White Sands (1992) User Reviews

Entertaining and suspenseful

[fineanimal · 7/10 · 27 August 2002]

A wonderfully subdued and suspenseful film about a police deputy who takes on the identity of an apparent suicide victim, ostensibly to locate the victim's "killer." Of course, in the process he gets more than he bargained for--or did he? Perhaps he was seeking an exciting and intriguing diversion from boredom all along.

The story stretches the limits of believability throughout, yet this is easy to forgive and forget in light of magnificent performances by Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke and others, which draw you deep enough into the action that you'll soon forget none of this could ever happen. Rourke is the definition of "cool" as Gorman Lennox, a sleazy yet charismatic arms dealer. But it is Dafoe who turns in the best performance as an ordinary man who is compelled to put himself into an extraordinarily dangerous situation for reasons even he probably doesn't quite understand. I was thoroughly entertained just watching Dafoe's reaction every time circumstances threatened to blow his cover. All told, Deputy Ray Dolezal (Dafoe) is one of the most genuinely likeable characters I've seen on film.

With a clever script, plenty of plot twists, outstanding performances and marvelous desert cinematography, White Sands is definitely a film worth watching.

Censored on amazon prime

[emailgrant · 6/10 · 20 April 2021]

Which was an incredible distraction and took quite a bit away from the film. Whenever a swear word was supposed to be uttered the dialogue went mute. Unbelievable for Amazon.

The Good And Bad Of White Sands

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 7 January 2006]

Here is another modern-day film-noir, featuring interesting characters played by a diverse cast. That cast is led by Willem Dafoe, who reminds me a lot of another noir actor, Dan Duryea.

There is the usual corrupt government/military officials angle but the plot does have a few neat twists and is generally a non-nonsense kind of story. However, I did find the storyline a bit confusing, especially in the last half hour. On a second viewing, five years later, a few things cleared up but not a lot. I guess it will take looks to figure out everything, especially the very end.

I'm not usually a fan of Elizabeth Mastrantonio, but I thought she was exceptional in here: by far, the best and most interesting character. The movie has a nice soundtrack. Overall, the good outweighs the bad and the somewhat confusing story helps draw me back for future viewings.

Aside notes: this must have been one of Samuel L. Jackson's first films because he was listed as "Sam Jackson" in the closing credits. Unbilled were three always-interesting actors: Fred Thompson, Mimi Rogers and Jack P. Ryan.

Of course you have to suspend your disbelief...

[choatelodge · 7/10 · 7 November 2009]

In order for a movie to hold our attention by presenting interesting and exciting events that exceed what might happen in our normally more mundane lives, we have to suspend our natural critical view that, 'things wouldn't happen that way in real life...'. 'It's a movie', so we cut it some slack and accept things that on the whole, might be somewhat unlikely.

Right at the outset White Sands demands a great deal from our reserves of suspended disbelief, and this is because a small hick town sheriff, who turns out to be a very thorough and exacting crime scene detective, responds to the discovery in his jurisdiction, of an apparent suicide victim who has a briefcase containing a huge amount of money, by becoming the sole self-appointed investigator. Then he discovers a lead, and with no backup what-so-ever he decides to take the whole briefcase full of money and set out in a convertible '65 Corvette no less, on a quest to find information about the deceased through pretending to be that person!

As our good sheriff drives off and away from his beautiful wife, in his oddly chosen very valuable classic convertible sports car, all alone and with half a million bucks in unknown and unsecured evidence in a briefcase on the seat beside him, we know that he has no idea whom he might meet. What will such people think of this money-stuffed briefcase packing shill of the victim whom for all our sheriff knows, might know is in fact dead? We may well be excused for thinking, 'That wouldn't happen that way in real life'.

Do ya think?

With a lesser actor in the lead role we might be inclined to see if it isn't too late to get out of our seats and go back to the ticket booth and make a scene about a refund, or to make a phone call and see if the video store is still open, but it's Willem Dafoe and he does pretty darned well with the material.

