Release date: 2011
Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama

My rating: ★★★
Bottom line: This confirmed my suspicion that I never want to go cave diving.

I’ve been scuba diving, and I know how eerie and claustrophobic it can feel to be 40 feet below the surface of the ocean in a wide-expanse of nothing but water. I’ve also been caving, so I know how dark and encasing it feels to be 100 feet below the surface of the earth in a tunnel not much wider or taller than yourself. Combining the two comes across as nothing other than absurd and utterly terrifying.

For the cast of Sanctum, which is based loosely on a true story (emphasis on “loosely” – I researched the original story), exploring and discovering previously unknown places through cave diving provides the ultimate thrill. For Frank, cave diving is his sanctum – his holy place, his reason for living. But when the shit hits the fan, being the best at what you do isn’t enough to stay alive. You have to get lucky.

If you’re at all able to relate to what is happening on screen, this is one of those films that puts you in a place where you are most vulnerable and doesn’t let you come up for air. It’s an eerie, gripping thriller with a cool setting, a terrifying story, an even scarier acting.