Sanctum

It’s a 3D action thriller from “executive producer” James Cameron of Avatar and Titanic fame. Note that Cameron did not direct this movie and it doesn’t have a single A- or even B-lister. Still, it’s oddly absorbing, but not for the faint of heart.

The movie follows a team of underwater cave divers whose expedition takes a dangerous and deadly turn when a tropical storm forces them deep into the caverns. They must fight raging waters, tricky terrain, creeping panic, and each other – as they search for an escape route to the sea.

The team includes master diver Frank McGuire (Richard Roxburgh) and his 17 year old son, Josh (Aussie cutie Rhys Wakefield). Their strained relationship is a bit cliché but it does drive the heart of the movie, which is loosely based on a true story.

Sanctum was shot on location off the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, so that alone gives it a certain visual and visceral appeal. I personally thought the 3-D photography helped bring the audience into the movie’s subterranean world, but a bunch of roosters in the audience scoffed at the 3D as irrelevant and unnecessary. To each his/her own.

I wouldn’t care to see this movie a second time around – it’s a bit brutal to watch at times. It’s sort of like 127 Hours - under water. Or Into Thin Air – under water. If the genre floats your boat, it’s best seen on the big screen. If you’ve got a fear of water, it’s probably best to skip it.

The movie is just one special effect piled on top of another and there are places that seem like gratuitous CGI to me, (“Look what I can do!”) not really adding anything to the story, but giving effects heads something to talk about. I saw the 3D version, but I’m not sure it makes all that much difference; with the exception of a couple of places there aren’t a lot of things that come out towards you. The alien world Cameron created here is beautiful and the reason to see the movie is entirely effects. There’s nothing special about the acting and the wall to wall music gets annoying. My 12 year old nephew told me he would not recommend it to his friends. I think that says a lot! It will no doubt make a lot of money around the world, but it isn’t worth the 2 hours and 40 minutes to me.