If our next thought, seeing this lone man set off on his quest with his unsecured briefcase of money, is something along the lines of, 'This can't be good...' then we are treated to the fulfilment of our forebodings. It does become much better though. If we forgive the movie's presumption to this point then we are treated to a somewhat less demanding remainder. To say any more would be to do a job of telling that the movie actually does much better than I can.

There are several big names in the cast and they do a commendable job. The plot thickens, the characters develop and the viewer is never required to strain credulity to the degree demanded by that setup scenario. It's a generally satisfactory movie and if not in the league of the giants, you shouldn't regret viewing it.

Present ratings are rather harsh for this drama but for my part I'd think it warrants a solid 7.

Complicated but good southwest murder mystery

[NewEnglandPat · 6/10 · 16 August 2005]

A New Mexico state sheriff assumes the identity of a dead man he finds in the desert and sets out to solve the crime all by himself. Willem Dafoe is the lawman who bites off more than he can chew and stumbles from one situation to another, all with bad guys and mysterious women who want the money he found in the desert with the man who was killed. The plot is not easy to follow and is populated with heavies and shadowy figures but somehow the film maintains interest throughout. The supporting cast is very good, with Samuel L. Jackson, Mickey Rourke, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and M. Emmet Walsh heading the list, and Dafoe and Mastrantonio have a nice shower scene together. Senator Fred Dalton Thompson is also good in a brief appearance. Partick O'Hearn contributes a nice music score.

Overplotted but stylish.

[gridoon · 6/10 · 12 May 2001]

This interesting cop thriller has a convoluted plot that gets a bit out of hand in the second half, with improbable, needless twists added only to provoke a surprised response on the audience's part (consider, for example, Mickey Rourke's true identity), but it has been stylishly directed by Roger Donaldson (who has already shown his competence with the first-rate "No Way Out") and acted with restraint by the three leads; Rourke is particularly magnetic. Samuel Jackson also has an amusing supporting role. (**1/2)

Really good New Mexico Suspense!

[DJAkin · 7/10 · 9 February 2002]

I have seen this movie on the racks at video stores for years. I have never been tempted to view it. Since I saw it on Cinemax, I say that I like it. Willem DeFoe plays a cop who becomes wrapped up in this undercover scheme involving half a million dollars. He pretends like he is this man who was found dead in the desert. The great thing about this movie is that it takes turn after turn and twist after twist. All the characters, played by Sam Jackson (a great actor) and Mickey Rork are not who you really think they are. The scenary is great to. The entire film was shot in New Mexico. Scenes of Taos and Santa Fe are plentiful. This is a must see movie for Willem Defoe fans. I rate this movie a hefty 7 out of ten stars.

Misunderstood because it makes no sense......

[merklekranz · 5/10 · 17 February 2008]

Trying to figure out "White Sands" is like trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with quite a few missing pieces. This overcomplicated movie challenges the viewer's understanding way too much, and eventually you will lose interest. It really is a shame because the cast gives their best effort with what is a severely disjointed script. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and the blue Corvette are easy on the eyes, but it's not enough to maintain momentum, and the whole thing derails twenty minutes in and never recovers. True there are a few strong scenes, but a plethora of dead material is unfortunately connecting them. Not recommended. - MERK

Interesting, but not memorable

[dogsfiction · 20 May 2002]

This movie started out promising. Ray ( William Dafoe ) investigates an apparent suicide in the middle of the desert of a man with a briefcase full of money . After following clues ( including one found out of someone's stomach ) Ray eventually finds himself in trouble with criminals and the F.B.I. But after the first 40-60 minutes, the movie loses interest and becomes dull and boring. Even with the supporting cast of Mickey Rourke and Samual L. Jackson, White Sands trails away from the initial interest of the start and becomes a cliched " everyone chasing after the money " flick. I would only recommend this film for fans of Dafoe or people with nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon. 4.5/10

Not bad.

