Deadliest Warrior Season One DVD Review And Giveaway

There's guy TV, and then there's guy TV. And, then there's SPIKE. Possibly the oddest thing to come out of the, "what intensely guy thing could we put on television," brainstorm session is Deadliest Warrior. Odd perhaps, but the show is a hit, and it's hard to deny the watchability.

In each episode, two of history's fiercest warriors are thrown into the ring to see who comes out on top. Well, actually, their fighting styles and weapons are analyzed, and then they are put into a computer simulation program to fight 1,000 battles and see who ends up dead most often.

This wildly "macho geek" show pulls out all the stops to get the most precise data possible on its combatants, and though you may not think you want to watch, it's hard to turn away from a modern-day assessment of a tomahawk to the skull.

Leading experts in the use of these often ancient weapons (I know) describe and display their use, and recount the fighting styles and warrior ideals of the people in question, and then put the weapons through scientific testing. How do the fighting techniques match up? Which weapon can break the most bones, or slice through an opponent? All in the name of determining the deadliest warrior.

You get all nine episodes of the first season, and for the most part, these are just oddly entertaining shows. I find a few of them rather odd though.

Apache vs. Gladiator, Viking vs. Samurai, Spartan vs. Ninja, and Pirate vs. Knight kick things off, and these are quality episodes. Just seeing some of these weapons in action is amazing, and information and demonstration of the Samurai is worth it by itself.

Things get a little goofy for a couple episodes after that with Yakuza vs. Mafia and Green Beret vs. Spetsnaz. I mean, there was some interesting stuff, but we've taken our theory a little round the bend there.

Then you get Shaolin Monk vs. Maori Warrior and William Wallace vs. Shaka Zulu (which is really just to be unsure what to call their followers), which are solid episodes, but things cap off with I.R.A. vs. Taliban, which makes little sense to me.

It's an absolutely bizarre meeting of the high-tech world and low-tech violence, and the kind of thing I wouldn't predict I'd like, but there is actually a lot of interesting information crammed into these episodes, and somehow it's just crazy enough to work.

The DVD includes a lot of bonus material as well. Post-Fight Analyses of each episode, Producer's Roundtables, and a Season One Wrap-Up. I'm not sure that any of these really push things to a whole new world of value, but the Post-Fight reflections on things are often interesting.

Own it on DVD today!

Win it!

Leave a comment below and include the word, "Win," and you are automatically entered to win your very own copy of the DVD release. U.S. only. Winner will be randomly selected June 1st.

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About Marc Eastman

Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.

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