Fire on Amazon

Part potboiler, part work of conscience, Fire on the Amazon is a cheesy but effective drama set against the ecological disaster of South America's disappearing rain forest. As these tropical-topical movies often go, the story is told through the adventures of outsiders, in this case a cynical photojournalist (Craig Sheffer) and a dedicated activist (Sandra Bullock), both from America. After initial skirmishes, the good-looking pair find themselves immersed in a growing war between a corrupt army and an organized, well-armed resistance mounted by indigenous people. Much sadness and outrage follow as the innocent are decimated along with the land, and this season of grief brings our protagonists together in love. The film's notorious if rarely seen erotic interlude, both in its R-rated and unrated versions, is hardly perfunctory, yet director Luis Llosa (Anaconda) shoots it as a piece of soft-core fluff. Credit that to executive producer Roger Corman, the legendary showman who knows how to sell even the most serious low-budget production with a hint of schlock. Fire on the Amazon was originally made in 1990 and its release was delayed several years, finally prompted by Bullock's rising stature in Hollywood. She's actually quite good in it, as is Sheffer, and their respective fans would probably enjoy the actors' performances. --Tom Keogh