Finding Altamira

Finding Altamira is let down by ordinary acting, way too many scholarly adages and a perplexing level of inaction.

Director Hugh Hudson maintains a steady hand throughout in this low-key but powerful rumination on faith and reason.

Antonio Banderas' admirable performance fails to energize Hugh Hudson's handsome but ponderous period drama.

A rote but engaging historical drama about the eternal debate between truth and mythology.

In Antonio Banderas, Mr. Hudson has a winning de Sautuola of personal modesty, scientific integrity and paternal warmth.

A well-mounted if largely prosaic period drama ...

Director Hugh Hudson shoots in lush settings and provides ample footage of the incredible paintings; this could make a nice double feature alongside Werner Herzog's documentary Cave of Forgotten Dreams.

... too often detours into silly subplots that minimize the moral complexity and trivialize the fascinating true-life source material.

Despite a few flourishes, plus some solid work from Antonio Banderas as Marcelino de Sautuola -- the amateur scientist who first uncovered the famous cave paintings in northern Spain -- it's pretty much the work of someone going through the motions.

'Finding Altamira' excels at showing the joys and sorrows that can come from a historic discovery. It also paints a beautiful picture of a tender father/daughter relationship.

Some striking shots cannot make up for static storytelling and a clunky script.

Couched in a tale of scientific discovery is a lovely portrait of a father-daughter relationship grounded in intellect and curiosity, a rare thing onscreen.