Everyone likes a good rollicking pirate action drama, right? Well, yes, if in fact it's a pirate action drama. "Sandokan" has all the trappings, great sets, exotic locations and even mildly interesting characterisations. Regrettably, it's primarily a platform for yet more historical revisionism, as Sandokan, the "Social Justice Pirate", fights the evils of slavery, racism and colonialism. If that all sounds a tad boring, that's because, in this reviewer's estimation, it is. Rather than building an exciting, action-packed, swashbuckling tale, we get a simperingly neurotic social justice theme that sinks any enthusiasm I might have had for this series to the bottom of the sea. Limited upsides, some already alluded to, include great sets, a nice choice of locales, sporadic but okay action and decent acting. In summary, having all the trappings of a successful pirate drama doesn't work if the story won't let it, as is the case with Sandokan. A mediocre watch, in this reviewer's estimation.

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