Michael York headlines the cast in this Saharan adventure flick that populates an expansive tableau with stock characters throughout: there's a rugged, Indiana Jones-style archaeologist hero, a damsel in distress, various violent and unpleasant Arabs, plus some mystical hidden treasure hidden beneath the sands.
Given the number of countries involved in the production of this miniseries - they include Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and West Germany - it should have been a lot better than it actually is, which is completely forgettable. The narrative just about holds your interest but as a whole it's hardly anything to get excited about. I blame the script, which feels flabby and unfocused with way too many extraneous characters in the cast taking up too much screen time.
The shooting locations in Morocco are about the most interesting thing here, although playing "spot the actor" can be fun. Ben Kingsley is an Arab, and Andie MacDowell the youthful love interest (I kept thinking "she looks like Andie MacDowell" only to realise it actually was her during the closing credits). York gives a stiff central performance, and it's left to David Soul to ham things up as a villain. The twist ending has to be seen to be believed, but trust me, it's not really worth it.
Given the number of countries involved in the production of this miniseries - they include Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and West Germany - it should have been a lot better than it actually is, which is completely forgettable. The narrative just about holds your interest but as a whole it's hardly anything to get excited about. I blame the script, which feels flabby and unfocused with way too many extraneous characters in the cast taking up too much screen time.
The shooting locations in Morocco are about the most interesting thing here, although playing "spot the actor" can be fun. Ben Kingsley is an Arab, and Andie MacDowell the youthful love interest (I kept thinking "she looks like Andie MacDowell" only to realise it actually was her during the closing credits). York gives a stiff central performance, and it's left to David Soul to ham things up as a villain. The twist ending has to be seen to be believed, but trust me, it's not really worth it.