Today’s quick review: The Librarian: Quest for the Spear. Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle), an over-educated but inexperienced career student, takes an unusual job offer as the Librarian, the keeper of a secret collection of supernatural artifacts. When a piece of the Spear of Destiny is stolen, Flynn must venture into the Amazon to locate the other pieces before they can be reunited, granting the wielder the power to conquer the world.
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear is an action adventure movie with a light tone. Noah Wyle stars as Flynn Carson, a bookish man who must put his encyclopedic knowledge to a much more practical use than he ever imagined. He is joined by Sonya Walger as Nicole Noone, the Librarian’s tough, jaded protector, and Bob Newhart as Judson, an ex-Librarian who recruits Flynn for the job.
Quest for the Spear was produced for television, and the limited budget shows. The plot is a bare-bones treasure hunt, the script is packed with cute but obvious jokes, and the action is carefully arranged to disguise the film’s poor special effects. As such, Quest for the Spear can’t really compete with big-budget adventure films in terms of action or writing, but it occupies a comfortable niche as their pared-down cousin.
When taken on its own terms, The Librarian: Quest for the Spear is an enjoyable, if basic, popcorn flick. The characters are simple but likable, the humor is consistently amusing, and the premise is just enough of a twist on the genre to feel worthwhile. The lack of violence and easy-to-follow plot also make the movie perfect to relax to when a more involved film would be too daunting.
Watch The Librarian: Quest for the Spear when you are in the mood for a light adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones or Warehouse 13. Skip it if you are looking to be wowed rather than merely entertained. For a romantic adventure with a similar tone, check out Romancing the Stone. For an adventure with a touch more action, check out Sahara. Fans of the movie should also check out its sequels.
6.2 out of 10 IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for light, pure adventure with decent execution.