Sheena Review

MPAA Rating: PG
Released: 1984

Sheena was a stunningly gorgeous 80's film that brought the classic comic book character of the 40's and 50's to the big screen. Orphaned in the midst of an African jungle at a very young age, Sheena is adopted by the shaman of the primitive Zambouli tribe who also imparts a special ability unique to the tribe: the ability to communicate with animals.

Her well-honed skills will serve her well as an adult after her peaceful existence is shattered by the encroachment of violent power-mongers. Now it's up to her as well as an American reporter to save her tribe from the "civilized" invaders…

The beautiful Tanya Roberts stars as Sheena, the protector of the Zambouli tribe. As the movie begins we see Sheena as a very young child by the name of Janet Ames, brought to the lands of the Zambouli by her parents during an expedition to collect a sample of earth that is alleged to have the ability to heal any ailment. Tragedy strikes soon thereafter when a cave-in kills both of her parents.

While this is a tragic moment for any child, it's actually a cause of celebration to the Zambouli people for one of their ancient prophecies spoke of the incident, and that from it would arise a golden-haired child that would eventually grow to become the protector of the Zambouli tribe. The Zambouli shaman (Elizabeth of Toro) adopts Janet as her own daughter and renames her Sheena to fulfill the prophecy.

During her childhood Sheena learns a special ability that allows her to communicate mentally with all animals, and we eventually flash forward to modern times when she has grown into a stunning adult.

When the shaman has a premonition about a king's murder, she sets out alone to a nearby city to warn him of his impending doom. Upon entering the city she is promptly arrested. Unbeknownst to her, the king's own son, Prince Otwani (Trevor Thomas), is behind the conspiracy to murder his father, and he frames the Zambouli shaman for the murder.

Vic Casey (Ted Wass), a visiting American reporter that was covering an unrelated story, accidentally catches proof of the conspiracy on videotape. He becomes determined to release the proof of the murder to the world, but before he does he crosses paths with Sheena as she and her animal companions mount a daring rescue to save the shaman. Their paths become intertwined, and the true story begins…

Sheena was filmed entirely in Kenya, which provides the movie an indescribable beauty that must be witnessed. Everything from the sweeping lands to the huge assortment of magnificent wild animals is filmed with respect and care, offering us a true feast for the eyes.

The soaring theme song for this film was also inspired – it has a majestic feel similar in power and beauty as "Titles" in the film Chariots of Fire. (Even if the track name means nothing to you, it's very unlikely you haven't heard it, for "Titles" has been used in everything from athletic events to commercials.)

Unlike many 80's movies, Sheena also possesses a timeless appearance that will likely never become dated due to its reliance on nature's beauty rather than 80's fashion. That being said, while the film's appearance is timeless, its style definitely screams, "1980's!"

There's no way this film would have gotten away with a PG rating today as it contains a surprisingly high level of nudity for any PG. You'll find quick flashes of nudity from a couple female tribe members while they perform ceremonies to longer glances of Sheena as she bathes in full frontal glory under a waterfall. Twice. The cameras certainly loved Tanya Roberts during such scenes, and I have a feeling most male viewers will too.

That being said, my opinion is that it's still acceptable for most children as all the nudity is completely innocent and non-sexual in nature. Sheena is a naïve woman unwise to the ways of the world, and is comparable to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before they bit the apple and learned about such things as modesty and embarrassment. I brought it up only because even with the film's innocence and family-suitability, such content would still get tagged as a PG-13, or possibly even an R, by today's standards.

Although I really enjoyed this film, I don't want to give the impression that everything is perfect. There are times when the dialog is cheesy and somewhat painful, which isn't helped by the fact that as gorgeous as she is, Tanya Roberts just isn't a gifted actress. That being said, even with her flawed acting skills I wouldn't have changed the casting decision were it leftup to me, for while she has difficulty acting the part at times, she always looked the part. I think movies based on fantastical tales don't require the same level of acting proficiency as intense dramas. Fantasies rely more on the film painting a convincing canvas for our eyes, and Roberts succeeded with aplomb on meeting that requirement.

Since most viewers will be absorbed in the fun of the film, any other little quirks will likely go largely unnoticed for most. It was a tiny bit jarring for me that Sheena was actually riding a horse painted as a zebra throughout the film, but that's only because I'm a horseman and thus am a bit more sensitive to such things. I fully understand why they needed to use a horse instead of a zebra, but it was a bit distracting for me that the forelock wasn't cut or shaved to resemble a zebra rather than a horse.

In summary, Sheena simply must be seen at least once in your lifetime. Like any movie, not everyone is going to love it or appreciate its charm, but it remains to this day one of the most beautiful movies ever put to film. Any small flaws can be quickly forgiven once you've been hooked by the enjoyable action as well the near-epic aura the movie radiates.

Movie rating: 8 stars

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