- To be a librarian, you must master the Dewey Decimal System, ace internet research and, if you’re new librarian Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle), save the world! Wyle (ER) heads a sterling cast in a fun, fantastical, special effects-laden adventure that soars around the world from the Metropolitan Library to the Amazon jungle to the Himalayas. Geeky Carsen lands a job as the Librarian, keeper of such top-
To be a librarian, you must master the Dewey Decimal System, ace internet research and, if you’re new librarian Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle), save the world! Wyle (ER) heads a sterling cast in a fun, fantastical, special effects-laden adventure that soars around the world from the Metropolitan Library to the Amazon jungle to the Himalayas. Geeky Carsen lands a job as the Librarian, keeper of such top-secret Met treasures as Excalibur and Pandora’s Box. Then the Serpent Brotherhood, seeking world domination, steals one of three parts of the magical Spear of Destiny from the library. Only Flynn, aided by a gorgeous bodyguard, has the knowhow to thwart their plan. But does he know how to be a hero? He will – even if he has to gouge, kick, punch, brave Mayan death traps and plunge off icy precipices every inch of the way!
DVD Features:
Additional Scenes:15 minutes of unaired bonus footage and special effects
Easter Eggs:Hidden interviews with cast
Featurette:Behind-the-scenes featurette including never-before-aired interviews with cast and crew Special effects featurette narrated by director Peter Winther
Introduction:Introduction by Noah Wyle
Photo gallery
Broadcast to record ratings on the TNT cable network, this Raiders-esque adventure does not go by the book, staring with its atypical action hero and his decidedly uncool profession. Flynn Carsen (Noah Wylie from E.R.) is a thirtysomething perpetual student who still lives with his mother (Olympia Dukakis). When his exasperated professor finally ejects him into the real world, Carsen’s Holmesian deductive acumen lands him a job as the librarian at the Metropolitan Library. This is not an ordinary library. It houses history’s most mythic artifacts, including the Ark of the Covenant, Pandora’s Box, and the sword Excalibur. The fate of the world is in Carsen’s hands (“That’s so sad,” he observes) when the dread Serpent Brotherhood steals the library’s Spear of Destiny, and Carsen must retrieve it. His reluctant, and antagonistic, partner is Nicole (Sonya Walger), who is as skilled in martial arts as Carsen is schooled in the Dewey Decimal System. Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin add welcome comic relief, with Newhart, of all people, getting into the action by film’s end. The humble hero (who would rather be known as “Flynn, the rather pleasant at parties”), somewhat cheesy special effects, and corny comedy make The Librarian a fun guilty pleasure. As Carsen proclaims, “Being a librarian is actually a cool job.” This looks like the beginning of a beautiful franchise. –Donald Liebenson
Buy “The Librarian – Quest for the Spear” For Only $13.51
March 5, 2010
#1
This was the worst movie I have EVER seen. I liked thehistorical references, but this film was SOOOOOOO unrealistic I was baffled that it was made at all, let alone shown on TNT. I watched it cause of Noah Wyle and me loving his role on ER, but I tell you what. The man cannot act.
It was about this guy who was a professional student and had somehow managed to get 22 degrees – 26, twenty something degrees and was only in his thirties. Living with his mother. Never had a date, girlfriend, etc. His professor for some ancient Egyptian course he was taking kicked him out of school and told him he should start living life and enjoying it…..so he starts looking for a job. Then magically he gets a blank card that words appear on and it’s a job offer for a library. Ooooooooohhhhhhh I was on the edge of my seat….
He gets there and there is a line for a position….the Librarian. Why was that so exciting? Beyond the fact that you get to take care of books? Just kidding…..he was actually auditioning to be the keeper of some artifacts. Which was awesome….Excalibur, a jet pack (?????where did that come in????), Pandoras Box, the Holy Grail, a Unicorn….you get the idea. In addition to this, turns out the Librarian is the smartest person in the world (where else would all those degrees get you??) and the protector of the fate of the world. Oh yes, the world.