[PatrynXX · 7/10 · 9 April 2004]

(spoilers)

I bought the score for this film in December 1996 at an Only Deals store. for about 50 cents. It took me 7 1/2 years to finally watch the movie. I love the score. The movie wasn't bad though. It required some brain activity to watch. Mickey Rourke playing a bad guy. But he seemed to have a consience. I liked it. Too bad I didn't watch it in 1992 when it came out

7/10

Quality: 5/10 Entertainment: 8/10 Replayable: 6/10

Quicksand in Their Hearts.

[rmax304823 · 4/10 · 23 February 2009]

The first time I saw this, some years ago, I thought it was a pretty good thriller but this time around I must have been more mature, more demanding, more suave and debonair. I thought it sucked.

Not the opening, which seems bursting with promise -- a dead man and a satchel full of half a million dollars found in the arid wasteland of New Mexico, the autopsy and the release of the intestinal gas. And not the cast either -- I mean, Mickey Rourke, Willem DaFoe, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Maura Tierney, Samuel L. Jackson, and M. Emmet Walsh? Not to mention the redoubtable Fred Dalton Thompson.

But they didn't bring it home, the films promise undercut by weaknesses in the script and the direction.

The script. I was frankly confused. Oh, I knew DaFoe was a rural police officer who was adopting the identity of the dead man and taking his half million bananas in order to find the killers. But then he is swept up in some insane gun-running scheme in Santa Fe involving greedy and corrupt federal officers. Mastrantonio is there to provide a curiously attractive face with a smile that stretches from ear to ear. She is instantly attracted to DaFoe when she meets him, and she tells him so. Ten minutes later she is assaulting him in the shower. After a night together, she is deeply in love with him. Only in the movies. I would happily outline the story for you but I can't. If I got into it any more deeply than those few suggestions above, you wouldn't follow it. Or maybe you would, and it's my fault for suffering a few too many periods of microsleep during this viewing.

The direction is pedestrian at best. Every other shot seems to be a close up, as if the production were designed for the television screen. And with the exception of the final scene that has Jackson running madly across the rolling, sugary dunes of White Sands National Monument with a suitcase full of sand, no effective use is made of the locations. The exterior of the La Fonda Hotel is real enough though, as is the hotel itself, one of the earliest in North America. It was established by the Statler chain in AD 495. Santa Fe is an artsy city with its own opera and other civilized amenities and deserves better display. I live in the poorest county in the state, but I can lie in the gutter and stare at the stars.

It's too bad really, because the performances are as good as they are. Rourke is the perfect slime ball. Mastrantonio signals emotion with barely perceptible winces -- she's really okay. Samuel L. Jackson is full of indignation, authority, and irony.

Yet here we are, with more than a million dollars worth of state-of-the-art arms destined for shipment to unidentified rebels, and it shows up for five minutes then disappears from the plot and the movie.

Cult movie waiting to happen

[cfredk · 8/10 · 13 November 2008]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this movie and it is an excellent rental option when you are undecided on what to get in your favorite movie rental service/place. Very good plot, the dialogs are great and the ending is definitely not predictable. Rourke was in his downhill after a flash rise to fame due to 9 1/2 weeks (if you are an 80s guy like me, you know what I mean), but he still gives a good performance and one of his lines was just the best of the whole movie. Samuel Jackson was solid and Dafoe balanced as always. As a bonus the sexiest performance of Mastrantonio in her career. The movie has ups and downs and does not keep you nailed to your chair, but that is the story telling style of the director and I am cool with it.

Tries too hard,but still works

[ssbuk · 7/10 · 20 April 2006]

I had no intention of watching this film,I just had nothing better to do.

However,it's worth a watch.

There are faults,as there are with most films,but the film is worthy of praise.

Willem Dafoe as the small time cop caught up in the mess is a great choice for such a versatile actor.

With strong support from the ever-reliable Samuel L.Jackson and the controversial Mickey Rourke.The film works well,it just tries too hard to captivate the audience.

