Pathfinder (2007)

Director:

Marcus Nispel

Writers (WGA):

Laeta Kalogridis (screenplay)
Nils Gaup (1987 screenplay "Veiviseren")

Release Date:

13 April 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | Thriller | War

Tagline:

Two Worlds, One War. The Ultimate Battle Begins.

Plot:

A Viking boy is left behind after his clan battles a Native American tribe. Raised within the tribe, he ultimately becomes their savior in a fight against the Norsemen. |

Plot Keywords:

Sword Fight | Violence | Viking | Torture | Bloodlust

Cast

Karl Urban	...	Ghost
Moon Bloodgood	...	Starfire
Russell Means	...	Pathfinder
Clancy Brown	...	Gunnar
Jay Tavare	...	Blackwing
Nathaniel Arcand	...	Wind In Tree
Ralf Moeller	...	Ulfar
Kevin Loring	...	Jester
Wayne Charles Baker	...	Indian Father (as Wayne C. Baker)
Michelle Thrush	...	Indian Mother
Nicole Muñoz	...	Little Sister
Burkely Duffield	...	Ghost - 12 Years Old
Ray G. Thunderchild	...	Elder #1
Duane Howard	...	Elder #2
Brandon Oakes	...	Elder #3

Also Known As:

Pathfinder: The Legend of the Ghost Warrior (USA) (promotional title)
Sang du guerrier, Le (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence throughout.

Runtime:

99 min | 107 min (unrated DVD version)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English | Icelandic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Malaysia:18SG | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | France:-12 | Peru:14 | USA:R (certificate #42805) | Australia:MA | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Ireland:16 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-15 | USA:Unrated (unrated version) | Brazil:16 | Germany:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Vinland Productions Canada Inc.

Trivia:

Despite knowing that the Vikings' helmets didn't historically have large animal horns on them, the film makers decided to add them in anyway. This would work with the modern audiences who have an ingrained stereotype of what a Viking should look like in their mind. Moreover, the horns make the Vikings look more terrifying.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the beginning you see a white horse, but horses were not introduced to the America continent until 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors arrive. Also the horse is not of a breed that would have been used by the Vikings.

Quotes:

Ghost: [after letting Gunnar fall from the mountain] I'm not your kind.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Ofelas (1987)

Uninspired action movie

Based on a 1987 Norwegian film, "Pathfinder" stars Karl Urban as Ghost, a young Viking who was raised by a tribe of Native Americans after being left behind by his Viking father after a raid on the new world. Years later, a new set of Vikings set foot on their land, and Ghost feels obliged to defend his foster people.

While the film's acting overall is as frigid as the environment, and that the actors are playing no more than stock characters where, "Pathfinder" makes no pretense in presenting itself as a more-brawn-than-brain kind of film.

Granted it's perhaps the case, but the direction of Marcus Nispel is heavily uninspired. Whereas recent films like Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" and Zack Snyder's "300" prove that a film with minimal plot can have its moments if it can build up on tension and sustain a viewer's attention, "Pathfinder" fails to do so. Action scenes are at most moderately entertaining and lacks a kind of punch that would elevate it into a cinematic status. Attempts to impart emotions fall flat and there's no chemistry between Urban and Moon Bloodgood who plays the the obligatory role of the female sidekick.

Overall, "Pathfinder" is a film sorely lacking in impact, that it would leave the viewer in the cold more than it would excite.