Pathfinder

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

Hot on the heels of the far superior 300 comes another graphic novel adaptation that rewrites history in favor of action rather than accuracy. Set about 600 years before Columbus discovered America, the story revolves around a young Norse boy who is left behind after his Viking clan fights a local North American tribe. Fifteen years pass and the boy grows into a man they call Ghost (Karl Urban), who now must save his girlfriend (Moon Bloodgood) and do battle to the death when the Vikings return, led by the evil bloodthirsty Gunnar (Clancy Brown), who promises to wipe them all out. Judging by the body count, he's clearly a man of his words. Ghost is guided by the wisdom of the Indian prophet, Pathfinder (Russell Means), who motivates him with his key philosophy: "If you are not strong enough to kill the bear, use the bears strength to kill it." Obviously, dialogue isn't this film's strong suit. Lopping off heads is. Shot in a dark and moody tone so drab you have to strain to see what is going on, Pathfinder does not give a lot of context for its battle sequences, and the soul and humanity so key to 300's success goes missing here in favor of repeated bloodshed. Director Marcus Nispel, best known for his music video shoots, delivers all style and no substance, sacrificing story for a good sword up the ass every time. However, if taking historical liberties doesn't bother you and you're in the mood for some good old-fashioned Viking violence, find a path to the multiplex and wallow in this thing for a couple of hours.

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