Today’s quick review: The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines. After receiving a treasure map, Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle), the protector of a secret collection of supernatural artifacts, travels to Africa in search of the key to King Solomon’s legendary mines. But Flynn is not the only one after the mines and the power they contain. To keep Solomon’s magic from falling into the wrong hands, he must uncover his own family’s legacy.
The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines is an adventure movie and the second entry in the Librarian series. Flynn has grown into the job of Librarian, learning to cope with the danger and making the most of his encyclopedic knowledge of the world. He is joined in his search for Solomon’s mines by Emily Davenport (Gabrielle Anwar), a brilliant archaeologist, and is guided once again by Judson (Bob Newhart), the Library’s enigmatic coordinator.
Like the first Librarian film, Return to King Solomon’s Mines is a television movie with a limited budget. As such, the writing, acting, and overall production quality are not on par with Hollywood’s best. A fruitful premise, a pleasant tone, and a likable lead make the movie an enjoyable watch, but its simple plot, basic humor, and mediocre action keep it from being anything more than a popcorn film.
For those who are into adventure and not picky about production values, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines is a fun, if flawed, watch that has all the charm of the original. Those who want big-budget action, a cerebral plot, or refined humor should look elsewhere. Potential viewers who are concerned about the proper viewing order needn’t worry: the sequel has no real spoilers for the original.
6.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for unambitious but entertaining adventure.