White Sands

I have seen this movie on the racks at video stores for years. I have never been tempted to view it. Since I saw it on Cinemax, I say that I like it. Willem DeFoe plays a cop who becomes wrapped up in this undercover scheme involving half a million dollars. He pretends like he is this man who was found dead in the desert. The great thing about this movie is that it takes turn after turn and twist after twist. All the characters, played by Sam Jackson (a great actor) and Mickey Rork are not who you really think they are. The scenary is great to. The entire film was shot in New Mexico. Scenes of Taos and Santa Fe are plentiful. This is a must see movie for Willem Defoe fans. I rate this movie a hefty 7 out of ten stars.

Trying to figure out "White Sands" is like trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with quite a few missing pieces. This overcomplicated movie challenges the viewer's understanding way too much, and eventually you will lose interest. It really is a shame because the cast gives their best effort with what is a severely disjointed script. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and the blue Corvette are easy on the eyes, but it's not enough to maintain momentum, and the whole thing derails twenty minutes in and never recovers. True there are a few strong scenes, but a plethora of dead material is unfortunately connecting them. Not recommended. - MERK

A New Mexico state sheriff assumes the identity of a dead man he finds in the desert and sets out to solve the crime all by himself. Willem Dafoe is the lawman who bites off more than he can chew and stumbles from one situation to another, all with bad guys and mysterious women who want the money he found in the desert with the man who was killed. The plot is not easy to follow and is populated with heavies and shadowy figures but somehow the film maintains interest throughout. The supporting cast is very good, with Samuel L. Jackson, Mickey Rourke, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and M. Emmet Walsh heading the list, and Dafoe and Mastrantonio have a nice shower scene together. Senator Fred Dalton Thompson is also good in a brief appearance. Partick O'Hearn contributes a nice music score.

Which was an incredible distraction and took quite a bit away from the film. Whenever a swear word was supposed to be uttered the dialogue went mute. Unbelievable for Amazon.

Mickey Rourke is truly one of America's finest actors. He has been dismissed because of his irrational behavior, however, that takes nothing away from his talent and penetrable screen prescene. White Sands has wonderful atmosphere, capturing the desert with splendid cinematograpy. Willem Dafoe makes for an excellent protagonist to journey with through the maze that is the plot. A bonus in watching White Sands now is the post-Jungle Fever but pre-Pulp Fiction Samuel L. Jackson. He makes for a slimy antagonist. All of this and M. Emmet Walsh, in an autopsy scene to die for, make for an enjoyable movie experience.