Rating of
1/4
I hope the 100 degree heat was worth it?
Indyfreak - wrote on 03/04/17
Michael Caine called ASHANTI one of his worst films (along with The Swarm and Magus). I can see why. Caine leads a remarkable cast that includes Peter Ustinov, William Holden, Omar Sharif, Rex Harrison, and Beverly Johnson in what sounds like a rip roaring and topical adventure thriller. Oh dear lord, is it a disappointment.
From the stilted dialogue and slow pacing, ASHANTI is a chore to get through. What excitement or intrigue you would expect is hampered by poor direction of both the action and dramatic details. Modern slavery is a relevant issue that can be made entertaining but despite its sensationalist depiction,ASHANTI makes it boring.
What did interest me was Kabir Bedi who Bond fans would recognize as Gobinda from Octopussy. He plays Caine's guide and ally who is an absolute bad-ass. Also the photography looks gorgeous-as does Beverly Johnson who of course has a nude scene. They filmed on location in Kenya, israel, and the Sahara Desert. It's a beautiful looking movie despite being a bad one.
