20140524: Action Review--The Adventurer

The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box

1. Fundamentals, reception.
1. British live action feature length film, 2013, PG, 99 minutes, action, family features.
2. IMDB: 5.3/10.0 from 1,588 audience ratings. Estimated budget: 25 million USD.
3. Rotten Tomatoes: 17% on the meter; 23% liked it from 599 audience ratings.
4. Directed by: Jonathan Newman.
5. Starring: Aneurin Neuman as Mariah Mundi, Sam Neill as Otto Luger, Michael Sheen as Charity, Ioan Gruffudd as Charles Mundi, Keeley Hawes as Catherine Mundi, Lena Heady as Monica, Xavier Atkins as Felix, Mella Carron as Sacha.


2. Setup and Plot
1. The time and place are somewhere that has both steampunk and fantastic elements.  The clothing and cultural affect is late Victorian; the technology, steam, mechanical, with some electricity, but no electronics.  The dual quests are for a lost brother and a magical, powerful box.


2. The Mundi family and Charity are on one side of the quest for the box.  Luger and Monica are on a different side.  Charity gains some particular intelligence about Luger's efforts, plus a broken key relevant to the box.  He relays some information and the pieces of the key.  Soon thereafter, the Mundi family is attacked.  Charity helps Mariah escape, but Charles, Catherine, and Felix are kidnapped.  The parents, Charles and Catherine, and questioned harshly by Luger, and Felix is made to work in a particular mine.


3. Mariah works at Luger's hotel to gain intelligence, disguised as a new porter.  He has some success at this, and meets Sacha.  After Luger gets the two broken key pieces from Felix and Mariah, he adds another piece to complete it.  The fun really begins, as Luger gets closer to the box.


3. Conclusions
1. One line summary: YA action thriller; steampunk, fantastic elements.
2. Four stars of five


4. Scores
1. Cinematography: 8/10 Dark and murky, but well shot.


2. Sound: 9/10 No problems.


3. Acting: 7/10 Sam Neill was good, as was Michael Sheen.  Aneurin Neuman grew on me during the film.


4. Screenplay: 8/10 Moves right along.  I'm looking forward to the sequel.