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Best movie of this year hands down!

Just what I expected

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I have to compare this movie with the Mini series docudrama made by the BBC in the early 1970s called "The Search for the Nile." Sadly that 6 part series is only available on what appears to be a pirated VHS copy of a TV broadcast, but nonetheless I'd recommend viewing it for those people who gave this clunky bit of movie-making called "The Mountains of the Moon" high marks. Here are three of my many problems with MotM (1) the pacing is ham-handed - important scenes are rushed through in a minute or two, while irrelevant ones are dwelled on endlessly; (2) whose idea was it that one of the great linguists of the 19th century, if not all time, would be portrayed by an actor who can't enunciate English clearly? (3) furthermore, who thought that during the travels through Africa that Burton would always need a translator? Aside of these details, I didn't find the film emotionally involving at all. The African exploration by Europeans is a great story, but this film doesn't capture that for me.

A fine adventure film from the 1990, in the epic movie tradition, based on Richard Burton's and John Speke's exploration of East Africa in the mid 19th century and their discovery of the source of the river Nile and the mountains of the title. The role of Burton was played by Patrick Bergin, an mustachioed Irish actor, who was cast in masculine roles and who seemed to become an important star in those days (he costarred with Julia Roberts in Sleeping with the Enemy), though he finally never achieved a big breakthrough. Speke was portrayed by Iain Glen, while the role of Burton's wife went to Fiona Shaw. In a great scene, they are captured and held hostage by an African chieftain, who is played as a spoiled, barbaric and cruel tyrant. Even if such portrayal was historically true, such scene would probably not be filmed today because of political correctness. Bob Rafelson directed. Filmed in England and in Kenya, the outdoor scenes are a big plus.

I just discovered this movie. I had not heard anything about it or so little that I did not remember it. Well i discovered a real jewel. A great adventure. So many things happening. England, Africa, politics, hate, love, savagery, friendship... Everything is in this movie. It's Indiana Jones and Dallas and Greystoke all together The acting is great. I don't know if this was the way it happened or not but for more than 2 hours, i felt i was back in the 19th century.How can such a movie be totally forgotten?A beautiful description of an epic history.If you have not seen it yet, just find it and enjoy!

I love this film though it is not at all historically accurate. Still, it is a wonderful adventure story. In 19th century Britan, geographers knew very little about Africa least of all the source of the Nile River that flowed through Egypt. Sir Richard Burton and Albert Speke undertook two expeditions to find the source of the river, risking life and limb as they combat hostile tribesmen, disease, depression, and a fierce climate. Eventually their friendship comes to an end. The scene of the escaped slave being mercy-killed by Burton never occurred; that is Hollywood. Burton also did not translate the ASrabian Knights or the Karma Sutra till many years later after his career as an African explorer ended. The film also does not delve very much into why British society was so opposed to Burton. His marriage to Isabel was a Catholic marriage--she was from a prominent Catholic family and there had been anti Catholic riots at the time of this movie--in fact they did not meet in England. Her family had fled because of the riots. I only wish Burtons real story would someday make it into film.