Sanctum Movie Review

Let me make this clear. I hate 3D. Since the idea started to come back I have only seen two movies that were actually worth seeing in 3D. Those two are Avatar and Tron: Legacy. Both were designed and built for the specific use of 3D. Sanctum is very similar. It was shot using the same technology that James Cameron used while making Avatar. It also doesn't take advantage of it's 3D to shower us with cheap parlor tricks like a tongue shooting out into the audience. In Sanctum, it is used as a way to show us depth and perspective. There were a couple of moments I even started to get a little dizzy. To be clear, that's a good thing. At times, I felt as though I was in the cave with them.

Now the big question. Is it any good? There were definitely moments where I was sitting on the edge of my seat and my heart was racing. There were also moments where I found myself confused because of a continuity error. A complaint I heard from a few people at the screening was that the characters weren't really developed much. That's true. There is a woman that comes across as the ditzy girlfriend of the man who is paying for the operation. Despite her apparent ignorance she shows some serious knowledge of climbing and exploring. So which is she? The dumb girlfriend or an actual asset to the operation? One of the explorers is forced to dive when the cave begins to flood even though he has apparently retired from diving. This seems like a shock to the characters but they never explained to us why he retired. With the characters I had a constant feeling like I missed something.

Overall I think it's a pretty exciting film. The basic premise is that a group of explorers get trapped deep inside of a cave during a tsunami. The rain from the storm begins to flood the cave leaving them one option. Strap on the diving gear and boldly go where no other human has ever gone before. The group chooses to travel into unexplored territory and try to find where the water reaches the ocean. They have absolutely no idea how long that will take but they have their fingers crossed as they continue to trek into the abyss.

Knowing that the film is loosely based on a true story made me much more interested in it (although I did read that it is very very loosely based on the real story). In fact, the screenwriter is the person who lived through the actual events. I enjoyed it but it definitely wasn't a perfect movie. I also think the 3D was well done and actually adds to the experience unlike nearly every other 3D movie out there. If you have any interest in seeing this movie, it is absolutely worth seeing it in a theater. It won't be nearly as cool on your TV at home when it comes out on DVD.

Maybe now isn't the time

I was just reading a report from Egypt about the reporters who were attacked today during the demonstrations. The general assumption is that President Mubarak is behind the attacks and that he may have paid his supporters to stop the international media. It certainly could be true. Anderson Cooper said that he was attacked by pro Mubarak demonstrators in Cairo's main square today. Were they paid or unleashed by Mubarak himself? I don't know about that.

Where is the benefit of having his supporters attack the media? Maybe it will stop them from their reports in that moment but it will only make them martyrs of the struggle. The international community will end up with an even more negative view of the Mubarak empire. I doubt he sent them out on a mission himself. Angry citizens don't need a leader to put any more fuel on the fire.

Sure, the media hasn't been kind to Mubarak but that's because the big story is about the people. It's not about him. That's not to say that it's a media bias issue. The media operates like every other business in the world. It's all about the money. Bigger ratings equal bigger advertising revenues. No one is going to watch a news report in support of Mubarak but they are coming to CNN in droves to see coverage of the protests.

Don't take that the wrong way. I'm in no way defending the Egyptian president, however, I don't know anything about him and I don't think it's appropriate for me to judge him. I feel that everyone else in the world should have the same stance. It's easy to judge because the masses are against him but do we, as non Egyptians, really know what's going on in the country? No. We don't.

The people of Egypt are making sure that their voices are heard. I commend them and think it's one of the most incredible moments of my life. To think that a group of people have the power to speak up and virtually overthrow their government is absolutely incredible. You will never see that happen in the United States.

I don't agree with the attacks on members of the press but I also understand it. These people don't want us involved. This is their moment. Not ours. Maybe it's best to get a couple of good camera shots from the crowd then step back and watch from a distance.