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From Amazon.co.uk
If there's an undersea adventure with high-tech equipment, macho posturing, and lots of underwater photography, you know James Cameron must be swimming around the vicinity. Add the fact that Sanctum was released to theaters in 3-D, and it's clinched. Cameron served as executive producer to this crazy tale of a cave-diving expedition forced to improvise when a typhoon inundates their New Guinea location. (The film, shot in Australia, is allegedly based on a true event by co-screenwriter Andrew Wight, but it might be safe to conclude that the original incident was a jumping-off point for the high melodrama on display here.) A globetrotting billionaire (Ioan Gruffudd, of Fantastic Four) is underwriting this exploration of a hidden cave maze, which explains why he gets to bring his girlfriend (Alice Parkinson) along. As a measure of their thrill-seeking habits, we are told they met on an Everest climb. The cave-diving boss is a crusty old pro (Richard Roxburgh), who is rough on his underlings and even rougher on his teenage son (Rhys Wakefield); naturally, the cataclysm that follows will be an occasion for some extreme father-son fence mending. As cornball as these elements are, and as generally toneless as director Alister Grierson's ear is with the dialogue scenes, Sanctum does work up some bona fide thrills: the sheer power of water is unleashed at a few memorable spots, as is the panic of losing an oxygen tank at a crucial moment. It's also pretty brutal, with a steep body count and a few grotesque bits of bodily injury. It ought to be easy to dismiss Sanctum as a silly piece of boy's adventure, but--curse you, Cameron!--one must admit that the thing is awfully effective. --Robert Horton
Product Description
Sanctum, the epic underwater adventure from three-time Academy Award®-winning executive producer James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic), follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth. When a tropical storm forces them deep into the caverns, they must fight raging water, deadly terrain and creeping panic as they search for an unknown escape route to the sea.
Master diver Frank McGuire (Richard Roxburgh of Moulin Rouge!, Mission: Impossible II) has explored the South Pacific’s Esa’ala caves for months. But when his exit is cut off in a flash flood, Frank’s key team—including 17-year-old son Josh (Rhys Wakefield of The Black Balloon, Broken Hill) and financier Carl Hurley (Ioan Gruffudd of Fantastic Four series, W.)—is forced to radically alter plans.
With dwindling supplies, the crew—including Carl’s girlfriend, Victoria (Alice Parkinson of Where the Wild Things Are, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and Crazy George (Dan Wyllie of Muriel’s Wedding, Chopper)—must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out. Soon, they are confronted with the unavoidable question: Can they survive, or will they be trapped forever?
Special Features:
Master diver Frank McGuire (Richard Roxburgh of Moulin Rouge!, Mission: Impossible II) has explored the South Pacific’s Esa’ala caves for months. But when his exit is cut off in a flash flood, Frank’s key team—including 17-year-old son Josh (Rhys Wakefield of The Black Balloon, Broken Hill) and financier Carl Hurley (Ioan Gruffudd of Fantastic Four series, W.)—is forced to radically alter plans.
With dwindling supplies, the crew—including Carl’s girlfriend, Victoria (Alice Parkinson of Where the Wild Things Are, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and Crazy George (Dan Wyllie of Muriel’s Wedding, Chopper)—must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out. Soon, they are confronted with the unavoidable question: Can they survive, or will they be trapped forever?
Special Features:
- Deleted Scenes
- Feature Commentary
- Sanctum: The Real Story
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
SANCTUM is a 2011 australian adventure film directed by Alister Grierson and starring Richard Roxburgh and Rhys Wakefield. What a brilliant film! I was utterly gripped all the way through. I love these kind of films as they make me shiver as the scenes are unbearably intense! The actors were chosen well. I was very impressed and thought everyone did wonderfully. Best of all was the photography. WOW! The setting of the forest, the ocean and the dark cave itself was magnificently beautiful. There were also moments of dark humour that i thought worked well with the story.
Frank McGuire is an underwater diver expert who has been on countless explorations. This is his greatest yet! With his son Josh and his crew members, they dive deep into the carvornous cave, unaware that there exciting dive into a new world will become a terrifying nightmare that slowly picks them off one by one. They also have a deadline, as the cyclone raging avove will flood the cave. Trapped. And the only way out is down!
