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White Sands

White Sands

Crime · Thriller · Action · 1992

A small southwestern town sheriff finds a body in the desert with a suitcase and $500,000. He impersonates the man and stumbles into an FBI investigation.

Movie details

White Sands

“The most dangerous way to solve a murder... become the victim.”

1992 Crime · Thriller · Action 1h 41m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

A small southwestern town sheriff finds a body in the desert with a suitcase and $500,000. He impersonates the man and stumbles into an FBI investigation.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over White Sands?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The Last Stand

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Young Guns

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El Gringo

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Sicario

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Dead for a Dollar

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Normal

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The Getaway

The Getaway

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To Live and Die in L.A.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Roger Donaldson

Written by

Daniel Pyne

Willem Dafoe

Willem Dafoe

Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

Lane Bodine

Mickey Rourke

Mickey Rourke

Gorman Lennox

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Greg Meeker

M. Emmet Walsh

M. Emmet Walsh

Bert Gibson

James Rebhorn

James Rebhorn

FBI Agent Flynn

Maura Tierney

Maura Tierney

Noreen

Court is in session

Put White Sands on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.