Movies / Movie Reviews

10,000 BC Is Definitely Not Prime Time

By Hervé St-Louis
March 15, 2008 - 16:03

Also Known As: 10,000 BC, 10000 B.C, Ten Thousand BC
Production Status: Released
Genres: Action/Adventure and Drama
Running Time:  1 hr. 49 min.
Release Date: March 7th, 2008 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence.
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Production Co.:  Centropolis Entertainment, Mark Gordon Company, Legendary Pictures, Inc., Studios: Warner Bros. Pictures
U.S. Box Office: $35,867,488
Filming Locations: South Africa, New Zealand, Namibia
Produced in: United States
Action/Adventure and Drama
March 7th, 2008 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence.
STARRING: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Omar Shariff, Timothy Barlow

It’s the year 10,000 before Christ and mammoth hunter D'Leh is smitten with the beautiful Evolet, the last refuge from a neighbouring village that was massacred by the demons on four legs, horsemen from the South. When D’Leh slays an alpha mammoth, he wins the right to get Evolet for himself. However, the four leg demons, attack his village, captures several villagers and Evolet. It’s up to D’Leh to become the man that will lead his friends and men from several other nations against the horsemen and their masters.



10,000 BC tries to be an epic and an unforgettable film like Apocalypto, but where it shines with originality, it lacks execution. When I first heard of this movie, I was sure it was comic book adaptation from something. The closest I found was the French comic book series Rahan. Otherwise, Conan the Barbarian comes the closest. The story of the smart and courageous white primitive who unites the nations of the worlds against a common evil has been done so many times, that 10,000 BC seems like a poor résumé of the genre.



There is not spirit in this film. It’s difficult to be inspired by its message of peace and friendship across nations. Instead, it’s just a parody of older films without the licensing fees associated with Conan or Rahan. We see little of D'Leh’s growth as an adult and understand even less his motivations, except for the fact that he wants his woman back. Even in that respect, actor Steven Strait, who plays D’Leh doesn’t convince at all. Any actor or even stuntman could have been cast in his role and performed just as well. There is nothing about this film about the difference of mentality or the precarious mindset of a primitive man. D’Leh appears to have as much culture and insight as Mel Gibson’s William Wallace in Braveheart.



To explain the various historical sleight of the hand, the writers pull up the Atlantis myth and insert Egypt with less skill than The Atlantis Chronicles, a classic comic book series published by DC Comics, who made a link with Atlantis and Egypt. There are many odd creatures in this movie which I’m not sure all cohabitated with humans or even lived in the same territory.



About the effects, the film reminded me of 300 but with less budget and less believable creatures. The tiger looked furry but not realistic. The wide open scenery shots were well filmed though. The cavemen looked realistic enough but the entire part of the movie in Egypt was not as convincing.

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51