The Pioneer

This film (drama)Also known asPathfinder，is aUSAProducerwomen sex，At2007Released in year 。The dialogue language isEnglish，Current Douban rating6.0(For reference only)。

Story: 　　This film is adapted from the 1987 Norwegian movie "Ofelas". The story of "Ofelas" takes place in Norway in the year 1000, where a tribe living in the northern part of the Scandinavian peninsula brutally murders a family: a couple and their daughter. This sudden disaster is witnessed by the family's young son, who narrowly escapes the massacre and vows to take revenge. Unfortunately, before he can retaliate, the vile marauders capture him and use him as a guide to find the locals. What can he do? Aid the oppressors? Or find a way to take revenge? The boy is trapped in a painful dilemma. "Ofelas" received widespread acclaim after its release. 　　The adapted story is set 500 years before Columbus discovered the New World, on the American continent, where the Vikings had already found the land. The Vikings, referred to as "pirates," began their process of plundering the indigenous peoples after discovering the New World. The story begins with a group of Vikings who, after committing violence, face resistance from Native Americans, and in their panic, they leave a Viking boy behind on the continent. The kind Native Americans take him in and raise him as their own. Twenty years later, the now-grown Viking boy's tribe encounters another raid from Norse pirates, forcing him into a difficult choice between his blood relatives and the benefactors who raised him... 　　Behind the Scenes: 　　【About the Director】 　　As a director known for shooting music videos, Marcus Nispel understands the concept of style. Nispel directed influential horror films like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," which is based on a true story from 1974 and became a classic in the horror genre due to its bloody violence and imaginative cinematography, especially the skillful use of shadows and light that left a profound impression. For this reason, Nispel found another magical key to express his thoughts—“Style over Substance”—meaning a focus on cinematography and visual style. This was also demonstrated well in "National Treasure," which he directed, starring Nicolas Cage. When the filming plans for "The Raiders" were revealed, many speculated that this film could become another milestone in Nispel's filmmaking journey. 　　The adapted screenplay for "The Pioneer" was penned by Laeta Kalogridis, who assisted Oliver Stone in shooting “Alexander”, and Nispel also invited the original film’s writer Nils Gaup, who was easily nominated for Norway's Best Film for "Ofelas." In the adapted "The Pioneer," the war between Native American tribes and the Vikings never ceased during the 500 years before Columbus's discovery, and the film pays particular attention to these war scenes. From the film's trailer, you can sense an epic feel, with stunning costumes and grand battle scenes, leading many to speculate that "The Pioneer" could be a dark horse in the summer box office. This is undoubtedly a good omen for both Nispel and the film company. 　　The cast of this film isn't particularly strong; apart from Karl Urban, who has delivered impressive performances in "The Lord of the Rings" series, "Bourne Supremacy," and "Doom," there are hardly any familiar faces, but that doesn’t matter, as most of the actors in the film are seen wearing beast horn masks. 　　【About the Vikings】 　　Since this is a film about the lifestyle conflicts of the Vikings, it's necessary to understand a bit about their history. 　　Viking: The English word “Viking” comes from the Icelandic word “Vik,” meaning “bay.” 　　The Vikings lived in Northern Europe over a thousand years ago, in what is today Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. At that time, Europeans referred to them more as “Northmen,” meaning northern visitors. Viking is their self-designation, which has a dual meaning in the North Germanic language: first, it means to travel, and second, it means to raid. Vikings were also the last group of barbarians referred to as “Germani” by the Romans, who had brought terror across Europe. From their homeland in Scandinavia, the Vikings sailed in dragon boats to launch sudden attacks on other civilizations. The ships came to be known as dragon boats mainly because their prows and sterns were carved in the shape of dragons. Initially, the Vikings would swiftly complete a series of plunders and retreats before official forces arrived in the attacked area, but as their power grew, so did their audacity, eventually leading them to occupy many significant regions in Europe and settle in the conquered areas. As heathens in the eyes of Christians, the Vikings would not hesitate to kill clergy in churches and loot church properties. Out of fear of their ruthlessness and fierce brutality, people of the time compared the Vikings to demons from hell. Their voyages spread throughout Europe, reaching as far as the Red Sea to the south, North America to the west, and Baghdad to the east. However, it was as pirates that they first appeared before the local populace, robbing and plundering. 　　From the 8th to the 11th century, the Vikings waged wars and invaded neighboring countries. They gradually adopted national identities, including Swedish Vikings, Norwegian Vikings, and Danish Vikings. Each nation chose a battlefield: Swedes fought to the east; Danes sailed west; Norwegians often raided at sea, occupying undeveloped or sparsely populated areas. The Vikings roamed the seas: discovering Greenland, sailing straight to America, immigrating to Iceland, plundering Ireland, and venturing into Russia, drowning France in blood. In 8th century Europe, a prayer circulated: “God, save us from the atrocities of the northerners! Don't let us encounter them.” However, the Vikings were also known for their craftsmanship, seamanship, exploration, and trading skills. 　　With the spread of Christianity across the European continent, the Vikings gradually changed their beliefs under money or swords, and religion eventually led them to abandon their reliance on violence for survival, causing the once-roaming pirates to settle down. The native people along the Volga River were Slavs, and after years of ongoing conflicts between tribes, some sought strong mercenaries and leaders from the North. Thus, the Varangians from Scandinavia ended the conflicts, and a large influx of Viking immigrants were called "Rus" by the locals, the Rus people. Until 882 AD, Oleg established the Rus state and named the country they inhabited "Rusland," which is today’s "Russia."