The greatest movie ever made..!

Strictly average movie

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Like the title says, you've probably never heard of this under-marketed suspense thriller with Kim Basinger (long before Vicki Vale), Nick Mancuso, and Charlton Heston. It sets up its premise quickly, with a search for a missing man that turns into a tense quest for gold in a played-out gold mine. Nothing terribly thought-provoking; it's not War and Peace, but it's a fun, claustrophobic little thriller with a plot-twist that maybe isn't the most original in the world, but the cinematography is well done and might have you jumping at shadows by the end.

MOTHER LODE is an all but forgotten tale of survival in the wilderness and the hunt for a golden treasure. I'd never heard of it before I saw it was on TV so I thought I'd give it a go; I quite like Charlton Heston when he's at his most bombastic so I thought I'd see what he was like here.The good news is that Heston is the best thing in the film and his larger than life portrayal of a mountain man is hugely entertaining. It's a shame that the rest of the film can't match, really, as MOTHER LODE is saddled with a slow-moving plot and some rather unlikeable protagonists. Nick Mancuso and Kim Basinger play characters who seem self-centred and indeed rather selfish and I couldn't warm to them despite their various misadventures. Basinger's screaming soon becomes annoying, too.What MOTHER LODE does have going for it is some stunning outdoor location photography of the British Columbian wilds. A lot of the aerial shots are simply breathtaking and truly bring to life this rather neglected part of the world (at least neglected when it comes to cinema). It's certainly an amiable enough watch overall, containing a little of that early '80s spirit of adventure that infused the likes of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, although this is much darker and more realistic, and not as entertaining. But it'll do.

Not only do the daylight scenes in this movie visually stun the viewer, but the dark cloak of night or being underground chill to the bone! The dark look of the film is all the more compelling when terror explodes out of the darkness to grip the viewer by the throat, eliciting screams! "Stay the hell outta my mine, laddie!" Why don't they listen . . . ???!!! This movie was incredible. The drama was taut, the frights were well developed and the story was compelling. This movie was a perfect vehicle for Charlton Heston who scared the crap out of me in this film. The script was ideal for him and his style and he was completely believable in this role(s).Strongly recommended!

The flight sequences and cinematography are superb, and the story is excellent. This may be Charlton Heston's only role where is doesn't play excessive melodrama. It was Kim Basinger's first big role before her starmaking role in the Natural.It NEEDS to be on DVD.