Still,I am only one person,I still say this should be watched

Enjoy The Film

Sean

lots of annoying little problems

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 29 May 2016]

Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal (Willem Dafoe) investigates a dead body with a suitcase full of money found in the middle of the desert. Medical examiner Bert Gibson (M. Emmet Walsh) finds a phone number on a piece of paper swallowed by the dead man. He goes to a meeting where the money is taken and a meeting with Gorman Lennox (Mickey Rourke) is set up. FBI agent Greg Meeker (Samuel L. Jackson) tells him that it was an undercover FBI operation. They want their half million dollars back. FBI Agent Flynn (James Rebhorn) is also chasing after the money claiming a rogue element stole it from a court case. Dolezal meets the underworld partner Lennox and then Lane Bodine (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) who knew the dead man, Bob Spencer. At White Sands, Dolezal and Lennox are shown state-of-the-art weapons.

It's an overly complicated hard-boiled police undercover investigation. There are a lot of annoying little problems. Dolezal is careless with a half million dollars evidence. There is no way a non-idiot police detective would walk out with that much money and no back-up. Once it's taken, there's no reason for the bad guys to return it in one of the silliest request. I also really need somebody to call FBI headquarters to check on some of these agents popping up demanding their money back. It's simply bad writing and doesn't survive in-depth examination. The first class actors try to make the material work as best they can.

Lone Cop In The Desert

[Lechuguilla · 15 June 2008]

At least this film has some terrific desert scenery, especially at the beginning and at the end. But the spectacular New Mexico vistas are not nearly enough to overcome a garbled storyline about a good-guy cop named Ray Dolezal (Willem Dafoe) who investigates the death of a man clutching a suitcase full of loot. Implausibly, Dolezal then assumes the identity of the dead man, to track down the villain or villains. The plot contains several potential villains, but their real identities and their various motivations are terribly confusing. About halfway into the film, I gave up trying to figure out who was doing what to whom. None of the characters are especially interesting.

The story also suffers from various standard film clichés: tough guys who talk tough, characters who spend a lot of time pointing guns at each other; the obligatory nude shower scene, a gory autopsy, and so on. Another big problem here is the casting of Willem Dafoe. With his heavy-duty Northern accent, he is not at all convincing as a redneck sheriff.

Lacking thematic depth or significant originality, "White Sands" is just another film about some cop who tries to solve a crime alone, and in the process encounters assorted characters and risks. The only thing that made the movie halfway interesting to me was the expansive New Mexico landscape.

More was to be expected from a movie with a premise and cast such as this one.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 6/10 · 17 October 2007]

Roger Donaldson always distinct itself by making mediocre films. Just think of movies like "Cocktail", "Species", "Dante's Peak" and the remakes of "No Way Out" and "The Getaway". Now most of this movies showed some great potential but yet somehow Donaldson manages to not let this movie pass the mark of average. I really liked his movie "Thirteen Days" though, which was just great but this mostly was due to its compelling historic tense story. Even that movie shows great flaws in the directing. Even though he doesn't make that great movies he still makes well known wells, which also really is an accomplishment, I must admit.

I'm afraid that this movie is also a typical example of a Roger Donaldson movie. The concept of the movie sounds just great and shows more than enough potential to create a tense and original thriller with, with perhaps even noir elements in it. And also just look at the cast, how could you go wrong with this? The movie is still a decent one but it leaves lots of potential unused. The movie is not really ever tense or mysterious, mostly because of the reason that the story always stays way too vague and overcomplicated with twists that don't always seem to make credible sense. In the end you just simply stop caring about the story and its characters.

It's an amazing cast if you look at it. It features stars such as Willem Dafoe, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Mickey Rourke, M. Emmet Walsh, Miguel Sandoval, James Rebhorn and also actors who weren't big stars yet at the time such as Samuel L. Jackson and Maura Tierney. The actors all do their very best but at times they're obviously struggling with the confusing script and formulaic dialog.

See it or don't. It's not a bad movie but it ain't a recommendable one either.

