Movie Review: Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit

Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit
American Cinema International, Oasis Entertainment, Anka Film, USA, Turkey, 2008.

Adventure man Jack Hunter (Ivan Sergei) steals a stone tablet from museum. Meanwhile wicked archaeologist Albert Littmann (Thure Riefenstein) tries to find lost city in Palmyra. The Ugarit people had invented some kind of energy weapon. Jack's teacher Professor Shaffer (Sean Lawlor) suggests that Ugarit treasure is hidden in Pharaoh Akhenaten's tomb and the stone tablet holds a clue. Jack is not interested in running after vague clues. When the Professor is murdered Jack travels to Syria to find the killer. Friend Liz (Susan Ward) stays behind to offer technical back up. 

Jack Hunter

Professor Shaffer

Liz

In Syria Jack meets comical sidekick driver Tariq (Mario Naim Bassil) and has a rough start with archaeologist Nadia Ramadan (Joanne Kelly). Nadia does not like foreigners stealing Syrian antiques. They get a scroll from Professor's colleague Ali (Muhammed Cangören) and get targeted by mooks. Hashashins, sandstorms and traps await the adventurers. They meet also hospitable nomad Hasef (Murat Garipagaoglu).

Albert Littmann

Nadia and Ali

Tariq and Jack

This is the first movie of light "Indiana Jones" style trilogy of TV-movies that have continuous story and can not be viewed separately without losing the plot. Plenty of fistfights, gunfights and chases, rogue archaeologists and Russian mobsters. On the Syfy Channel scale this is one of the better efforts. Not in any way the most original story but the filmy keeps a good pace and filming locations in Turkey look fresh. If you liked "The Librarian" series you'll probably like this also. 

Jack Hunter's adventures continue in "Jack Hunter and the Quest for Akhenaten's Tomb."

Rating: Good

Starring: Ivan Sergei, Joanne Kelly, Thure Riefenstein, Susan Ward, Nihat Alptekin, Murat Garipagaoglu, Asal Toktamis, Steve Taynton, Mario Naim Bassil, Birol Tarkan Yildiz, Mehmet Polat, Alaina Huffman, Sean Lawlor, Mert Yavuzcan, Muhammed Cangören, Tuncel Kurtiz, Teoman Kumbaracibasi, Sinan Tuzcu, Fatih Haciosmanoglu, Hakan Silahsizoglu, Savas Özdemir, Alper Kul, Michael Halphie, Esin Eden, Orbay Sayu, Tansu Biçer, Volga Sorgu, Silay Ünal, Emre Cosar, Lilie Lossen, Eda Özerkan 

Director: Terry Cunningham