Film Review – Finding Altamira

The director of “Chariots of Fire” and “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes,” Hugh Hudson knows his way around a period drama containing heightened historical conflict. But the filmmaker has been away from the camera for 16 years, having slipped creatively with the wooden “I Dream of Africa,” which was almost a parody of his previous work. Hudson finds his balance once again with “Finding Altamira,” which isn’t a flashy effort, and budgetary shortcomings are obvious. It’s heart and passion that drives the feature, which delves into a war between science and religion armed with exaggeration, but star Antonio Banderas manages to find spaces for humanity, delivering a satisfying take on frustration and parental protection as Hudson and his screenwriters trying to dramatize a tricky time in Spanish history. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com