James Cameron - Cave Diving Blockbuster 'Sanctum'

[UCFKnightDiver]

I saw the movie last night with some of my caving buddies. Our verdict was that it wasn't "too bad" of a caving/diving movie, especially considering the competition.

The vertical scenes in the beginning (e.g., rappelling) were extremely unrealistic. But later some of the rope work wasn't bad. Especially when they were trying to climb out during the flood. One of the actors obviously had some experience with the Frog system, and had some pretty good technique.

The cave diving scenes were all pretty stupid and unrealistic.

In all of the caving movies, I am always amazed at how well illuminated the caves are, especially when there's no light. Where does all of that ambient light come from way down underground?

lol, but it's a movie, you've got to look past that.

 

[Colliam7]

I really did not like this movie and I am really bummed about this. This movie was not good and the more I read about it the more I realize it is not jut me who thinks so. ... Atleast the underwater cave portions were beautiful.

I agree with you. On the positve side, the cinematography was good. The action did keep me on the edge of my seat at times, suggesting at least a degree of realism. I liked the mid-movie cllimbing sequence (which happens to be where the second female is lost). I particularly enjoyed the Richard Roxburgh character. I wish there had been more cave shots, above and below the water. On the negative side, the plot was entirely predictable - the only question was how many of the team would survive, beyond the Josh character. The dialog was pretty lame. There was entirely too much yelling and thrashing about - a whole lot of unecessary 'sturm und drang'. The characters were uni-dimensional. It was an entirely humorless movie, unlike the Abysss, for example, which was action-packed, beautiful at ltimes, and ocassionally quite funny. The two female characters were portrayed in a paticularly negative light. I think 5.6 is a generous rating.

 

[jimmy71]

what makes me sad about it is that the movie writes itself. what would be more suspenseful than being trapped in an overhead environment on a rebreather. The only known exit is confirmed blocked. The cave has filled with water. (the plot to get to this place is very plausible.) The group slowly dies off one by one as people panic and the rebreathers fail after multiple hours. The eminent disaster and how each deals with it and the choices they make. This is why the movie 127 hours was so good. To see how a person deals with and comes to grip with inevitable horrors.

Yes a movie like this would be harder to write and even harder to act. I guess that is why movies like this are not done. It the movie would be easy to write but very hard to pull off. I guess a movie along those lines is what I expected and why the movie I got was so frustrating.

 

[Oside Jimc]

I don't know. My desire to get into cave diving was definitely increased after seeing it.

Me too, but I know what cave diving is really about, death, death, and more death will repel the uneducated, I hope.

 

[conradb212]

Saw the movie yesterday, in 3D, and we had the theater all by ourselves at 7PM on a Wednesday, so we're obviously not talking commercial success. I thought the movie was very good, very exciting and tense, with some fantastic videography. It did lack any trace of humor, and the small, flat theater-issue 3D glasses negated what was otherwise very good 3D shooting (albeit quite dark). Sanctum was billed as a Cameron movie, but I wonder to what extent he really was involved as the movie seemed to lack some of the storytelling and polish I'd expect from him.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed Sanctum.

 

[The Chairman]

Mselenaous and I saw it last week. It had some pretty awkward moments in it, and some incredibly funny dialog. At one point after some snarky comment, I turned to Elena and muttered, "I think that guy posts on ScubaBoard!" Anyway, to commemorate the most memorable quote of the film , I have created a new smiley:

:sanctum:

:sanctum:

​

 

[Jax]

Mselenaous and I saw it last week. It had some pretty awkward moments in it, and some incredibly funny dialog. At one point after some snarky comment, I turned to Elena and muttered, "I think that guy posts on ScubaBoard!" Anyway, to commemorate the most memorable quote of the film , I have created a new smiley:

:sanctum:

:sanctum:

​

Did you see it in 3D? There's one spot where you duck because the guy flicks his fins at you . . . :lol:

Personally, I liked, "there are no scuba police down here."

 

[Lisa Mongy]

I really like the 3D. Here's a little write up I did. . .

DiverWire Movie Review: James Cameron's SANCTUM

 

[thunderball5]

Lame story. OOOPs. no story, really. But I agree the cinematography was quite excellent.
Note to self: if someone offers you a dead persons's wetsuit, swallow your pride, and accept it as lifesaving gift.

 

[inventor]

:sanctum:

Just wanted to use the new smilie!

By the way, don't know much about cave or technical diving... is it the depth or gas mixture that stops the growth of facial hair? Those guys didn't even get 5 o'clock shadow after a couple days.