Product Description

In the early days of the 20th Century, an expedition led by Dr. Samuel Jordon traveled deep into the Grand Canyon in search of a long-rumored hidden city. The entire team disappeared. But when Jordon’s archaeologist daughter Susan (Shannen Doherty) leads a rescue party into the uncharted valley, she will discover an ancient civilization ruled by savage warriors, human sacrifice and a mythological monster that feeds on carnage. Even if the explorers can survive the deadly trials of the Aztecs, will they find a way to escape the ultimate ritual of evil? Michael Shanks and JR Bourne of STARGATE SG-1 co-star in this top-rated Sci Fi Original Movie from the producer of SANDS OF OBLIVION and THE FALLEN ONES.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41973 in DVD
• Brand: STARZ/SPHE
• Released on: 2009-05-26
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 90 minutes

Customer Reviews

When bad dialogue happens to good actors
I really felt sorry for Michael Shanks as Dr. Thane in this movie. Not because of what he goes through, but because his dialogue is about as stiff and unoriginal as I've heard in a very long time. I rather liked the monster, but the script, directing, editing, and bulk of the acting were terrible. Most of the Aztec warriors looked like pale Canadian extras with bad fake tans. Except for Shanks, all of the actors regularly seemed to miss their beats. There would be just a pause too long or a pedestrian delivery. Even Michael Shanks seemed to struggle at times with his delivery. However, to give him credit, Shanks was able to pull it off better than the others. Any fans who force themselves to sit through this film will be rewarded by a number of small moments in the movie, when Shanks somehow manages to rise above the terrible writing and draw us in with a look or a smile. However, for the most part, I was cheering when every character died because it meant one less actor trashing his or her lines.

That said, there are a couple scenes that I enjoyed. One is watching Michael Shank's archeologist character ride up to the rescue on a mule carrying an umbrella like a parasol. I couldn't help wondering if it was a nod to Elizabeth Peter's intrepid character of Amelia Peabody, Egyptian archeologist. I also give the writers credit for surprising me at the end with a moment I didn't see coming, which made me laugh in delight.

It's a shame the dialogue was so bad. This really could have been an interesting story if handled better. Dr. Thane (played by Shanks) is not your usual hero and has the makings of a really fun and intriguing character. Unfortunately, one actor, no matter how good, cannot rescue a truly bad movie.

In some ways, the movie could have been summed up in one line of the dialogue, where Shank's character is asked, "What are you doing?" and he simply says "I don't know." Poor guy. I hope he was well paid.

I debated giving the movie one star, but because of Michael Shank's character, and a few choice moments, am giving it two stars.

Mildly entertaining
Researchers for the Smithsonian working in the Grand Canyon discover an Aztec city. Susan Jordan (Shannen Doherty) leads a team to find her father and his colleagues, who are trapped in the city by Aztec warriors and their serpent god. Michael Shanks from Stargate SG-1 is a member of the search team. Co-starring in the movie are J R Bourne, Toby Berner, Heather Doerksen, Duncan Fraser and Peter New. The movie was filmed in Kamloops, British Columbia. (I wonder why they didn't film it in the Grand Canyon?) The scenery is beautiful. Oddly enough, Kamloops is the town where Michael Shanks grew up! "The Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon" is a made-for-TV period movie that has aired on the SCIFI channel.

I like this type of movie and had high hopes for a couple hours of entertainment. I thought Shannen and Michael deserved a better dialogue and special effects. I don't expect a lot from movies, only to be entertained. The acting was decent, given the movie's other limitations. I thought that Michael and Shannen had some chemistry on-screen. That said, the movie was mildly entertaining. I do recommend it for fans of the genre like myself, but only if you have nothing better to watch.

The Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon... Some things should stay lost.
The Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon: 1 out of 10: Well, I was two minutes into the film and my girlfriend jinxed us. Hey you know this movie isnt that bad. I turned pale real pale. You dont tempt the Gods like that. Not with a made for Sci-fi Channel movie. Not one where the lead is Shannen Doherty. The words barely left my girlfriend's mouth, and a CGI puppet began sliming a Frat Boy in a diaper. The Horror. The Horror.

If I am going to start somewhere, I have to start with the Frat Boys in diapers. The movie claims these are Aztecs still hidden in the Grand Canyon at the end of the 19th century. (I know I know) Apparently, they have been hiding from the white man for many years. Not to mention the Havasupai and the Painte and the Pai and the tourists at the Upper Canyon Ranch and perhaps the boys in blue down at Ft. Mohave.

Anyway, this lost tribe of Aztecs, like some Japanese WW2 sniper still hiding in a palm tree in 1971, is hidden in the Grand Canyon. What seems stranger is that they consist almost entirely of a hereto thou undiscovered group of Aztecs who look like white college football players wearing diapers (well more of a mawashi) and war paint. I am all in favor of multicultural casting, but I cant believe that it isnt a little insensitive to portray Native Americans as, well, extras in a Fire Island movie.

Hold on a second, Fire Island Movie???? The men are all buff and practically naked. The two women are wearing pants and done up to look twice their age. The monster spews slime on the buff boys for no good reason. Oh God, no, its Jeepers Creepers 2 all over again. The homoerotic horror film strikes again.

Now, Im not sure that the over the top homoeroticism is director Farhad Manns doing (or even intentional), but Mann is responsible for both Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace as well as Return to Two Moon Junction, so with a track record like that I am prepared to blame him for a Swine Flu outbreak, let alone this film.

So what else went wrong? Well, the Quetzalcoatl design is all wrong (he looks like a puppet) and his CGI is bad by even the very low Sci-fi Channel standards. The sets look like Kirk and Spock are going to beam down at any moment. Half the explorers are grossly overweight; an unlikely condition in the far west wilderness that distance from a Wal-Mart. As noted above Shannen Doherty, who isnt even forty, looks forty-five; and Heather Doerksen, who isnt even thirty, looks fifty. Finally, they have a five minute flashback at the end that repeats the entire film.

But lets face it, buff white frat boys in diapers getting slimed from off camera and pretending to be Indians? Yeah, that is just all sorts of wrong.