Ashes and Sand

Stuart:

I seriously doubt that Lara Belmont is going to be able to top her debut performance in The War Zone. I’ve watched both Long Time Dead and Ashes And Sand in the hopes of seeing that brilliance once again, but alas they’ve both been pretty crappy films. Certainly her subsequent roles haven’t been anywhere near as challenging as Tim Roth’s confronting feature, and I’m sure that she relishes the idea of never having to go through that kind of stuff again.

Ashes And Sand is a hodgepodge of underdeveloped ideas which chunders along with all the fluidity of a sandpaper dragged across velcro. I really considered switching this off, but every now and again there was some development that looked promising and thus I persevered. I needn’t have bothered.

Basically this film is a little silly. The girls’ motivations are strange and unbelievable, and we’re provided with no reason as to why they are quite so delinquent. Also, Ashes And Sand should receive the award for the Most Stupid Police Ever, as they continuously let a bunch of teenage girls demean, overwhelm and generally get the better of them. Honestly, you find yourself thankful that they’re British coppers and thus don’t carry firearms, cos I can’t imagine the type of damage they might inflict if that was the case.

This film isn’t shocking, exciting or at all believable, and isn’t really worth one’s time. I have faith in Lara Belmont however, and I’m sure she’ll get a chance to dazzle audiences again sometime in the future. It would be nice to see her in a movie where she could smile once in a while also.

Rating: 0.5 stars
Review by Stuart Wilson, 27th July 2004
Hoopla Factor: 1 stars


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