Pretty impressed with this thriller. Mark Dacascos has a good on screen presence as the CIA killer-turned-priest-turned-killer-again. The story holds interest and the director steers clear of the usual mad machine gun frenzy Hollywood imagines its action viewers want to see. This is a movie with some style, of an almost modern Gothic feel. Dacascos performs with all the intensity expected of a man facing his past demons. The action is sharp and straight to the point, with no unnecessary flourishes. My only criticism was the standard showdown between hero and chief villain at the end, which was a tad too long. It would be refreshing if this formula was altered to an extent by having the chief villain getting it maybe a lot sooner, and then having the rest of the enemy polished off after as they panic. Instead we have martial arts expert Dacascos pitted against the Schofield Kid from Unforgiven, and the Schofield Kid holding his own for more than ten seconds. This is a minor blip however in an otherwise engaging thriller. Nice little twist in the tail at the end, and as other viewers have observed, it leaves the door open for a sequel, although hopefully not Sanctuary 3, 4 and 5, as that would just kill the original concept. All in all this is a good movie and much recommended.
Review of Sanctuary
