10,000 B.C. has all the elements of a fairytale, including a narrator (the great Omar Sharif). Ghosts, fate, omens, wise men, and forgotten mystic traditions are all mentioned. As a result, it makes a lot of demands on its viewers. There’s nothing spectacular going on, which may annoy some – but the characters are powerful, basic archetypes of good and evil, and the plot follows the hero’s struggles.
It was the lack of glitzy cinematic effects that drew me in. You’re well aware of who the nice man is. You already know what he has to do. It’s also a lot of fun to see if he can accomplish it or not.
How to Stream or Download 10,000 BC
To stream or to download the film from a digital store, click on the Download button at the end of this review.
The Movie Review
The story takes place in a time in history when man and beast were untamed, and mammoths were not yet extinct. A time when ideas and ideals were formed that would forever change the course of history and mankind.
There lies a young hunter named D’Leh sets off on a mission to lead an army through a wide desert, facing sabertooth tigers and prehistoric creatures as he unravels a hidden civilization and tries to save Evolet from an evil tyrant who wants to take her, Warlord – leader of the Four-Legged Demons.
Director Roland Emmerich isn’t known for intellectual screenplays or deep characters, but the film’s lack of enthusiasm, mediocre visual effects, and boring pacing all point to the same conclusion: it’s a movie more dead than a dodo bird.
Despite the film’s title, it contains many historical inaccuracies, such as some clans who speak English: a language that never existed at the time. But complaining about inaccuracies in a fictional movie is pretty much pointless, so it’s better treating it as a fantasy film set in a different world. I was never a fan of caveman movies anyways, so it didn’t matter.
What I like about this movie is that the sceneries are insanely beautiful, it reminded me a lot of Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto but for children. Speaking of, it’s packed with lots of action – spear-hunting mammoths, a boss fight involving thousands of people, and a prehistoric bird attack. It shifts between an intense drama to a popcorn movie, but not in a bad way.
Because of great performances by Steven Strait and Cliff Curtis, there are moments of genuine sadness, laughter, and courage in the film. Not to mention Evolet, played by Camilla Belle, is a badass female as well. Other than that, the costumes and set design are great, and the soundtrack was pretty decent.
What I hated is that the dialogue tried hard to be touching but very much ends up being corny. A lot of important moments were ruined by obvious statements, and the climax comes almost comes way too easy.
And most of the time, this doesn’t elicit any positive reaction. Some viewers will be moved by the poetry, while others will be annoyed.
Because it involved prehistoric animals, I was expecting a CGI roller coaster ride like Jurassic Park, but that particularly didn’t turn out to be true. Many of the furry mammoths looked so goofy I couldn’t help but chuckle, and my mind wandered aimlessly throughout the film.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, 10,000 B.C. is not only brain-dead, it’s also lifeless. It’s a feast for the eyes but not for the heart, despite the cute story it has. It’s intense without being depressing, lighthearted without being silly, and tragic but rewarding. To put it bluntly, it’s intriguing, but it’s also incredibly commercial. If you aren’t watching it on a big screen, you should skip watching 10,000 B.C.
