SANCTUM

US/Australia, 2010, 109 minutes, Colour.
Richard Roxburgh, Ioan Gruffudd, Rhys Wakefield, Alice Parkinson, Dan Wyllie.
Directed by Alister Grierson.

James Cameron gives his name to the publicity for this action adventure which is not in the blockbuster vein, despite the settings and the 3D. It is rather old-fashioned matinee stuff. Not that Cameron’s films aren’t a bit in the matinee style, especially in their often prosaic dialogue. (This one has the same kind of dialogue but it is peppered with a lot of Australian slang and the touch of crass.) Not that Cameron is not interested in water stories from The Abyss to Titanic and documentaries on the Titanic. His cameras are employed here as well. Cameron and the writer, Andrew Wight, who was a diver in caves in the Nullabor in 1988 and had a similar experience, have worked together on all Cameron’s films in recent years, especially his underwater documentaries.

Why this film is called Sanctum will have to be one of those mysteries. Perhaps it’s the inner sanctum of the last vast unexplored cave and cavernous underground system. But it is no sanctum for the characters who disappear one by one, victims of the elements, the remote and deadly dangers and human flaws and clashes.

The plot? A group of caver-divers are in Papua New Guinea (Queensland and Dunk Island standing in) exploring the vast caves and underground lakes and rivers with a mixture of high current technology and old-fashioned derring-do. As they prepare for going beyond their limits, a cyclone with torrential rains comes down on them and it is a matter of escaping. (Unlike The Descent films or The Cave, there are no mysterious spirits or demons – just the hazards of nature.)

This may mean that the film is really of interest to cavers and divers, perhaps a bit tedious for those who prefer their armchairs or for those who want slambang action. Sanctu m is something of a spelunkathon.

While the caves are spectacular (filmed in South Australia’s Mt Gambier), the 3D techniques are a little disappointing and (testing with removing glasses throughout) many of the scenes look exactly the same in 2D.

Richard Roxburgh as the tough explorer who finds his identity in spelunking rather than in marriage and family and who barks out orders constantly brings a stronger performance than the script and plot might warrant. Rhys Wakefield is his alienated teenage son – who will come to know and admire his father. The rest of the cast is Australian and allowed to keep their accents and their rough and ready language, except for Alison Parkinson who becomes an American climber who accompanies her boyfriend, Welsh Ioan Grufudd sporting a broad American accent as a spoilt and self-centred playboy billionaire (we hiss his villainy).

Two cultural elements: a PNG highlander in full regalia, including nose bone, sitting like an icon, but also playing cards; and the quoting of Kubla Khan and Coleridge.

Sanctum offers adventure, B-grade, until the next one comes along – which it will pretty soon. And then the next... and the next.

1. The title, the initial image of Josh and his floating in the water? The caves as an inner sanctum of the earth?

2. Matinee material, action adventure? 21st century style?

3. Small-budget action adventure, plot, characters, dialogue?

4. The interest of the film for cavers and divers – enthusiasm for them? For others?

5. Action, exploration, identity in adventure, exhilaration, the goals, risks, rewards?

6. The introduction to the characters and situations, Papua New Guinea, the mountains, waterfalls, the giant hole, the water and the caves, exploration, technology, the teams?

7. Carl, Victoria, their arrival, meeting Josh, the helicopter ride, the survey, arrival, the history of exploring, Josh and the criticism of him?

8. Frank, leader, his reputation, past achievements, the team, his clash with Josh, his own past, Frank explaining things to his son, the quoting of Xanadu?

9. The father-son story, the clash, people advising Frank to give Josh slack, the effect of Jude’s death, Josh denouncing his father? The ascent – and Josh not going, coming back for his father, sharing with him, relying on his father, his father giving him opportunity, especially with the cliff and the rope, their talking, teaching him Coleridge, the experience of the deaths, the water, the caves, the darkness, Carl and his leaving them, the death of his father?

10. Jude, her tension, George’s reaction, the dive, breaking her line, sharing the breathing, her fears? Her flailing out, her death? Josh and his failure to bring the support canisters?

11. The cyclone advancing, the water, coming down the holes, the danger of the ascent? The group and survival? Victoria, not wanting to use Jude’s suit, the consequences, her cold hands? The first death – and the mercy drowning?

12. The issue of mercy drownings, Frank and his colleague? Josh and his father? The challenge of the issues?

13. Carl and Victoria, Victoria and the suit, getting the knife, cutting her hair, falling to her death, her body washed down by the river? Carl, the rich American, spoilt, diving away from the group, being found, wanting the food, his attacking Frank, the fight, his death?

14. George, the past, the technology, getting the bends, inscribing his name?

15. The water, the air, the light, the failing batteries, food? The pools, the rain, the bats, the funnels, the climbs?

16. The PNG carriers, the elder with the bone in his nose – playing cards? The touch of patronising local colour for PNG? The family on the beach at the end? Josh and his surviving? The lessons he had learnt, understanding his father?

17. The film as entertainment, the documentary background of the makers?