The Sanctuary

Straight up: this is NOT a good film. However, it is not the worst film you will watch before this pandemic is over... if you can keep watching it. Five minutes in, most viewers, expecting something very different to what this is, will abandon this sometimes painful, often visually interesting film.

Watch it for what it is: a low budget, Canadian film pretending to be American, with unknown actors, from a director who is better known as a producer. If you know what you're going into, it may be worth your time. I like to support Canadian cinema, but The Sanctuary, like so many other 'entry level' Canadian films, suffers from that worst of afflictions - a lack of *genuine* actors. Every single scene looks like a college director's stage play; there are so very many 'look-at-me-acting-like-I-am-frustrated/upset/scared/cold/tired' moments that make this film cringeworthy.

While there are definitely worthy attempts to invite the viewer into these characters' lives - some of the settings are effective and visually fascinating - the terrible makeup and affected acting of the 'old' couple weighs down The Sanctuary's familiar storyline. Unfortunately, you won't care about any of these people - the director has been far too heavy handed with stereotypes and predictable actions and reactions that there is nothing new to see here.

Ultimately, it is the god-awful script that relegates The Sanctuary to what might, possibly, be a fairly decent film school student film. The dialogue raises the question of whether or not the writer has ever actually watched and listened to people interacting before. Absolutely unforgivably bad writing. Robin E. Crozier, please - PLEASE! - do not continue down the screenwriting path; it is not for you. I am sure you have other talents, but writing for film is not one of them. Good luck in any other career.

If you enjoy community theatre and Canadian B-movies, give The Sanctuary a whirl on a rainy afternoon or boring evening. Maybe while you're doing another task.

5 out of 10 for Canadian effort, and the earnestness of John-Riley O'Handley, who - under a practiced director - may have a future in film.

This movie makes Raising Arizona look like an Academy Award winner. It has lousy acting , poor dialog and no continuity.

The directors don't even know the difference between straw and hay.

Nothing and save this POS.

Don't waste your time on this campfire horror story.

This is a dreadful film. The acting is far from good and the two main characters are made up to try and look a good 20 years older than they are but it's pretty bleeding obvious it's makeup. So obvious.

As for them acting as if they're elderly, it doesn't work. It's a joke.

Often actors trying to act as if they're old is not great at the best of times and these are not the best of times by a long shot.

The storyline is not bad in itself. I'm sure has been done before and done a lot better. This film is truly awful.

I would not recommend this film to anyone.

This review does not contain spoilers because quite frankly, nothing I say could spoil this movie more than the acting does.

This film certainly makes you really look at the main characters.. husband and wife what are they really all about.

The graphics are quite good....don't miss the opening scene just breath taking....

Everything about this movie is so bad. Ive made better movies as a child with a home video camera. The acting sometimes is so bad you think it has to be a parody. Where did they get this cast from?