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Show , Don't Tell

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 19 October 2005]

A man has apparently committed suicide in he New Mexico desert and beside his body is a bag containing $500,000 so local sheriff Ray Dolezal decides to keep the dead man's rendezvous to unravel the mystery A lot of people have complained about WHITE SANDS being implausiable , contrived or over plotted . My complaint is that it's really none of these things but suffers from a fundamental flaw we're warned about at basic screen writing course " Show , don't tell " . For much of the screen time the plot twists and turns well enough but ion the last 15 minutes we have to listen to characters state " I'm not how you think I am , I'm really .... " or we listen to characters give away the plot which means the climax is very much spoon fed to the audience which is something of a shame since while not being a truly great thriller WHITE SANDS deserves to be remembered more than it really is . I guess the dislodge heavy last act conspires to make this a very forgettable movie

The quality cast and score make it worthwhile

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 16 September 2013]

"White Sands" (1992) is a crime/drama/thriller about a small town cop (Willem Dafoe) who masquerades as a man he mysteriously finds dead in the desert with half a million dollars. This gets him mixed up with a shady weapons-runner (Mickey Rourke) and a woman of means who is attracted to him (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). The convoluted plot also includes a greedy FBI agent, played by Samuel L. Jackson, and many more (e.g. Maura Tierney).

Although shot in and around the spectacular White Sands, New Mexico, (Estancia, Taos and Sante Fe), the film doesn't really take advantage of the locations. Another reviewer shared how the film is "action-packed" but this isn't really the case. There are a lot of soap-operatics as characters discuss things in restaurants, hotels, houses, rodeos, etc. There's SOME action -- mostly people getting shot -- but this is hardly an "action-packed" picture.

What the film has going for it is a cool ambiance, a great cast, solid performances and an excellent soundtrack. Dafoe is a likable protagonist and Mastrantonio shines here, although I was never a fan; plus Jackson is formidable. But it's Mickey Rourke who steals the show. Being the early 90s, Rourke was still a young stud at 40 years of age. Since I'm only familiar with his films of the last 5-7 years, I wouldn't have even recognized him if I didn't know beforehand he was co-starring. In any event, Rourke is magnetic as the charismatic arms-runner.

While not as good as Rourke's more recent "Killshot" -- an underrated thriller from 2008 -- "White Sands" is a professionally made film with enough good points to make it worth your time, if you like the cast.

The film runs 101 minutes.

GRADE: B-

So much potential

[jonny_tykes · 6/10 · 4 May 2020]

This move starts as good as any mystery thriller film the first 20 minutes are brilliant after that it just derails, too much going off and it doesn't make any sense Great cast and performances could have been so much better.

Too many characters spoiled the grains of sand.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 21 August 2022]

A very messy thriller involving the discovery of a body in the desert (with flesh eating bird standing by for interesting detail) with a suitcase next to it filled with a large amount of cash, and the arrival of local New Mexico sheriff Willem Dafoe who is ordered to bring the suitcase to a hotel, ultimately assaulted by two women.

Further developments have him involved with federal agents (one of them a young Samuel L. Jackson) and a slew of women, one of them trying to get into his hotel room and later found dead while he's out at the rodeo with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. By this time, Dafoe is perplexed and a good percentage of the audience is checking his watch.

Intriguing at first, just ends up with a ton of really idiotic twists and turns that go down far too many dead end streets. In trying to seem intelligent and complex, this results in turning into a tedious crime action film with neo noir elements that just become frustrating. It's one of those films that the audience will try to stick with hoping it will all make sense at the end. Sadly not to be.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in the mood for love

[Cristi_Ciopron · 6/10 · 16 October 2009]

I have seen this crime drama on a VHS player, in high—school—in '94, perhaps (--after I saw a photo from it in '93, in the Hungarian edition of a cinema magazine--); then, several times on TV. I must have seen it a few times. The most enjoyed was M E Mastrantonio's nude scene. She was a babe I knew as the maid Marian, Robin Hood's bride, and found her very beautiful. I was of course extremely disappointed by the supporting part given to Rourke—his role being my reason for searching and seeing this flick. WHITE SANDS is a movie about the drug traffic. Its best side is the cast—Dafoe, Mastrantonio, Rourke and the others …. Otherwise, Donaldson slapdash. This must also be the last movie where Rourke still had his youth features (--I never knew what to make of his surgical tale--). As a Rourke _completist, I had to see WHITE SANDS; and, as mentioned, did it several times. So, if you enjoy either Dafoe or Mastrantonio or Rourke or average crime dramas or are a Donaldson _completist, see it.

