charlesadamek

The topic of Arthur Conan Doyle's fascination with the occult and the contrast with the extreme logical mind of his creation, Sherlock Holmes, is one well worth reviewing and considering it. This effort, however, falls short on so many levels.

First, the narrator jumps around chronologically, repeats himself from time to time, and asserts as absolute fact the most absurd contentions. He "supports" those conclusions with observations that often have only vague or no connection with his point, if you can even discern what his point is.

And all the while the narrator drones on about his theories, w are treated to complete distractions and repeated visuals that have no connection with his discussion,. Why for example do we see so many repeated films of people leaving a theater? What does that have to do with anything. And so much of the abstract color bursts look like the attempt to document a Tim Leary acid trip.

To top that off there is a constant droning musical sound that adds nothing to the narrative, is also unconnected with the visuals, and only makes it more difficult to try to follow the narrator's arguments, The whole thing is a mess. I watched it to the end because I am a completist. I bet you are smarter than that and will give up long before.

This film is a cheap rip off of King Solomon's Mines and "She." Those books have been done so much better in other films. But this one manages to grab all the tropes from those classics and trot them out in a cheaper version.

Do you want a native tribe protecting jewels Check Do you want a white woman as the tribe's goddess? Check Dp you want a native shaman dancing for the tribe Check Do you want stock footage of a jungle? Check Do you want women running around in skimpy loin cloths? Check.

And when it comes to continuity.... Well, I am sure the director would echo the classic line: "Continuity? Continuity? We don't need no stinking continuity".

So, for example, quick cut to a rhino chasing a jeep. Wait, we didn't get into the jeep yet. Film that. Now add the same cut of the rhino. Don't worry about the first one - no one will notice.

There is just so little to like about this movie.

This series started out very promising and then petered out as if the authors couldn't figure out how to end what they started. No spoiler except to say that they pulled a classic "deus ex machina" out of a hat that no one could see coming and was not a logical inference from what went on before. Acting was well done and I feel sorry for the actors that had to work with this material. File this under "how do we end this now that we're stumped."

The location shooting was impressive and the villains were sufficiently evil and fleshed out to create real tension. But then time came for the big reveal and we were treated to a very wet firecracker.