Meanwhile, Jack (William Baldwin), Myrianthy’s partner, both professionally and personally, uses the hotel key she swiped from Kate to rob her room. They figured that since Myrianthy successfully used the balloon trip to lure Kate away from her room, it’d be empty. But Liz is there to witness Jack’s thievery. However, he disappears, so now Liz is in trouble with the authorities and the U.S. Consulate.
Can Kate and Myrianthy survive a hot air balloon ride miles from the nearest coast? What is Myrianthy going to do when Kate finds out about her deception? Can Liz piece the clues together and find her sister?
“…makes extensive use of movie magic to feel like there is real danger.”
I was watching S.O.S. Survive or Sacrifice, and I was reminded of those Sunday night T.V. movies I watched as a kid. Like those films, S.O.S. is a low-budget thriller that makes extensive use of movie magic to feel like there is real danger. Fans of said “movie magic” will easily spot many of the camera tricks employed. To me, it was like watching a magic show as I was trying to figure out how all the balloon sequences were shot. I looked at long shots of the balloon high in the air, then cut to a close-up of the basket holding our heroes. You never see the windmill blade slice through the basket from a distance, instead up close from inside the basket. If you’re like me, you’re going to be tempted to pick the film apart. At some point, you just have to relax, sit back, and enjoy.
This would have been a better film if they just focused the story on the balloon. My biggest problem with S.O.S. is the Jack and Myrianthy crime sub-plot. It just felt so out of place and could have been easily cut with no one blinking an eye. My guess it’s was probably written in because the producers needed a name, William Baldwin, to sell the film, and Baldwin got a free trip to Cyprus for a few days of filming. Then there’s the teen sister Liz’s story as she searches for Kate with the help of an agent from the U.S. Consulate. It’s implausible, and the holes in his sub-plot are massive, but it’s all in good fun.
The best way to watch S.O.S. Survive or Sacrifice is to view it solely as a survival film as our leads solve the puzzle of escape from a wayward balloon in the middle of the sea. This is the storyline to follow, as our heroes are pushed to their limits to survive. Ultimately, if you don’t take the film seriously, you’ll have a fun, thrill-filled evening on a Sunday night with friends and family.
"…a survival film as our leads solve the puzzle of escape..."
