In Desert and Wilderness

This Polish adventure film is aimed at a family audience. The bad news is that for English language audiences it must use subtitles. And children simply cannot follow a movie with subtitles, even if they are old enough to watch it.This is too bad, because otherwise the movie has a lot going for it. First, a good story. Based on a novel by a famous Polish author {he wrote "Quo Vadis?"}, it is set in Africa in the 1880s. It deals with the rise of the Madhi whose Islamic uprising retook Kartoum in the Sudan -despite the best efforts of Charlton Heston !Two European children are caught up in the conflict. Kidnapped, they escape with two native African children and make their way across the desert and widerness to rejoin their fathers. Of course they have numerous dangerous adventures and display pluck before the mandatory happy ending.The story is well developed, and the filming of the African landscape is well done.I was especially captivated by the charming little Polish actress, Karolina Sawka, who played 9 year-old "Nel".If you can overcome the language/subtitle problem this is a well-done movie well worth watching.Blaine in Seattle.

This seems to be a remake of a early 1970s Polish also based on the Sienkiewicz novel. I noted that the movie included a 5.1 DTS English dubbed feature, although it was difficult to find in the menu. While I have Polish ancestry I am not a Polish speaker. Perhaps Polish DVD distributors, wishing to expand their market base, should seriously ensure their menus help targeted foriegners easily locate their langauge sub-titles or dubbed versions.That said the movie was shot in South Africa and soaked in some spectacular scenary. It presents a great plot line for great family entertainment.

It's a good movie if you don't mind reading subtitles. The movie was shot in the Polish language so if you want english you have to read it in the subtitles.Still it's a good movie thats shot in beautiful locations.

i wish it was 1st version

It's a good movie. The advertising failed to note that some of the speech is in Modern Standard Arabic, but I didn't care about that, as I'm currently trying to learn that language for professional reasons.

Flat and hurried compared to the book. My children were disappointed. The visual part was entertaining. Also, there are modern ideas in the movie that weren't in the book, namely an attempt to equalize all religions.

A very well made movie. Difficult to get the English subtitles to kick in. Not very intuitive in design there. Over all a joy to watch. It does not match the book it is based on but close.

Product didn't play, very disappointing after having to wait so long for it to deliver.