Reviewers' grade: C-

The Indians take on the Vikings in this pulpy, Conan-esque historical mishmash. Karl Urban stars as Ghost, a Viking child left behind on a raid to Vineland. He's brought up by Indians and when the Vikings return 15 years later to show what pillage idiots they are, Ghost lays into them.

 

White Europeans are the cause of the Indians' troubles and, according to this script, only a white European can rescue them. It all works as a nothing-special action film that is, on the surface, heavy on violence but light on gore, and contains underneath the usual unintended racism. You also can find commentary on cultures that want to spread the values of civilization by slaughtering indigenous populations and replacing them with something worthwhile, like, uh, us. R

 

"?Doug Bentin

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