Review by Alyn Darnay
Directed by: Alister Grierson
Starring: Rhys Wakefield, Allison Cratchley, Christopher Baker, Alice Parkinson.
Merriam-Webster defines a “Sanctum” as 1) a sacred place, and 2) a place where one is free from intrusion, and that certainly applies to Papua New Guinea’s Esa-ala Caves. It is the unexplored and least accessible cave system in the world, and it serves as the location of this new 3D film from executive producer James Cameron and Australian director Alister Grierson.
If you’re claustrophobic or queasy about small places, this film is not going to sit well with you, but if you’re up for a minor underground/underwater 3D adventure, you’ve found your “el dorado”. The cinematography is so beautifully executed and the 3D envisioned so skillfully, you’ll actually get the feeling of being there with the actors, in the caves, in the water, disoriented and desperate. It makes you forget that there’s only a sliver of a story here and enough melodrama to knit a sweater with.
Inspired by a true story, “Sanctum” relates the tale of a daring underwater cave diving team whose expedition to map the world’s last remaining frontier, inner earth, is jeopardized when a fast moving weather front closes in unexpectedly and their way out is blocked. To save themselves the team is forced deeper into the cave system in an attempt to find another way out before the cave totally floods and they all drown.
The film itself is just above average, without the 3D, I doubt the story would stand up as much. I never felt connected to the characters, the dialog was clichéd and at times insipid, the twists and turns were all predictable, and eventually it didn’t matter who lived or died. The cast of Australian actors, however, did the very best they could with the embarrassingly poor writing presented to them.
“Sanctum” is the kind of film you have to get lost in. If you just lay back, take it in for the beauty of it, and lose yourself in the experience you’ll enjoy it. If you want a great action/adventure film, this ain’t it.
