The Jewel of the Nile

Starring: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, Spyros Fokas, Holland Taylor, Avner Eisenberg
Directed by: Lewis Teague
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
1985

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) accompanies a rich man (Spyros Fokas) with a vision for Africa, but soon finds herself in grave danger. Jack (Michael Douglas) and a reluctant Ralph (Danny DeVito) must try and save her.

Review:

Tim: I enjoyed Romancing the Stone, although it was a flawed movie. The chemistry between the stars and the lighthearted humor combined with the action/adventure plot made for an enjoyable movie. I'd watched The Jewel of the Nile when I was young and I distinctly remember it being an inferior sequel. Decades later, I revisited this film. While I agree with my early sentiment- this movie isn't as good as the first one, I actually felt more forgiving of some of its flaws than I did in my youth. This is a flawed movie, but it's fun.

The key to this movie is going in prepared to suspend your disbelief. It's an action adventure film, but it leans heavily into the comedic aspects. It's really a comedy and it does illogical things for the sake of a laugh. Many of the jokes fall flat, but this attempt brings a lightheartedness to the entire affair. That translates into the movie being fun, even when it's not particularly good. The whole story is much weaker than the original, that much is clear. If you focus on the story primarily, you'd be disappointed with this film. However, I think it's the cast that really elevates this. The story is weak, the dialogue is fine, but in the hands of the cast, it becomes much more fun than it otherwise would have been.

I really like Michael Douglas and I enjoy him in the role of Jack. He is believable as a tough adventurer, but it's his comedic timing and embracing of the absurd that really sets this movie apart. Douglas knows this isn't high cinema, but he has fun with the role regardless. That's one of the big appeals of this film. I know this film effectively killed the franchise, but I'd watch Douglas in this role any day of the week. He has a good partner in Kathleen Turner. I read she was fairly disgruntled throughout the production, recognizing this film would pale in comparison to the original. I don't think she let that impact her work. She brings a lot of energy and effective comedic timing to Joan. Turner and Douglas have real chemistry together and I just enjoy seeing them interact. These characters are memorable and their banter feels authentic and enjoyable. Turner gives a strong performance, even when the script gives her too little to work with. The Douglas-Turner pairing is absolutely a highlight and a big reason I enjoyed this movie. I liked Danny DeVito, too. I know I was a bit harsh on him in my original review of Romancing the Stone, but I was somewhat mistaken. DeVito brings comedy and energy to the role. While the script gives him a weaker character, he has some of the more memorable scenes in the film. It's fun seeing him do his thing. Spyros Fokas gives a nice supporting performance, too. Avner Eisenberg is quite strong, too. The cast is definitely a big reason why this movie isn't a failure.

There are some legitimately entertaining sequences. The highlight has to be the fighter jet scene. It's ridiculous, but funny and enjoyable. Our protagonists use a fighter jet to escape, keeping it on the ground the entire time. It's a great scene and perfectly encapsulates the tone of the entire film. The wrestling scene between Douglas a potential romantic suitor for Joan is likewise hilarious and a highlight. These are very worthwhile scenes. The climax felt fairly weak, unfortunately. It doesn't reach the heights of some of the earlier films.

I have to say, I was a bit surprised that I enjoyed The Jewel of the Nile as much as I did. When I thought about this movie during the two plus decades of not seeing it, I felt convinced it was only decent (6.5). when I sat down to watch it, though, I think it does just barely enough to be considered a good movie. I picture it sliding just millimeters past the "good" line. It's good, but flawed.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Romancing the Stone