"Sanctum" Film Review (RealD 3D)
Scuba divers trapped in a cave filled with water. What?
2 1/2 stars
As featured in: "The Ithacan"
What can go wrong diving in caves echoes throughout the spooky underground adventure of “Sanctum,” a 3D saga where one wrong turn could lead to death. Whether it’s getting lost in uncharted territory, going crazy or swallowing its pride, the largely unknown cast of “Sanctum” gets showered in a sea of hurt.
“Sanctum” takes place almost entirely in a vast network of subterranean caves in Papua New Guinea. Richard Roxburgh plays Frank, a character akin to a modern day Indiana Jones. However, Frank isn’t afraid of snakes like Indie was. In fact, hardly anything makes him skittish. Frank revels in the unknown and along with a group of highly trained climbers, divers and waterproof robots, sets out to finish mapping the rest of the largest cave system in the world.
The first twenty minutes of “Sanctum” are terrible. Director Alister Grieson makes absurd decisions that he seemingly pulled from thin air. Lame uninspired scenes and totally wooden acting lend a B movie feel to what could have been grade-A entertainment. Lines such as “What can go wrong diving in caves” break the fourth wall so obviously and make the audience out to be complete idiots. Everyone in the theater knows that some seriously bad things are going to happen. After all they saw the trailers so there is no need for pointless, ironic lines.
Anyone who isn’t an avid adventurer with the backing of an egotistical billionaire won’t identify with “Sanctum’s” cast. Even mustering sympathy towards these headstrong characters proves difficult because of their stupidity. In one particular scene the cast has good opportunity to safely exit the vast cave system before a monstrous storm yet they waste it. They choose to keep exploring hoping that their friends on the ground above will give them ample warning of the pending danger.
Fortunately, these problems are sporadically addressed and patched up for the last hour of the film. The cheese factor is eliminated and the action component of this “action-thriller” begins in earnest. Wanton silliness is replaced by sheer adrenaline when powerful bursts of water transform the cave into a mountainous geyser, tossing around anyone in its way with stunning efficiency.
The movie’s 3D effects add tension to an already frightening experience. Audiences will feel their senses heightened due in part to the life or death scenarios present in the film. One of the crew tries to hold back a boulder and his futile attempt gets his faced smashed in. Cinematographer Jules O'Loughlin cleverly uses feelings of claustrophobia and a fear of the unknown to ensnare the audience. He pushes the audience’s emotional buttons by mixing intimate close-up shots of Frank with wide-angle shots flooding with never ending dark blue water. And, coupled with a mysterious musical score by David Hirschfelder and stifling sound effects, the technical aspects of “Sanctum” are award-worthy.
James Cameron serves as the films executive producer but seemingly lets Grieson, for better or worse, make his movie. While some shots are reminiscent of the 3D epic “Avatar", they don’t seem stale or inappropriate. The movies color palette relies on a mixture of blacks, blues and purple hues to realistically portray a an unseen, prehistoric underground unknown to many humans. Though technology was largely responsible for creating “Avatar,” yet real caves — not green screen imagery — abound in “Sanctum.”
Grieson delivers the death and destruction expected in “Sanctum,” but nothing more. Other than drenching filmgoers with sublime 3D imagery and an immersive soundscape this film is merely a money pit. Viewer’s shouldn’t expect the whole enchilada here because “Sanctum” dives off the deep end and sinks to the bottom.
“Sanctum” was written by John Garvin and Andrew Wight and directed by Alister Grierson.
If you're hydrophobic don't dare watch the trailer below:
As always thanks for reading!
©2011 Matthew R. Reis, All rights reserved.
2 1/2 stars
As featured in: "The Ithacan"
What can go wrong diving in caves echoes throughout the spooky underground adventure of “Sanctum,” a 3D saga where one wrong turn could lead to death. Whether it’s getting lost in uncharted territory, going crazy or swallowing its pride, the largely unknown cast of “Sanctum” gets showered in a sea of hurt.
“Sanctum” takes place almost entirely in a vast network of subterranean caves in Papua New Guinea. Richard Roxburgh plays Frank, a character akin to a modern day Indiana Jones. However, Frank isn’t afraid of snakes like Indie was. In fact, hardly anything makes him skittish. Frank revels in the unknown and along with a group of highly trained climbers, divers and waterproof robots, sets out to finish mapping the rest of the largest cave system in the world.
The first twenty minutes of “Sanctum” are terrible. Director Alister Grieson makes absurd decisions that he seemingly pulled from thin air. Lame uninspired scenes and totally wooden acting lend a B movie feel to what could have been grade-A entertainment. Lines such as “What can go wrong diving in caves” break the fourth wall so obviously and make the audience out to be complete idiots. Everyone in the theater knows that some seriously bad things are going to happen. After all they saw the trailers so there is no need for pointless, ironic lines.
Anyone who isn’t an avid adventurer with the backing of an egotistical billionaire won’t identify with “Sanctum’s” cast. Even mustering sympathy towards these headstrong characters proves difficult because of their stupidity. In one particular scene the cast has good opportunity to safely exit the vast cave system before a monstrous storm yet they waste it. They choose to keep exploring hoping that their friends on the ground above will give them ample warning of the pending danger.
Fortunately, these problems are sporadically addressed and patched up for the last hour of the film. The cheese factor is eliminated and the action component of this “action-thriller” begins in earnest. Wanton silliness is replaced by sheer adrenaline when powerful bursts of water transform the cave into a mountainous geyser, tossing around anyone in its way with stunning efficiency.
The movie’s 3D effects add tension to an already frightening experience. Audiences will feel their senses heightened due in part to the life or death scenarios present in the film. One of the crew tries to hold back a boulder and his futile attempt gets his faced smashed in. Cinematographer Jules O'Loughlin cleverly uses feelings of claustrophobia and a fear of the unknown to ensnare the audience. He pushes the audience’s emotional buttons by mixing intimate close-up shots of Frank with wide-angle shots flooding with never ending dark blue water. And, coupled with a mysterious musical score by David Hirschfelder and stifling sound effects, the technical aspects of “Sanctum” are award-worthy.
James Cameron serves as the films executive producer but seemingly lets Grieson, for better or worse, make his movie. While some shots are reminiscent of the 3D epic “Avatar", they don’t seem stale or inappropriate. The movies color palette relies on a mixture of blacks, blues and purple hues to realistically portray a an unseen, prehistoric underground unknown to many humans. Though technology was largely responsible for creating “Avatar,” yet real caves — not green screen imagery — abound in “Sanctum.”
Grieson delivers the death and destruction expected in “Sanctum,” but nothing more. Other than drenching filmgoers with sublime 3D imagery and an immersive soundscape this film is merely a money pit. Viewer’s shouldn’t expect the whole enchilada here because “Sanctum” dives off the deep end and sinks to the bottom.
“Sanctum” was written by John Garvin and Andrew Wight and directed by Alister Grierson.
If you're hydrophobic don't dare watch the trailer below:
As always thanks for reading!
©2011 Matthew R. Reis, All rights reserved.
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