Other

Among many reasons why I like this film is that I am bored to death with standard US film-faces with the basic set of instincts on them and even more with post-Soviet new-Russian types, and here you can see normal human faces. Besides, these people play! While some US movies show that stars can perform no more than ordinarily, this one has shown that unknown ( at least to the general public) actors can play brilliantly. By the way, judging from credits the cast was just as multinational as the group of warriors is supposed to be.

The warriors do not simply serve as a background for the the main character, as it usuallly happens. Attention is paid practically to each of them. And these warriors are not just fighting units but personalities interesting each in his own way. Not without a reason we are given an opportunity to virtually look into their eyes. Here they are volunteering to take part in the conquest, learning the lesson taught by young Arab, watching the enemy approaching. Silent and talkative, gloomy and humorous - all of them are psychologically realistic and living images. You probably don't want to miss a second of the film because every moment there are people on the screen who are worth looking at.

Finally, unlike many secondary characters the warriors are not static, although this is rather due to improvement of the main character's (and consequently the viewer's) vision, than to their own development. The rough, dirty and rude barbarians turn out to be faithul friends, fearless warriors and nearly careful nurses, as after the hardships gone through side by side we come to understand, respect and even love them.