Clunky dialogue and wooden performances do not mar Sanctum from becoming the immersive 3D experience it inspires to be.

If Sanctum proves anything, it is that 3D can be an impressive tool when in the right hands, and when those hands belong to James Cameron the best results usually follow.

Cameron does not direct Sanctum but produces, bringing with him the very same cameras and software which made his Avatar the pinnacle of 3D moviemaking. Yet Sanctum is not some fantasy sci-fi yarn. Instead it is a gritty tale of survival inspired by the true life experiences of writer / producer Andrew Wight, who barely survived an underwater expedition back in his days as a cave diver.

With the notion of “What if?” haunting him ever since, Wight finally put pen to paper and came up with this story. Yet for all of its personal attachment, this is a James Cameron film through and through.      

Proof of that can be found in its opening scenes, as a succession of cliché (and some not very likeable) characters are introduced, delivering terrible dialogue that will make many wince.

First is Frank (Richard Roxburgh) a tough as nails cave diver, who is leading an expedition into an unexplored cave system in New Guinea. Among his team is his rebellious son Josh (Rhys Wakefield), and billionaire daredevil financier Carl (Ioan Gruffud). Neither actor in this leading trio manage to rise above the clunky writing.  

When a cyclone brings with it a monsoon, the team find themselves in a life and death situation when the caves quickly begin to flood. With their exit blocked, Frank must lead his team to safety while mending the toxic relationship with his son.  

If sympathy was sought for these men and their situation, it couldn’t be asked for a more repugnant group of individuals, especially Frank who is played by Roxburgh as a one note, hard shell of a man, whose survival of the fittest God complex sees him make atrocious life and death decisions.  

In turn, the relationship between Frank and Josh is drained of empathy. Bad acting doesn’t help either.

Yet while Sanctum fails in its emotional story, its standing as an immersive, visually grand experience is worth the price of admission, director Alister Grierson doing a terrifically good job in providing a claustrophobic, thrilling adventure set in a vast, labyrinth structure.

Most impressive is the use of 3D. Where most filmmakers opt for the whiz-bang route, Grierson subtly adapts the extra-dimensional format to enhance, rather than distract.    

Sanctum proves itself as one of the best 3D feature film experiences to date. It is not a great movie, yet it’s a technological achievement sure to play well on the big screen.