Sacred Cargo

This file has gone down in our family history as the worst we have ever seen together. When discussing poor films together someone always seems to say "but it is not as bad as sacred cargo". The plot seemed a good one bit something went dreadfully wrong between planning and filming.

This film is absolutely appalling and I do not know how someone can honestly give it any praise at all. Admittedly, the opening scene leads you to think this might be an all-out action thriller because you see a load of guys with combat gear in the back of a van (as I remember), but after that, you realise that the acting is completely beyond belief.

What the hell is Martin Shean doing in this film? His performance just about passes as acceptable but amidst such dreadful support (and his role is only supporting anyway), he is swamped and overwhelmed by the huge pauses in the dialogue and unprofessional stunts that make this shocker top of list for the "films we must make an effort to avoid should they ever surface onto TV" (although NO network worth its salt would even DREAM of airing this).

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do NOT think that the plot is complicated - it is wafer thin, you know who the bad guys are, and you know exactly how the good guys are gonna sort it out.

Examples of dialogue that doesn't work: "The KGB? (pause for 1.5 seconds) "**** the KBG" <--- meant to sound menacing, but the elongated pause destroys it.

In short: predictable, diabolical acting, dodgy production and screenplay lend themselves to the creation of a shocker.

Even shorter: rubbish

Even if you are a fan of Chris Penn and J T Walsh, "Sacred Cargo" is one to skip for certain. This muddled mess of a movie is something about stolen religious artifacts. Walsh sports a ridiculous Russian accent, Martin Sheen is hidden away for most of the film, while his brother, Chris Penn gets involved in some unbelievable circumstances trying to find him. The movie has zero credibility, poor stunt work, a contrived whirlwind romance, and extraordinary nonsense throughout. My favorite line has to be as Chris Penn and J T Walsh are enjoying a beer in a town square, Walsh quips "Nothing like a cold beer on a hot day." Of course they are both wearing Winter overcoats. - MERK

Set in modern Russia, the neo-Nazis, a Catholic monastery, and an American or two get embroiled in attempting to smuggle valuable icons.

The plot is extremely complicated and difficult to follow unless you concentrate. But it's worth concentrating, because its many twists and turns keep up a good level of suspense.

Martin Sheen is only a supporting actor, and the action is led by Chris Penn, who seems a little too cherubic for his character.

The setting is bleak: clearly the Russia where it takes place is lawless and dangerous. Improvisation, courage, and ingenuity are needed to survive.

It's a taut, exciting story, although there are a couple of leaps in the plot which demand a certain suspension of disbelief, but they're quickly forgotten.

Good, competent story-telling makes a good 90 minutes.

This could have been a great movie, instead it comes across as a film school project. Even Martin Sheen can't salvage it. A larger budget, better night writers to clean up the script, and a director without a singularly, romantic heart might have helped also. I fully expect this movie to be remade someday, with a greater ambition of more bang for the buck. At least I hope so. It's not a bad film, just a B movie with all of the right things wrong with it