Movie Review: Sanctum 3D

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We saw this movie today in IMax and 3D.  We enjoyed it but it wasn’t by any means in the “blockbuster” category.  Quite frankly I was hoping for some horrific Sci-fi special, but all we got were some great special effects and a movie “inspired by a true story.”

It’s not a bad movie by any means, on the contrary, it’s a fun flick unless you’re one of those academic types who have to be educated to be entertained.  Fortunately for me, I’m already educated and I was bored to tears most of the time.  Now I just want to be entertained.

Here is The Orlando Sentinel’s review by their very own Roger Moore:

Beautifully back-lit bodies are suspended in water and suspended from the 3D screen in “Sanctum,” the new trapped-in-a-cave thriller that James Cameron produced as a way of showing off his love of all things underwater. It’s a solid, old-fashioned action yarn filled with the very latest dive gear and the oldest plot formula in the movie-maker’s playbook.

Set deep underground in the Esa Ala “caving district” of Papua New Guinea, it’s a “Ten Little Indians” story of a handful of explorers — some experienced, some novices — trapped underground when a cyclone floods “the largest unexplored cave system in the world.”

There are two central conflicts. Team leader Frank (Aussie actor Richard Roxburgh, in full growl) is the hardened veteran cave explorer whose son Josh (Aussie newcomer Rhys Wakefield) is in full rebellion against dad’s chosen profession and his place in it.

“It’s a sphincter of rocks,” he pouts. “NOBODY cares!”

Carl (Ioan Gruffudd) cares. He’s underwriting this expedition, ready to slap his name on places that “since the beginning of time, no human being has ever seen.” He’s readier to take risks than Frank is, and that’s the second major conflict set up here.

Carl’s dragged his mountaineering girlfriend (Alice Parkinson) down the huge hole with him. Then there’s Frank’s old diving mate, George (Dan Wyllie), an expert on “the bends” — “Your blood’s gonna fizz up like a dropped can’o beer.” And also along, Frank’s longtime aboriginal colleague Luko (Cramer Cain).

In the first act, we see how even when all the hi-tech is working something terrible can go wrong when you’re squeezing through underwater tunnels with bulky dive gear on. Director Alistir Grierson has seen Cameron’s earliest underwater thriller, “The Abyss.” He knows there’s nothing more traumatic than watching someone panic and suffocate right in front of you. The 3D makes that first death all the more traumatic.

Then the rains come and those five other folks are trapped below with only Frank, “the most determined cave diver in the world,” to get them out. Frank’s leadership consists of barking “You can do this because you have to do this” and “This cave’ll kill you in a heartbeat.”

In true “Ten Little Indians” (an Agatha Christie story that set this formula in stone) fashion, the object of “Sanctum” is to make us wonder who will live and who will die next?

The movie, inspired by a real life experience of Australian co-writer, explorer and Cameron consultant-pal Andrew Wight, is dully predictable, with touching moments of noble sacrifice and cliched scenes of rank cowardice. But the filmmakers make its stock-in-trade situations visually arresting.

Lacking supernatural elements, sex and over-the-top gore, “Sanctum” would have played better as a PG-13 picture. Gratuitous profanity doesn’t add edge to the Cameronesque tough-guy dialogue. And since you can figure out where it’s going long before our divers do, it seems too long.

But “Sanctum” does take us somewhere alien, it not exactly as dazzling as Pandora. And as a movie it performs according to spec, allowing its producer to further perfect the gear and techniques that he is almost certain to turn lose on “Avatar 2 and 3,” somewhere down the watery road.

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Professor Mike

Professor Mike is a left-leaning, dog loving, political junkie. He has written dozens of articles for Substack, Medium, Simily, and Tribel. Professor Mike has been published at Smerconish.com, among others. He is a strong proponent of the environment, and a passionate protector of animals. In addition he is a fierce anti-Trumper. Take a moment and share his work.
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13 years ago

*snicker* ” A sphincter of rocks”.

I get a delirious shiver of horror when I watch that 6 minute youtube video of that freediver plunging to the bottom of Dean’s Blue Hole. (my post with that short vid here in case u missed it: https://madmikesamerica.com/2011/02/think-your-job-sucks/

Just can’t imagine paying the ridiculous jacked up prices for anything 3D and sitting through 2 hours to have the same feeling. Even if there are buttholes of stone.

Reply to  Mother Hen
13 years ago

MH, I was along for the ride, and shared your skepticism of 3D. My outlook on things brightened considerably when I learned it wasn’t some horrific Sci-fi special (but clearly my perspective on this wasn’t universal). 🙂 I have to say–I wasn’t taken with 3D in any general sense, but “visually arresting” is probably the best description of this movie–some outstanding imagery, and I think the 3D contributed to the feeling of being along with these adventurers for the ride. And, given that there were some rather gripping scenes, it was quite a ride.

I’d give it one and a half thumbs up. Wait, can I do that?

Reply to  Greenlight
13 years ago

So it’s NOT some horrific sci-fi special? Bummer.

I have no depth perception, so 3D effects don’t work on me, but if I don’t wear the glasses the weird visuals make me nauseous.

I have to admit, not being able to tell Avatar was in 3D might have sucked, but the movie was so gorgeous I overlooked the puerile plot (Ferngully in space?) Plus there were cute actors and Sigourney Weaver, and things exploding.

The way Hollywood has been boosting every subpar movie with “Special 3D effects!!” just to make that extra buck at the box office is sickening as well.

I’ll wait for the video.

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