Direction

Every single line of this site sing the praises of John McTiernaniernan.

At the same time it is impossible not to include a separate chapter about him, because as it is known, director is the most important person in the film. However talented the actors, and skillful camermen are , in the end the film will be only what the director wants it to be. I am quite convinced that The 13th warrior is what it is primarily owing to McTiernaniernan, because the style of the creator of Predator and Die Hard is clearly recognisable in it.

For some McTiernan is a maker of grossing and super-grossing actions, but for me he is above all a very understanding man whose films offer a story of people along with a thrilling plot, and extreme situations serve to capture the essence of a human personality. That is why his characters, being symbolical, are amazingly realistic And in The 13th warrior McTiernan is at its most successful). So I think this is the right place to tell what makes the film a distinguished work of art.

I don't want to dissemble: the fact that The 13th warrior is first of all an impressive show doesn't in the least makes it less valuable. It is a show, with fierce battle scenes, looking so real that after them I cannot watch well choreographed ones from other Hollywood blockbusters, with a thoroughly recreated environment of the early Middle Ages, all against a background of awe-inspiring Northern wilderness. It is the kind of show that keeps the viewer at the edge of the seat, fearing to miss a second, because the flow of the film starting from the the very first moment does not stop until the end - from a ship in stormy sea, to graceful walk of an Arabian beauty, to a caravan carrying across the desert and on and on… The smooth circular motion of camera gives life even to static scenes.

Being quite short, the film contains more than many some 3-hour-too-long ones. A precise and laconic style denotes high skill and makes the viewer a sort of co-creator. Thoughts here are not told with words but are let to be seen in all their various meanings, depth and significance, The viewer is not distracted by a flow of conversation. This kind of trust in the viewer certainly has its risks - some may not understand- but on the other hand it can be greatly appreciated.

On the whole, the film is open to the audience and designed so as to provide the maximum effect of being involved in the experience. This is achieved through the choice of the main character and through the way events are presented, which is person-related. Moreover, events are seen from the point of view of several persons who are involved in the particular event. It is impossible not to notice that we are practically looking with their eyes. This is the way good books are written, but it is the first time I saw it in the movie and the impression is unforgettable.

The 13th warrior is very enthralling and dynamic, and I cannot understand how the director managed to combine dynamism with a close look into the inner world of characters. The statement that the above-mentioned 'look' makes the main point of the film is supported by numerous close-ups and silent scenes, by a number of episodes not directly connected with the storyline, but aimed exclusively at the description of characters, which is, you will perhaps agree, not typical of a box-office hit.

I respect McTiernan for his not having too high opinion of himself and not turning a film into demonstration of his own exceptional talent and unique creative personality. Still he has his personal recognisable style. So if you ever asked yourself what makes the difference between a good director and others see The 13th warrior and you will understand that a good director is not someone who has used the whole set of usual cinema tricks in his film but the one who has been able to join completely heterogeneous elements into one deeply dynamic, living and unique film. That is why there is no clumsy special effects here, no brain-pressure, no common cliches and director's stupid 'brainwaves'… All this is of no need for those who can tell about complex things simply.

The author's point of view is not pressurised into the viewer's mind neither in the form of words (like all that tedious moral-teaching) nor in the form of images. In The 13th warrior all that we feel and understand comes through us, it's a higher-level comprehension. There is no emphasis on the unconcsious and the irrational, which is characteristic of mass-culture in consumer society, the film appeals to self-reliant perception, which distinguishes this film, which is about people and for people, from many others.

And finally, a very interesting detail which at first doesn't seem important. Names of the warriors are rarely mentioned in the film (actually some names are not mentioned at all). However , in the end there are names of all the thirteen accompanied by short notes so that we can learn about them. It's a small thing of course, but it tells much that it was thought about while such things get missed in many other cases.

It is important to remember that every aspect of a film bears a mark of the director's work and it should not be forgotten who guided the creation of this master thing.