Director: David Titcher*
Cast: Noah Wyle, Kyle MacLachlan, Sonya Walger, Bob Newhart
Have I Seen it Before: Never. Lora’s been watching The Librarians on Hulu. So, here we are.
Did I Like It: Rare is that a TV movie** exceeds the limitations of its production. So, I’m probably tempted to give this movie a pass for reverting to the mean, if not exceeding it. Not unlike The Mummy (1999) and its sequels, there was a moment where it wasn’t at all clear that there would be any more forthcoming Indiana Jones films, so we had to make do with what was available. This film also feels strangely compelled to imitate (not altogether successfully) the energy of Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) for no other reason than it came out roughly around the same time.
The special effects are so laughable that I have a hard time believing that this at all held up on crappy SD eighteen years ago. If ever there would be a law passed to provide any sort of limit on excessive use of cheap green screen, then every copy of this movie would be immediately impounded.
And yet, the film can’t be completely dismissed for the diversions it presents. The cast is charming, although nearly it’s an almost foregone conclusion that Noah Wyle, Bob Newhart, Kyle MacLachlan, Jane Curtin, and even Sonya Walger (RIP Molly Cobb) have far more to offer TV than what is offered here.
Everything about this film is at least slightly less than it could have been, but not any worse than it might have been. It is the perfect thing to fill time between other movies for me, and I suppose it was the perfect thing with multiple airings to fill airtime on TNT between broadcast of basketball games.
So, I suppose it hit the intended mark.
*I was under the impression Jonathan Frakes directed these things, so even here I’m feeling a bit deprived. Although I’m heartened to read that he directed the other two TV films.
**Are such things even made anymore? As a genre have they moved into that antiquated format afterlife like silent films and standalone superhero films?