Can i just say, SANCTUM is not for the faint hearted. There are some pretty grusesome deaths and this film builds up to a tear-jerking climax. But as long as you dont get too worked up over these things, you'll be fine! Definately worth watching if you like tension, lots of peril and a great storyline! 10/10!
Frank McGuire is an underwater diver expert who has been on countless explorations. This is his greatest yet! With his son Josh and his crew members, they dive deep into the carvornous cave, unaware that there exciting dive into a new world will become a terrifying nightmare that slowly picks them off one by one. They also have a deadline, as the cyclone raging avove will flood the cave. Trapped. And the only way out is down!
Can i just say, SANCTUM is not for the faint hearted. There are some pretty grusesome deaths and this film builds up to a tear-jerking climax. But as long as you dont get too worked up over these things, you'll be fine! Definately worth watching if you like tension, lots of peril and a great storyline! 10/10!
46 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I bought this because I was out of the country when it went on general release, and 2 weeks later I couldn't find a cinema within 100 miles that was still showing it, never mind the 3D version.
I'm a caver. I've caved all over the world (though sadly not in PNG, yet...). I've even been on a couple of expeditions.
What did this film get right? The location, for a start. Thick limestone + lots of water = big caves as several expediations to Borneo & China have shown in recent years. PNG was as good a place as any to base the story. Do you really get sinkholes as big/deep as that in the film? Yes, you do. 500 m deep and maybe half that across would not be uncommon. You wouldn't ordinarily parachute into sinkholes - the proximity of the rock walls and uncertain air currents would make that extraordinarily risky (though there are people that have base jumped into las Golondrinas in Mexico). Abseiling (rapelling for North American readers) on ropes is the usual method as was shown. The gear the team were wearing was pretty authentic, as was the gear they used. Modern rebreather diving technology is extraordinary; the world record for a cave dive was set last year in Pozo Azul in Spain: 8.8 km and 50 hours in water of 11C. So the basis for the film was pretty sound too. The 'passion' for caving shown by the lead explorer was also authentic. The lure of virgin discovery is extraordinarily strong.
So where did the film go wrong? Well, I've yet to hear of a caving expedition with anything like the level of resources portrayed in the film! Caving expeditions - even those on which National Geographic participates - are generally run on a shoestring. And as for running electric power down a few km of cave passge to the dive base...... Read more ›
I'm a caver. I've caved all over the world (though sadly not in PNG, yet...). I've even been on a couple of expeditions.
What did this film get right? The location, for a start. Thick limestone + lots of water = big caves as several expediations to Borneo & China have shown in recent years. PNG was as good a place as any to base the story. Do you really get sinkholes as big/deep as that in the film? Yes, you do. 500 m deep and maybe half that across would not be uncommon. You wouldn't ordinarily parachute into sinkholes - the proximity of the rock walls and uncertain air currents would make that extraordinarily risky (though there are people that have base jumped into las Golondrinas in Mexico). Abseiling (rapelling for North American readers) on ropes is the usual method as was shown. The gear the team were wearing was pretty authentic, as was the gear they used. Modern rebreather diving technology is extraordinary; the world record for a cave dive was set last year in Pozo Azul in Spain: 8.8 km and 50 hours in water of 11C. So the basis for the film was pretty sound too. The 'passion' for caving shown by the lead explorer was also authentic. The lure of virgin discovery is extraordinarily strong.
So where did the film go wrong? Well, I've yet to hear of a caving expedition with anything like the level of resources portrayed in the film! Caving expeditions - even those on which National Geographic participates - are generally run on a shoestring. And as for running electric power down a few km of cave passge to the dive base...... Read more ›
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By pinner2010
Format:Blu-ray
This is only the third 3D Blu ray that I have watched on my new 3D Tv. It was brilliant, it was spectacular and at times I thought there was water dripping from the living room ceiling! For some reason the 3D disc didnt actually have "3D Blu-Ray" printed on it like other 3D blu-rays, but none the less I managed to find the right disc and really enjoyed it. Gripping movie that makes good use of the 3D. I was also pleased that this movie was available from Amazon as I haven't seen it in 3d in any of the shops.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Garry Newton
Format:Blu-ray
I watched this film in 2D first, and though it was a very good film, then the 3D version came out, all the cave and underwater sceans, are fantastic, this is a must bye, for any 3D fan.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Lewis
Format:Blu-ray
To put simply, it was an amazing film with fantastic scenery. Great actors and really well acted. Lots of tension too. Was topped off with the 3D, characters and all the scenery came out the screen. I would certainly recommend it! 5*
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By DruidHunter
Format:DVD
Let's face it when one of the leading characters says he's going to marry one of the other main characters early on in the film you know right at the start most of the people are going to be completely stuffed in various unpleasant ways! Yes, and to a certain extent it's then a beer and popcorn movie ... however...
