The 13th Warrior (1999)
Who’s responsible John McTiernan (Predator, Die Hard, The Hunt For Red October)
The talent Antonio Banderas, Omar Sharif, Diane Venora
The pitch In the year of Our Lord 922, Arab courier Ahmad Ibn Fadian travels to the frozen north to do battle with a terrible beast that’s slaughtering the local Viking population, stripping them of their flesh.
Expenses Although it was in development for years, The 13th Warrior wasn’t an expensive picture because of either cast or crew excess. On the contrary, its nine-figure price tag was pretty much the norm for a 1990s movie with a name actor, an accomplished director, a period setting and a Michael Crichton screenplay.
Professional opinion “It displays a lot of cash on the screen, but little thought” The Chicago Sun-Times
Battle damage McTiernan clambered free of the wreckage courtesy of his smash hit remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. Banderas’ career took a little longer to get back up to speed as he was so busy deciding whether or not to divorce Melanie Griffith.
Redeeming features As Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post had it, “Any movie with four beheadings is pretty darned good entertainment.”
Cost $140m
Take $41.9m
Loss $98.1m
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