Pathfinder

It's Vikings vs. Indians in Marcus Nispel's visually striking but harebrained action adventure, based on Nils Gaup's 1988 Oscar-nominated Norwegian film. The premise: Scandinavian warriors landing in North America centuries before Columbus are killed in a shipwreck, except for a young boy who is raised by the local tribe. Fifteen years later, Ghost (Karl Urban) is a strapping young fellow, treated as an outsider by some but respected by the aging shaman or Pathfinder, who's preparing to name his successor. The Indians' idyllic existence is shattered by the arrival of another brutal Viking raiding party, who slaughter almost everyone in Ghost's village before capturing Ghost and forcing him to lead them to the Pathfinder and his band. Of course, Ghost is not about to let the invaders wipe out his adopted family. Unfortunately, this is very silly stuff, made more ridiculous by dialogue that features a lot of pseudo-mystical claptrap and some speeches that are real howlers, and Urban can't do much but pose while his rippling muscles do the acting. Although Pathfinder is risible on a narrative level, visually it's often impressive, with vast outdoor scenes expertly composed in dark shades to look like exquisitely rendered comic-book panels. Still, while lovely to look at, the film is just too somberly ridiculous. Not recommended. [Note: Available in either R rated or unrated versions, DVD extras include audio commentary by director Marcus Nispel, seven deleted scenes with optional commentary (10 min.), the featurettes “The Design” on set and costume design (7 min.), “The Shoot” (6 min.), “The Stunts” (6 min.), “The Beginning” on creating the story (5 min.), “The Build” (5 min.), “We Shoot Now!” a behind-the-scenes look with Nispel (3 min.), and “Clancy Brown: Cult Hero” (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a too-often-laughable film.] (F. Swietek)