The Jewel of the Nile

Directed by Lewis Teague, The Jewel of the Nile follows Michael Douglas’ Jack and Kathleen Turner’s Joan as they find themselves roped into an adventure involving the title object. There’s little doubt that The Jewel of the Nile, which rarely fares as well as its predecessor, improves considerably as it unfolds, as the movie, written by Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner, has been saddled with a rather uninvolving first half that’s distressingly devoid of compelling, attention-grabbing attributes – with the picture’s arms-length atmosphere compounded by a narrative that’s rarely, if ever, as wholeheartedly engrossing as one might’ve hoped. It’s clear, then, that the film’s mild success, at the outset, is due almost entirely to the irresistibly personable efforts of its two stars, with Douglas and Turner’s first-class efforts, coupled with their palpable chemistry together, elevating the proceedings on a recurring basis. (The inclusion of a few admittedly impressive action set-pieces, especially a thoroughly memorable sequence involving Jack and Joan’s escape from captivity in a jet, perpetuates the mostly watchable vibe.) By the time the larger-than-life climax rolls around, The Jewel of the Nile has confirmed its place as a decent-enough sequel that does feel like it could (and should) be so much better.

**1/2 out of ****