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.

Although Charlton Heston does a fine job directing and starring in a project that his son Fraser created I think that this was a film Robert Mitchum should have done. With Mitchum's superb ear for accents and mimicry of same I'm sure the crazy Scotsman that Heston played would have really been special. I'm sure Heston had to work hard to get the right inflection.Nick Mancuso and Kim Bassinger are a pair of 20 somethings who go to some wild rural country in northern British Columbia looking for a geologist friend who went missing. Mancuso of course is also thinking of the gold he was looking for, in fact he's hoping to discover a legendary Mother Lode. Bassinger ain't immune to gold fever either.When the rickety plane the two are in makes a forced landing, they meet both a kindly John Marley and later Charlton Heston, a crazed Scotsman prospector who will do whatever it takes to keep outsiders out and if they get in, see they don't get out. Heston who is usually gaunt and serious playing historical figures gets a real good chance to bug out like crazy playing one of two villains in his career that I've noted.Director Heston really took the brakes off on this one. I've never seen Charlton Heston chew scenery before. But here he feasts on it like a steak dinner at Peter Luger's.For a different Heston, his fans might want to see Mother Lode.

The unplanned crashing of a pontoon plane is most definitely the high point of this pointless movie. There really is a lot to dislike here. Once the gorgeous opening flying sequence ends, a dark and tedious movie begins. All the characters are unlikable, except John Marley, and all he seems to do is pop up out of nowhere for no particular reason. Charleton Heston's Scottish accent is nothing but a damn annoyance, while Kim Basinger's acting is another damn annoyance. The story, what little there is, reminds me of cartoon characters chasing each other around a dimly lit mine. There is the usual crisis of the minute, and the entire film is so totally unrealistic and unbelievable, that it becomes a meaningless viewing experience. - MERK

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!