Pathfinder  

Year of Release: 2007
Genre: Action / Adventure
Rating: R for strong brutal violence throughout.
Director: Marcus Nispel
Starring: Karl Urban, Moon Bloodgood, Russell Means, Ralf Moeller, Clancy Brown, Jay Tavare, Kevin Loring.

Date Of Review: March 2008

“Pathfinder” is a Viking opera with nasty visuals, a weak plot, unintelligible dialogue and cardboard costume performances. It is a poor advertisement for the Sword and Sandal genre. I like the notion that they are still making this type of entertainment but when it’s done this poorly why even bother? Sadly, “Pathfinder” gives Sword and Sandal films a bad name. Before I go any further, I must say that I am a fan of the genre but this film isn’t no “Conan” and it isn’t no “Scorpion King” for that matter. One thing is for sure the film doesn’t even come close to the Norseman classics of yesteryear like, “The Vikings” and “The Long Ships”. Sadly, “Pathfinder” seems to lack any element of fun that these types of films need.  The setting for “Pathfinder” is North America, 600 years before Christopher Columbus. That’s right; the Vikings that were famous for their barbaric invasions of Northern Europe even made their way to North America. After an invasion a young Viking child is left behind and then raised by the Indians. 15 years later when his ancestors return for another invasion he has to confront them to protect his new family.  It makes for an interesting premise, Vikings V Indians instead of Cowboys V Indians but the film provides too many visuals and not enough narrative.

This look at Viking savagery is a hard watch. The filmmakers have gone to great effort to make the film look stylish but it’s a stylistic approach that you can only take so much of. Ultimately, it leaves you with a feeling of emptiness.  The film’s style is like a painting, one that I might look at briefly in an art exhibition but do not want to keep looking at for 100 plus minutes. Its style is static, never changes and wears thin very fast. The cinematography is murky and drained of color, so much so that the film looks like a photo that has been printed with a bad ink cartridge. There is some spectacular scenery throughout, however, it is photographed in such dull lighting that it’s difficult to appreciate its splendor. Most sequences are set predominately at night with adverse blizzard-like weather conditions such as rain and snow. Also, there is an excessive use of smoke machines that add to the film’s dark shadowy style. Maybe the filmmakers used this style as a camouflage to blend artificial sets with real location scenery. Whatever the case may be, it certainly makes for one unappealing mess. It’s all just a pointless excuse for visuals with a high carnage quotient, with lopping of heads and limbs as opposed to real-action choreography. Unfortunately, what kills “Pathfinder” for me is its unappealing visual style.

As for the narrative, there is not much English dialogue in the film and a good part of it is subtitled. When the occasional bit of dialogue does seep through the cracks it turns out to be quite uninteresting and doesn’t really help the story much. Strangely enough, the acting comes across stronger in the subtitled sequences than in the English dialogue scenes. At times, you long for the Icelandic language with subtitles as opposed to the English dialogue, simply because it is much more convincing. In one amusing instance a subtitle pops up on the screen stating “I can’t see anything”. My immediate thought was, neither can I, the scene was that poorly lit. It was weird, like a speech bubble on a comic strip. Here it was on the screen describing my thoughts exactly.  

Sadly, all “Pathfinder” clings to is its visual style and if you don’t like it you won’t like the film. Its style seems to overshadow everything else. The pictures do all the talking but the style in which the pictures are presented are a let it down. Karl Urban does give it his all and brings the much needed physicality to his role but the film’s plot and the cinematography depreciate his performance. The script fails to give him much of a human element. In fact, all the characters in the film struggle to connect with the audience, however the costumes and helmets are a standout and are a good example of an imagination gone wild. Having said that, Ralf Moeller (TV's Conan: The Adventurer) is wasted in one of those helmets. Ralf is completely covered up and almost unrecognisable. I was only able to work out it was him via his voice and even then I had to confirm it by checking the credits. The former Mr. Universe was used to much better effect in "Gladiator" and "The Scorpion King".

“Pathfinder” flopped in the US, grossing only $10 million on its cinema run. As a result it was released straight to DVD in some parts of the world. Also, in some crazy way, “Pathfinder” may even bear a slight resemblance to Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto” (2006) but that film is a masterpiece compared to this. When they do make a sword and sandal film that is this un-engaging it is very disappointing because when they are done well they can offer great escapist entertainment. The fantasy elements, the murky battle scenes and the mindless violence may please some juvenile audiences but that's about it. One thing is for sure “Pathfinder” is below par in its genre and certainly no history lesson.

© Copyright Pick Of The Flicks. All rights reserved.

Other Vikings Flicks - Now Available on DVD:

The Vikings (1958) [DVD]
Sweeping adventure saga of the Vikings' invasion of England centers on a Viking warrior prince (Kirk Douglas) and a former slave (Tony Curtis), bitter enemies and unwitting half brothers who clash over control of the British kingdom of Northumbria and the love of a beautiful English princess (Janet Leigh). Ernest Borgnine also stars with Orson Welles serving as narrator. Filmed on location in Norway; directed by Richard Fleischer. 124 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono, Spanish Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; featurette; theatrical trailer.

The Last Of The Vikings (1961) [DVD]
Rousing Nordic adventure about two Viking siblings who band together to combat an evil warlord who has taken over their homeland. There's action galore in store with Cameron Mitchell, Edmund Purdom, Isabelle Corey. 103 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.

The Vikings (2000) [DVD]
Their brutal reputation made them a feared enemy across Europe, but they were also savvy traders and intrepid explorers who reached America centuries before Columbus and established the world's oldest surviving parliament. This "Nova" program traces the history and culture of the Norse people, separating fact from fiction and showing how they shaped the face of medieval Europe. 120 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Vikings: Journey To New Worlds (2006) [DVD]
Breathtaking IMAX documentary filmed in Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland examines the history of the Vikings through stunning dramatizations and computer animation. Focusing on the adventures of Eric the Red and his son Leif Ericsson, the program delves deep into how Viking culture and traditions shaped the Old and New World. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Surround, French Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Surround, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Surround; Subtitles: English; featurette.

Erik The Conqueror (1961) [DVD]
Two brothers, separated at birth, find themselves as adults fighting on opposite sides in a deadly struggle between English and Viking forces for control of the seas. Rousing costume actioner from horror director Mario Bava stars Cameron Mitchell, Giorgio Ardisson, Alice Kessler. AKA: "Fury of the Vikings," "The Invaders." 90 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, Italian Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; interview; biography; photo gallery; theatrical trailers.

Karl Urban DVD Collection - Now Available:
Click here for Karl Urban Movies on DVD

Ralf Moeller DVD Collection - Now Available:
Click here for Ralf Moeller Movies on DVD

Pick Of The Flicks - Recommended Links:
Ralf Moeller at Hollywood Cult Movies
Muscle Men Of Peplum at Hollywood Cult Movies
Cinematic Tough Guys at Hollywood Cult Movies

Sword & Sandal Epics (Pre-1970)
Sword & Sandal Epics (Post-1970)
Sword & Sandal Epics on DVD

Pick Of The Flicks Blog Spot / Messageboard:
Click here to have your say or see what others are saying

Use the search bars below to search our site, find your favorite movie or find your favorite poster:

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.pickoftheflicks.com