A bizarre, bloody adventure movie.

It's undone by a murky palette, silly horror-movie cliches, dumb dialogue and a confusing climactic sequence.

Like "300" and "Apocalypto," this latest bit of historical balder-dash stands in direct defiance of proven action-movie formulas, trusting its brutal concept and striking visuals to overcome a lack of star power.

All cinematic creativity seems to have focused on devising the most repellent ways to maim and murder.

There is one redeeming skirmish -- the climactic fight involving a snowy cliff and an elaborate pulley system -- but from the guy who's directed videos for Cher, Amy Grant, Billy Joel, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony? We expected more.