As a caver who's actually been stuck deep in a flooded cave in France, had to kiss the roof for air on a number of occaisions, and climbed ladders under a deluge of water, some parts are as realistic as it can get given they're making a hollywood film! Anyone who's spent time underground will know how extremely difficult it is to take a decent photo, let alone make a film, so you can strongly forgive the need to make sets - you do need the 'Titanic' scale and levels of water to give a rough simulation of what nature can do. Indeed there are massive caves like those portrayed in the world - look to good old google to see. Haven't done any cave diving, but have portered equipment and it is hard work and I understand the realism of the film in that respect.
So from a technical caving point of view it's brilliant, and nice to see people doing some stuff and getting wet rather than grinning in front of the camera and letting CGI do all the work :-)
That said the vast majority of the world aren't cavers, so it's back to beer and popcorn and in that respect it's still a very, very good, if somewhat slightly predictable (although that can be said with most films today) film, with stunning camera work.
As a caver who's actually been stuck deep in a flooded cave in France, had to kiss the roof for air on a number of occaisions, and climbed ladders under a deluge of water, some parts are as realistic as it can get given they're making a hollywood film! Anyone who's spent time underground will know how extremely difficult it is to take a decent photo, let alone make a film, so you can strongly forgive the need to make sets - you do need the 'Titanic' scale and levels of water to give a rough simulation of what nature can do. Indeed there are massive caves like those portrayed in the world - look to good old google to see. Haven't done any cave diving, but have portered equipment and it is hard work and I understand the realism of the film in that respect.
So from a technical caving point of view it's brilliant, and nice to see people doing some stuff and getting wet rather than grinning in front of the camera and letting CGI do all the work :-)
That said the vast majority of the world aren't cavers, so it's back to beer and popcorn and in that respect it's still a very, very good, if somewhat slightly predictable (although that can be said with most films today) film, with stunning camera work.
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3.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A true story!
I had very high expectations of this movie, I mean, it was produced by the phenomenal James Cameron. Yes, that is the guy who produced both Avatar and Titanic, just to name a few. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Laura Hartley
2.0 out of 5 stars
boring
I was bored by this film. Not a lot happened. Not much acting was done. The dialogue was substandard. Dullsville.
Published 2 months ago by Hambletta-Maud
4.0 out of 5 stars
Which part of true events ths was based is dubious
I looked this up and the only similarity to the events that happened in 1988 is the cyclone and the cave flooding. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Herts Review
4.0 out of 5 stars
3D
A very scary film,3 d not as good as Hugo but never the less the photography excellent.Not for someone wanting a Happy ending!
Published 3 months ago by DAVID COLEMAN
5.0 out of 5 stars
O
E x c e l l e n t C h e a p Fast d e l I v e r y
Published 3 months ago by Shane
5.0 out of 5 stars
very good film
really enjoyed watching the dvd. Not too many people alive at the end though! Arrived quickly. nothing to complain about!
Published 3 months ago by Liz Mitchell
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good 3d effects
Found dialogue badly written and script completely predictable and far fetched, normally I would have turned this off after 20mins however the three d views of the caves are... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Simon
4.0 out of 5 stars
not quite there
watchable, a bit predictable, usual ran out of money, so end rubbish just fizzles out - - - - - -
Published 5 months ago by Bloody Skint
5.0 out of 5 stars
It is not easy to access the most remote place on our planet still...
The title of this excellent film is particularly well chosen, as "sanctum" means a secret place known only to few people and also a sacred or holy area. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Maciej
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sanctum
Received in plenty of time and well packaged. Was ordered as a present so I can give no personal knowledge of it, but it was well received.
Published 5 months ago by Moyra
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