Then he goes on some stupid adventure with this woman who wasn’t that cute and long story short, saves the world from the Order of the Serpentine. It was like…so dumb….I couldn’t stop watching…..but wanted to shoot my foot because it would have been a distraction.
I don’t recommend this one.
March 5, 2010
#2
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (Peter Winther, 2004)
Did anyone really bother to think this through? I find it rather doubtful.
The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, silly name that it has, stars Noah Wyle (ER) as Indiana Jones, trekking through the Amazon jungle with a gorgeous sidekick (Sonya Walger, from the wasn’t-aborted-nearly-soon-enough American version of Coupling). The two of them originally can’t stand each other, but eventually get to be quite a partnership. Woo. They’re being pursued by some baddies who are after the same thing they are, but are quite content to sit back and let Wyle and Walger do all the work. Why hasn’t an action hero yet decided to sit back and let the bad guys do all the work, then pluck the item in question from their hands when they’ve faced all the dangers?
So anyway, does it all sound familiar? It should. You’ve seen it in a million movies, from Douglas Fairbanks on down. There are some good ancillary roles, especially Bob Newhart as an unassuming caretaker-type, but Noah Wyle is a little too homey even to play the reluctant-action-hero role here; he always looks like he’s out of his depth with the character, rather than the character being out of his depth with the situations.
Just really all-around badly done. **
March 5, 2010
#3
The only reason I watched the entire movie is because as a rule, I never leave a book or a movie unfinished. This one REALLY tempted me to break my rule… thats how bad it is. Rather than for prime-time viewing, this movie seems like it was scripted by, directed by, and made for 12 year olds. It looks and feels highly juvenile, immature, and really really stupid. I could trash this movie for hours, but I’ll just leave it at this. I’m surprised so many people liked this movie, so go ahead try your luck.. maybe you’ll like it too, but (as another reviewer pointed) if you dont like B-schlock movies, stay away.. stay FAR away… you have been warned…
March 5, 2010
#4
I had just purchased this DVD based on the glowing reviews posted about how “wonderful and fun” this movie was. I was expecting an exciting and adventurous movie particularly with the terrific actors and actresses involved. Boy, was I ever disappointed! No matter how good the acting, it did not make up for the woeful and I mean woeful dialogue. I did not even make it through one-third of the movie before I had enough. The premise was terrific but the implementation was terrible. Perhaps I was expecting a different slant of Raiders of the Lost Ark but got a TV pilot that never saw, and rightly so, the light of day. Librarian indeed. The writers need to go to their libraries and look up how to write a good script because it sure wasn’t evident here. Don’t waste your money on this awful movie.
March 5, 2010
#5
I have to respond to this movie being called “family friendly” by so many reviewers. I took a chance on this on Netflix because of that oft-repeated term – and was very disappointed. I understand that the movie didn’t have as much cursing and the blood a lot of films do – but those films shouldn’t be watched by young kids, anyway. I can’t call this “family-friendly” with an comedically-staged sex tryst between the leading man and lady in the middle of the movie! So what if they didn’t “show it.” How is it “friendly” for my kids to be constantly bombarded with propaganda that sex is just a natural part of dating; no commitment, no “protection,” no real knowledge of each other – just jump in the sack!? (And it’s clearly implied that the heroine did the same thing with the other “librarian.”) Besides that, the plot of this thing was absolutely ludicrous and the special effects laughable. It would take too long to list the plot holes, even if the viewer is trying to buy into the cuteness of the library idea. (For religious viewers, Christianity is denigrated throughout the film by quietly being put on the same level as mythology and fairytales or directly attacked – especially in the scene where the “secret name of God” is revealed to be “Me” – teaching that we are each God.) Under all the “fun” of this goofy film are themes that I don’t want my kids absorbing, just for a passing laugh.