Sheena, reine de la jungle

Sheena has been entertaining us for close to 70 years now, but you sure wouldn't know it to look at her. She still looks as beautiful and sexy as ever. I've had a ball following Sheena's adventures in the pulps, comic books, on TV, and in this Sheena movie from 1984. My favorite actress in the role of Sheena is Irish McCalla, but I've enjoyed Tanya Roberts and Gina Lee Nolan too. Roberts is stunningly beautiful and she conveys a wonderful sense of innocence as Sheena. This 1984 Sheena movie is a blast of cheesy fun that provides plenty of entertaining moments that make for great escapism. Enjoy this one with good friends, beverages, and lots of popcorn. Sheena is fun!

Tanya Roberts certainly got the best part of her career (alongside the Roger Moore Bond movie, of course) in "Sheena". It's hard to pretend so much innocence and naivete after a life spent in NY and Hollywood, of all places. That's acting... I'd like to point out many scenes with the animals, arranged better than in many Tarzan competitors, and I am not afraid to admit I still am fascinated by this fairy tale that was kindalike the last survivor in 1984 - before digital FX took control. Seen the OTT animal scenes in Jumanji? Maybe you feel the same then.

I will admit this is not a masterpiece of cinema but as for jungle adventures go this is very good and entertaining. It moves along at a swift pace, lots of action plus a very likeable and sexy heroine. There is quite some nudity (but no sex) from Tanya Roberts ofcourse but also from the evil black princess. Director John Guillermin makes sure you get a good look at their (great) bodies.

Guillermin is familiar with the topic because in the early sixties he made some excellent Tarzan movies starring Gordon Scott. In my mind he is also an undeserved neglected director who had his fair share of flops ("Shaft in Afrika","King Kong lives",etc...)but who almost always succeeds in delivering an entertaining movie, not great art, but rousing actioners as "The Blue Max", "Guns at Batasi", "The Bridge at Remagen" or even the 1976 "King Kong". Whatever the topic, you won't get easily bored by a Guillermindirected movie.

Just compare "Sheena" with other so-called jungle movies from the early eighties : "Tarzan the Ape Man" with Bo Derek, one the true worst movies of all time or the two abysmal Allan Quartermain movies starring Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone.

Sheena comes off quite nicely.

I gave it 7/10.

First off, PG apparently at the time allowed a brief nude scene. A refreshing deal really. The violence really isn't too bad; surely of the comic variety. Not an "R" picture.

Second, the movie obviously is not to be taken seriously. As harmless entertainment, it is pretty good, especially if watched in the right frame of mind. The evil countess (best line was demanding equal harm to be done to Sheena ... no ERA stuff for her!), big city reporter (reference to his view of the Towers), mystical shaman (imdb has the actress having a pretty interesting backstory), and Sheena (talk to me in words I understand!) all are fun.

Commenting on Tanya Roberts' acting skills is a bit redundant. She is there because she fits into the costume, so to speak, and she does that rather well, thank you. As an actress ... well, she isn't THAT horrible, really. If Heidi Fleiss can be in a movie, TR can play Sheena! And, really, her performance adds to the fun too.

I saw this at about 2am. Perfect time.

I just have to say now that this film has aged rather well. What with "Charlie Angels" up on the big screen audiences are a little less politically correct with regards to heroines. As long as the lead is smart, strong, and independent, it is okay that she is beautiful too. "Sheena" shares the same orb as "Wonder Woman," "Supergirl," Emma Peel of "The Avengers," "Le Femme Nikita," and most obviously, "Xena." This is a family adventure film that is most of all fun where the children seem to enjoy it equally as well as the adults. Children like things that are pretty, and this includes people, so Tanya Robert's natural beauty is appealing to children too on a more simpler level. Yes, there is a little violence (of the adventure film variety) but not grotesquely, frightenly, or sickenly so. The same can be said about the display of skin which is never shown to be associated with sex or violence. What a concept! Thank you! Yes, there are two scenes where Tanya Roberts is fully nude, one of Sheena showering under a waterfall, and another of Sheena walking across the screen to bathe in a pond. But, they are so natural and appropriate (especially for children) that I have to applaud the screenwriter for creating these two scenes in lieu of the usual stupid reasons movie makers have to include nude scenes. Roberts does a terrific job as Sheena.