TheLittleSongbird 'Medicine Man' was poorly received when first released and often is considered John McTiernan's first misfire and one of his weaker films. Seeing it for myself with an open mind, it's no 'The Hunt for Red October', 'Predator' and 'Die Hard' but it is a much better film than the dreadful 'Rollerball' as far as other McTiernan films go.So while 'Medicine Man' to me wasn't a great film and had a good deal wrong with it, can see why it didn't connect with critics, it has a number of good things and is not that bad a film. Three things especially make it watchable. One is the scenery which is simply spectacular and the beautiful cinematography really makes the most of it. Two is the stirring music score from the always reliable Jerry Goldsmith, one of my favourite film composers, not one of my favourite scores from him perhaps but it uplifted and moved me and really adds to the film. Three and the best thing about it is, even with the bizarre pony-tail is an effortlessly charismatic Sean Connery.There are parts of 'Medicine Man' that are very intriguing, as well as inspirational and poignant. As said the cinematography is beautiful, and in a brave change of pace for him (which could be to do with why the film didn't fare so well) McTiernan does direct with passion, this is not the incompetent directing job seen in 'Rollerball'. The film is well-intended and the message is a pertinent and inspirational one.On the other hand, have to agree with those who found Lorraine Bracco miscast and insufferably irritating in a very poorly written role. The chemistry between the two leads never really gels, and it is more to do with Bracco and the writing than Connery who really does do a truly great job with what he has.When it comes to the script, there are moments where it shines but there are too many instances too of forced humour, saccharine melodrama, contrivances and heavy-handedness. The story is intriguing and moving with a good concept but over-engineers and under-develops some of its ideas (so they're more contrived than ringing true), a bit thin, some of what it tries to say veers on the preachy side and the ending is abrupt. A few instances of messy editing here and there and the support acting doesn't really register.All in all, not a misfire and not that bad but doesn't explore or amaze. Considering Connery's calibre and how good McTiernan's previous work is, it was natural for one to expect better. 5/10 Bethany Cox

slightlymad22 Continuing my plan to watch every Sean Connery movie in order, I come to Medicine Man (1992)I had to buy this one to complete his filmography, but never took its out of its wrapping, since I was bored stiff watching it in a cinema in 1992.It is not difficult to see what might have attracted Connery to this movie in the first place. The theme is both the environment and health. What is not so clear is why he, in his role of actor and executive producer, accepted the script with its awful dialogue and clichéd situations.This is a tough one to say good things about, Connery, again with his ponytailed wig, remains as watchable as always, but this really is not two of his better hours. Medicine Man finish the year as the 35th highest grossing movie of 1992. Grossing $45 million at the domestic box office.

bkoganbing Although the premise of this film is quite odd, Medicine Man is an entertaining film that has a great deal to say about what we're doing to primitive people and what setbacks we're giving ourselves in a greedy pursuit of the almighty dollar. Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco and the rest of the native cast shot this film in some of the tropical areas of Mexico near Vera Cruz which substituted nicely for the Amazon rain forest. No more back lot jungles for films any longer.Sean Connery is a research scientist working among some of the primitives in the Amazon and Lorraine Bracco is sent from the foundation that funds Connery to check his progress. It seems as though Dr. Connery has mislaid a cure for cancer he just might have discovered. He got the cure from the advice of the tribe medicine man who pointed him in the direction of a flowering plant that only grows at the tree tops in the rain forest. He made a batch of serum that worked and hasn't been able to duplicate it, nor find another source of these plants.Connery's search for the elusive plant reminded me of a scene in the John Ford classic The Horse Soldiers. William Holden played a doctor who prescribed a poultice of tree moss to cure an infection that was given him by a Cheyenne medicine man. John Wayne thinks Holden's been smoking some other Indian product, but as even us high school biology students are aware, penicillin is a byproduct of mold from tree moss. Holden didn't doubt its results and neither does Connery in his work.The problem is that the Brazilian government is looking to bulldoze the area to create a road. And Bracco's foundation is threatening to pull the plug on the funding.Connery is fine as the iconoclastic doctor who with his beard and long hair, when he doesn't have it in a ponytail, Sean looks like Buffalo Bill. According to the Citadel Film Series book on the Films Of Sean Connery, he and Bracco did not have an easy time of it, but they got through the film.Although it would really help to have more a knowledge of biology and chemistry when Connery and Bracco get technical, Medicine Man is still a film that can be enjoyed by the lay person.

oscar-35 *Spoiler/plot- 1992, Medicine Man, A somewhat secretive research scientist working in the Amazon is studying exotic plants and animals to find new medicines for humanity. His medicine company sends out a female combative co-scientist to review his research, discoveries, and thoughts.*Special Stars- Sir Sean Connery plays male lead as Amazon research scientist. Lorraine Bracco plays the visiting female scientist. John McTiernan directs.*Theme- Raw nature is magical.*Based on- Ecology new's stories of the day.*Trivia/location/goofs- See 'pony tail' on Connery. Connery produced this film by his production company Fountain Bridge Productions at Sony Studios. Jungle locations were shot in southern Mexico and whole cast got sick working there except for Connery. Connery said his cure was drinking lot's of vodka.*Emotion- An interesting different plot for a film and film has a mystical Rain Forest ecology element to be enjoyed.