Antonio Banderas in Norway leading the Norse to battle? That's a bit like sending George Bush to head up the Spanish Civil War, isn't it? Anyhow, that's what The 13th Warrior is all about.
In a land long ago there was a dashing Baghad nobleman Ibn Fadian, Banderas, natch, who, after a slight indiscretion with the wrong woman, is banished to the countryside.
He is appointed emissary to nowhere land. There he encounters a gang of nomads who throw him off course, way off course presumably, as he then meets a posse of unkempt, partying Norsemen with voracious appetites for the baser things in life.
After some bandying about with the Norsemen, an ancient seer appears on the scene and foretells of a mysterious bunch of nasty critters about to decimate a village back on the Viking's home turf.
After 12 of the Norsemen have volunteered to go defend the village, the seer declares a 13th is needed, not a Norseman. Yes, you guessed it.
Recalling his performance last year in mask of Zorro, the muscular Banderas is both reluctant hero but valiant warrior when recruited to go chase the hell raisers back in Viking-land. He trades cultural jabs with the Norsemen regarding their tastes in weapons and horses and the like, but they
bond anyhow.
Then the action starts, as this is, after all, an action movie, and there is enough sword rattling and clanking, blood and battles to satisfy the most avid adventure enthusiast as the assembled baker's dozen thwart the evil enemy.
Directed by John McTiernan, the film is based on a novel by Michael Crichton who gave us Jurassic Park and Sphere. McTiernan's credits include Predator and The Hunt for Red October. The movie is rated R "for bloody battles and carnage," (now, there's a rating), and opens Thursday at Caribbean Cinema's Market Square East.