The 13th Warrior

A Muslim ambassador exiled from his homeland joins a group of Vikings, initially offended by their behavior but growing to respect them. As they travel together, they learn of a legendary evil closing in and must unite to confront this formidable force.

Critics were sharply divided on this Viking-era adventure: detractors found it a lumbering series of expensive set-pieces that never bothered to build a story worth caring about, while defenders saw it as a genuinely exhilarating, wildly inventive action film. The atmosphere, costumes, and production design earned grudging respect even from the skeptics, but the thin plotting was a near-universal sticking point.