Rourke is the actor with the most comebacks; I became a fan in '92, 17 yrs ago, and almost as soon as I became his fan I began hearing about his now countless comebacks. He came back like yearly. It started with White Sands (1992) (which came after what Rourke deemed as his most dishonoring movie, the funny and likable Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man; now if Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man is a bad movie what will you tell about Wild Orchid, Fall Time, Double Team, Love in Paris, Point Blank—his truly nasty ones?); so first he came back with White Sands (1992); then, with F.T.W. (1994), Bullet (1996), Double Team (1997), The Rainmaker, Sin City …--he repeatedly came back to claim his place in Hollywood, weeping about his messed career, etc.. In '94 he claimed he was coming back—but he was still 14 yrs away from a true role. I knew each of his films from RAPE AND MARRIAGE to POINT BLANK (--except for 5 movies--), and from SHERGAR to PICTURE CLAIRE.

Edited For Prime Video Prudes

[Easygoer10 · 5/10 · 31 March 2021]

I can't stand censorship. Well, that's exactly what Amazon did to this film. Terrific cast, very good director, weak plot. Style over substance.

Superb suspense film with one of the greatest actors alive

[MrPink-11 · 8/10 · 7 April 1999]

Mickey Rourke is truly one of America's finest actors. He has been dismissed because of his irrational behavior, however, that takes nothing away from his talent and penetrable screen prescene. White Sands has wonderful atmosphere, capturing the desert with splendid cinematograpy. Willem Dafoe makes for an excellent protagonist to journey with through the maze that is the plot. A bonus in watching White Sands now is the post-Jungle Fever but pre-Pulp Fiction Samuel L. Jackson. He makes for a slimy antagonist. All of this and M. Emmet Walsh, in an autopsy scene to die for, make for an enjoyable movie experience.

Better than most

[sjanders-86430 · 7/10 · 30 March 2021]

The New Mexico scenery is worth the watch. Willam Dafoe is always fascinating; I associate Dafoe with his dancing in the English Patient. Inside Dafoe is a dancing bird. His face is both earthy and spiritual. He is a rare energy. Here he is a cop finding a corpse with $500,000 in a suitcase. He takes the suitcase to a number on a piece of digested hamburger wrapper. Two women get the money. Mickey Rourke is making a deal with the money that gets illegal arms traders involved. Then Sam Jackson gets involved. He is always solid. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio falls for Dafoe, but he loves his wife and son. She doesn't have enough to get him interested. In a mostly all male script the female has to be a Marilyn Monroe. Roger Donaldson of No Way Out directed. Definitely worth watching. There is a definite trend of bad and fake FBI Agents with good reason.

Implausible

[Maciste_Brother · 4/10 · 30 March 2004]

If there was a movie that was totally implausible and simply asks too much for one's "suspension of disbelief" well, it's WHITE SANDS. The story, about a small town cop taking the identity of a dead man in order to figure out who the dead man is, is by far the least convincing story I've seen in a long time. The idea itself is good. It's basically the same storyline as the one in Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST played straight. But unlike the Hitchcock film, this film suffers from the get go because one of major detail: The main character, played by Dafoe, has no reason or motivation to go through all the pain and trouble of what the main character is made to go through. He's a total blank going from one incredulous situation (his relationship with Mastrantonio's silly character) to the next (Rourke's real identity), until the truly anti-climatic ending. 40 minutes into the movie and I was already drifting away from total disinterest. The acting is actually good. It's a shame that the rest of the movie is irremediably unconvincing.

There's a reason why this movie is forgotten. It's just not good.