"Fear reigns."
A movie adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel Eaters of the Dead which is itself a novel/prose adaptation of the Beowulf saga. Actually, it's more of a rationalization. Crichton takes the story of Beowulf and relates it in a more believable manner. He focuses around Ibn Fadlan, an actual Arab that travelled into the North and made contact with the Vikings. Crichton took what parts of Ibn Fadlan's manuscript were translated into English and developed a possible rationalized version of the Beowulf story around it. The movie (and presumably the book, I haven't read it) involves Buliwyf and his band of warriors (including Ibn Fadlan) aiding King Hrothgar against the Wendols, a seemingly primitive tribe of Cro-Magnon warriors whose manner of dress, fighting technique, etc. makes them seem like "beasts." They also happen to enjoy riding their horses en masse with torches aloft (from afar it looks to be a "fire serpent"). If you've read Beowulf and watch this movie you'll notice more rationalizations throughout.
directed by: John McTiernan
written by: Michael Crichton, William Wisher, Jr., et. al.
cast:
Antonio Banderas - Ahmed Ibn Fadlan
Vladimir Kulich - Buliwyf
Dennis Storhøi - Herger the Joyous
et. al.