exiled from his homeland, Ahmad ibn Fadlan (Antonio Banderas) finds himself in the company of Vikings. While the behavior of the Norsemen initially offends ibn Fadlan, the more cultured outsider grows to respect the tough, if uncouth, warriors. During their travels together, ibn Fadlan and the Vikings get word of an evil presence closing in, and they must fight the frightening and formidable force, which was previously thought to exist only in legend.

Director: Michael Crichton, John McTiernan
Producer: Ned Dowd, Michael Crichton, John McTiernan
Screenwriter: Michael Crichton, William Wisher Jr., Warren Lewis
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Adventure, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 27, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 31, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $32.7M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Surround

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