Medicine Man (1992)

20% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
50% of users liked it
(36,500 ratings)

The Amazon rain forest is a living laboratory for Dr. Robert Campbell (Sean Connery), a reclusive research scientist living with a Brazilian native tribe. Campbell has accidentally discovered a flower extract that cures cancer, but has been unable to duplicate the formula. With the assistance of Dr.… More The Amazon rain forest is a living laboratory for Dr. Robert Campbell (Sean Connery), a reclusive research scientist living with a Brazilian native tribe. Campbell has accidentally discovered a flower extract that cures cancer, but has been unable to duplicate the formula. With the assistance of Dr. Crane (Lorraine Bracco), he explores every possible chemical derivative, but continues to fail. When a child in the village is near death from a tumor pressing against his trachea, Campbell and Crane stand against each other on the moral issue to use the last of the successful serum to save him or to keep it for further analysis. At the last moment, Crane reconsiders, and agrees to save the child. At the same time, commercial loggers begin to creep ever closer to the village, and government officials demand the tribe's relocation. With only yards remaining between the bulldozers and the tribe, Campbell discovers a vital clue to the elusive elixir he seeks. His attempt to stop the workmen results in violence and a raging forest fire which destroys his lab equipment and the natives' village. The story ends with Campbell, Crane, and the tribe pushing deeper into the jungle in search of new answers.In a change of pace from his usual action film fare, the skilled work of director John McTiernan brings emotional depth to what would otherwise be just another pro-environmental propaganda film. Connery, who had starred in McTiernan's crowd-pleasing 1989 film The Hunt for Red October, gives a convincing performance as the determined and complex researcher haunted by mistakes of the past. Bracco's character adds the realistic humor of the city scientist adjusting to Spartan life in the trees, but she does so with both strength and dignity. The constant bickering of two equally obstinate scientists gives a mild "honeymooners in the jungle" quality. Filmed in the Mexican rain forest, the canopy is captured in breathtaking cinematography. ~ Lucinda Ramsey, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: John McTiernan
Written By: Tom Stoppard, Sally Robinson, Tom Schulman
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Feb 7, 1992 Wide
On DVD: Aug 17, 1999

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The big-budget pic has Connery as the maverick scientist to keep thing perking and exotic background shots, but little else going for it.
Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
Interesting, intriguing blend of character study and action with Sean Connery.
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
Inoffensive jungle flick. Connery's wicked hair weave took home Best Supporting Actor.
Michael Szymanski, Zap2it.com
Embarrassing for Connery
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
A decent premise laid low by Bracco's lack of credibility and constant whining.
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
One of the weakest 'Indiana Jones' rip-offs to date.
Blake Davis, KFOR Channel 4 News
A thoughtful, but preachy, mess of a movie.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Connery & Bracco run through the jungle. Yawn.

Read all 8 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

John M

Connery as always makes this movie for me. One of my all time favorites. Unlike others I like Bracco and thought the movie was well done.
AJ V

Yet another movie I watched in school. Why? I wish I knew. I didn't think much of it, obviously, but since I don't remember much of it, I'll say it's okay. Maybe I'll see it again sometime.
Anthony L

Underwhelming. Should have been better!
Jason O

Dr. Campbell (Sean Connery), a biochemist who has been doing extensive medical research for years in the lush rainforests of the Amazon, has found what just might be a MAJOR medical breakthrough. But that's not to say that he wouldn't enjoy just a little bit of help. Dr.… More
Dr. Campbell (Sean Connery), a biochemist who has been doing extensive medical research for years in the lush rainforests of the Amazon, has found what just might be a MAJOR medical breakthrough. But that's not to say that he wouldn't enjoy just a little bit of help. Dr. Crane (Lorraine Bracco), a fellow biochemist comes to the aid of Dr. Campbell to help him as much as she can. Will Dr. Campbell and Dr. Crane be able to find this miracle cure that could be just over the horizon? Will they be able to set aside their differences and actually be able to get along one of these days? These are the major questions that watching "Medicine Man" will answer for all the viewers who watch this great movie. "Medicine Man" is one of those movies that doesn't need a bit of special effects to make it an unforgettable movie. It's a film that is real compelling and interesting to watch from start to finish without ever getting boring. With Sean Connery as the lead character, you know there will be great acting included. If you're a fan of great movies, I definitely recommend to not miss out on your chance to watch and even own "Medicine Man." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2002.
Cindy I

Sean Connery is a doctor with a ponytail in the jungle. He accidently discovers a cure for cancer, but doesn't know how he did it. Besides some nice rainforest visuals, Connery's ponytail is the best part of the film.
Tim S

Genuinely different type of jungle drama, this is a very good one.
Dean !

An enjoyable drama as a scientist is close to discovering a cure for cancer but bulldozers are closing in on the area of forest where the plants with the possible cure are located.
Jason S

I liked this flick. The locations are excellent and the story was pretty good.
Mike S

Pretty interesting story with (as always) great acting by Sean Connery. Lorraine Bracco's character, however, was mostly just very annoying with her constant whining and uptight personality, but it's good to see she softened up in the end. The movie is really nothing… More
Pretty interesting story with (as always) great acting by Sean Connery. Lorraine Bracco's character, however, was mostly just very annoying with her constant whining and uptight personality, but it's good to see she softened up in the end. The movie is really nothing special, but I personally have a thing for jungle scenery and the music helped in making the overall feeling a pleasant one, save for the sad reminder of the destructive side of the human race, as we're still slowly wiping out the wondrous beauty of the rain forests.
Dean M

Quite not bad adventure of two scientists Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco in the South American rain forest. These two really strike sparks off each other amid the amazing scenery.
danny d

pretty good movie
Tom E

Not one of his most sterling roles
xGary X

Dreary eco-drama that involves nothing but Sean Connery swinging through some trees and a feeble and entirely unconvincing romantic interlude wih Lorraine Bracco.
Deb S

Sean Connery plays a doctor in Brazil searching for a cancer cure which is apparently derived from a flower that exists high atop the jungle's trees. He is soon joined by a research assistant Lorainne Bracco, and together they begin to search for the 'misplaced'… More
Sean Connery plays a doctor in Brazil searching for a cancer cure which is apparently derived from a flower that exists high atop the jungle's trees. He is soon joined by a research assistant Lorainne Bracco, and together they begin to search for the 'misplaced' antidote with lots of barbed exchanges between the old curmudgeon and this independent new woman. The problem is that the Brazilian government is looking to bulldoze the area to create a road destroying the trees on which the stuff grows and Bracco's foundation is threatening to pull the plug on the funding. Glimpses into the aboriginal life of the rainforests was very interesting...enough so to keep me attentive. And Sean Connery was as good as he could have been considering how one-dimensional his character was.
Miriam K

Don't remember much of this one. . . Just that I was pretty disappointed!
Leo L

A brilliant movie! Still watch it from time to time.
Barry L

Actually a really enjoable film

Read all 17 featured audience ratings

Cast

Sean Connery
as Dr. Robert Campbell
Lorraine Bracco
as Dr. Rae Crane
José Wilker
as Dr. Miguel Ortega

See full cast