Director: Jonathan Newman
Writer: Christian Taylor, Matthew Huffman (Screenplay) G.P. Taylor (Novel)
Starring: Aneurin Barnard, Michael Sheen, Lena Headey, Sam Neill, Ioan Gruffudd, Keeley Hawes
Plot: Ancient mysteries. Powerful evil. And a fearless hero’s quest through a fantastical realm of steam-powered wonders and sinister magic…
Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict: Basic Adventure Film
Story: The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box starts when adventurer Will Charity (Sheen) escapes with a crucial part of Otto Luger’s (Neill) plan to unlock the Midas Box, he turns to his old friends Charles (Gruffudd) and Catherine (Hawes), who find themselves the target of Otto. Their eldest son Mariah (Barnard) must work with Charity to rescue his family and stop Otto from unlocking the box giving him the chance to have a powerful weapon, which would give him control of the world.
Thoughts on The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box
Characters – Mariah Mundi is the son of museum curators, from the upper class of society, he isn’t used to getting his hands dirty, he is the only member of his family that isn’t captured by Otto and is thrown into an adventure where he must go in disguise to try and save his family and stop Otto. Charity is the adventurer friend of the family that is guiding Mariah, he knows if he is seen, he will get killed, forcing him into going in disguise himself to find the truth and stop Otto. Otto Luger has been hunting for the Midas Box for years, he is closer than ever now, he just needs the key which Mariah has to unlock a power the world isn’t ready for, he is the typical greedy explorer that uses his money to get everybody to do his dirty work. Monica is one of the workers in the hotel that Otto owns, she is the eyes and ears around the hotel for information.
Performances – Aneurin Barnard in the leading role does make for a solid enough reluctant hero for the film, though he never feels like a true adventurer. Michael Sheen looks like he had a lot of fun in his role, Lena Headey is pretty much wasted in her role though, while Sam Neill will always make for an entertaining villain.
Story – The story here follows a young man that is pushed into an adventure to save his family from an evil explorer with the help of another adventurer as they look to stop his plan of releasing evil on the world. On paper this feels like it should be a big wild adventure, only it ends up being more about lurking around a hotel for the most part, with an annoying kid. It could have given us a big adventurer, only it just seems to throw us a stuck up young man trying to find his way in the world, one he has never had to work hard in.
Adventure/Fantasy – The adventure side of the film doesn’t get unleashed well enough in this film, with the fantasy element of the film not coming out until way to late into the film.
Settings – Most of the film is set within the walls of a hotel, it is located on an island, which shows how the rich would operate, relying on the poor to make more of the entertainment for them.
Scene of the Movie – The box
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We spend too much time to lurking around the hotel.
Final Thoughts – This is an adventure film that just doesn’t let enough of the story unfold to be enjoyable.
Overall: Doesn’t get going.
