A sequel to Raise the Titanic this was being billed as, excuse me while I have a quick belly laugh! Adapapted from one of Clive Cussler's popular Dirk Pitt series of novels, this very much Holywoodised adaptation is glossy, well photographed and very slick.
Whilst most entertainment these days can be enjoyed by leaving your brain at the door on the way in, for this, it would be wise not to bring you brain anywhere near the door in the first place as the plot leaves a lot to be desired with holes the size of battleship in it.
The original plot line about the highly unlikely story (or plot device, take your pick) of the lost Civil War Ironclad battleship winding up on the wrong side of the Atlantic in the middle of a desert is seemingly forgotten for the middle two thirds of the film until an urgent requirement for something with armour plating and a convenient working cannon turns up.
Whilst there are good laughs to be had and the casting of the criminally underused Willam H Macy as Admiral Sandecker is spot on, there are other problems, not the least of which is the civil war in Mali that seems to be lacking somewhat. More so as the supposed War Lord is as weak as a dishcloth and has a very small army who surrender in a split second the moment the native rebels turn up on horseback and en-masse.
The biggest failing though is the woefull miscasting of Matthew McConaughey as Dirk Pitt. If Pitt is supposed to be a long experienced old sea dog then he should at least appear older, wiser and less barmy than this, more like Dirk Pitt was portrayed in the dreadful adaptation of Raise the Titanic twenty five years or more earlier.
Overall, its watchable, the special effect are impressive but it is very silly. As this looks like the beginning of a franchise, I hope that they learn from the mistakes made here and consider recasting the Pitt role to someone more mature.
Whilst most entertainment these days can be enjoyed by leaving your brain at the door on the way in, for this, it would be wise not to bring you brain anywhere near the door in the first place as the plot leaves a lot to be desired with holes the size of battleship in it.
The original plot line about the highly unlikely story (or plot device, take your pick) of the lost Civil War Ironclad battleship winding up on the wrong side of the Atlantic in the middle of a desert is seemingly forgotten for the middle two thirds of the film until an urgent requirement for something with armour plating and a convenient working cannon turns up.
Whilst there are good laughs to be had and the casting of the criminally underused Willam H Macy as Admiral Sandecker is spot on, there are other problems, not the least of which is the civil war in Mali that seems to be lacking somewhat. More so as the supposed War Lord is as weak as a dishcloth and has a very small army who surrender in a split second the moment the native rebels turn up on horseback and en-masse.
The biggest failing though is the woefull miscasting of Matthew McConaughey as Dirk Pitt. If Pitt is supposed to be a long experienced old sea dog then he should at least appear older, wiser and less barmy than this, more like Dirk Pitt was portrayed in the dreadful adaptation of Raise the Titanic twenty five years or more earlier.
Overall, its watchable, the special effect are impressive but it is very silly. As this looks like the beginning of a franchise, I hope that they learn from the mistakes made here and consider recasting the Pitt role to someone more mature.