The Jewel of the Nile
Directed by Lewis Teague
- adventure
- action
- comedy
- romance
The story
Joan Wilder is thrust back into a world of murder, chases, foreign intrigue... and love. This time out she's duped by a duplicitous Arab dignitary who brings her to the Middle East, ostensibly to write a book about his life. Of course, he's up to no good, and Joan is just another pawn in his wicked game. But Jack Colton and his sidekick Ralph show up to help our intrepid heroine save the day.
What it’s like
Bright, sun-bleached Mediterranean and desert light, the kind that turns sea and sand into a blinding glare by day and lets lamplit palaces glow amber at night, gives this 1985 sequel the look of a glossy studio adventure from the mid-eighties: saturated blues, warm ochre walls, bustling bazaars full of spice colours, and a sailboat drifting across turquoise water. The camera is mostly fluid and wide, with quick cuts in the chase sequences and a bouncy, synth-tinged orchestral score that keeps the energy up. The vibe is breezy, slapstick-tinged escapism with a playful romantic undercurrent, the sort of thing for a lazy weekend afternoon, a long-haul flight, or a comfort rewatch with someone you like teasing. Pacing is brisk and episodic, moving from palace intrigue to desert treks to boat escapes, and the emotional register stays light: a prickly, self-doubting writer and a cocky adventurer bickering their way toward each other. Violence is present but cartoonish, with gunfights, fistfights, explosions and a few threatened kidnappings, none graphic, and little gore. Sexual content is mild, limited to flirtation and a kiss or two. It suits people who want fun, low-stakes adventure with a bit of banter and romance, and who aren't looking for anything dark or harrowing.
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