Vance said:
I watched the preview link and... Le Saboteur ... I want those 30 seconds of my life back!
You'll probably never see this, but...
While
El Dorado: Temple of the Sun never rises above genre conventions, it is decently entertaining. It borrows a little bit from the first
Tomb Raider,
National Treasure, and even
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to create a passable action-adventure flick.
It ultimately suffers from budgetary constraints and an underdeveloped script, but what money they did have certainly ended up on screen rather than in some senior citizen's pocket. In fact that same senior citizen could learn a couple of things:
1.) Shane West's Jack Wilder exists in the 'real' world. Not only does Wilder speak in both Spanish and Quechua, but several of the supporting characters speak in their native tongues rather than heavily accented English. They aren't reduced to background props or local color.
2.) It goes by far too quickly -- the plot can't stop for a science lesson -- but there's a moment when one of the main characters uses lidar to help the cause. Yes, it's a highly souped up version of lidar,but it's a nice touch.
3.) There are some fantastic on location shots in both La Paz and the Peruvian countryside. You can't replicate these things on a sound stage.
4.) Fisticuffs are few and far between, but they have more of an impact because they're unpolished. Wilder gets a few shots in and moves on. He's not looking for the knockout punch.*
* - To be fair though, the production does seem to be a bit enamored with large caliber, fully automatic weapons.
If I had to score it I'd give it a... six, maybe a six point five out of ten. All of the necessary components are in place, but the dialogue needs work/fleshed out and the action sequences need better staging to be truly effective.
Will part two stay true to form or will it collapse under its own weight? Stay tuned as we move on two
El Dorado: City of Gold! And, no, it won't take three years to get there!
