Sahara

Part comedy, part action. Easy to watch, enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Sahara was a pretty good action movie in the same mold as Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider & National Treasure. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it probably would not have worked as well without the comedic duo of Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn. Penélope Cruz pulled her weight as well. She reminded me so much of Salma Hayek that I would swear they are related.

Treasure Hunters Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino (McConaughey & Zahn) manage to get their hands on a rare confederate coin, apparently which only 5 were made. It would have made quite a collector's item. Dirk has a hunch on where the ship it had originated from is now and also has a theory on how it got there, in the middle of the desert. Dirk manages to convince his boss, Admiral Jim Sandecker (William H. Macy), to loan him his boat for 3 days to search for the missing ship.

Before they get going, they run into two W.H.O. workers, one of who was the beautiful Eva Rojas (Penélope Cruz). They need a ride and manage to get on board with Dirk and Al, but by doing so, they get the attention of an African dictator, who wants to stop them before they get too close.

There are quite a few action scenes and for what it was, I was entertained throughout the movie. More so than I would have though, which is why I waited so long to see it. Like I mentioned above, I do not think I would have enjoyed it as much without McConaughey. He added sort of a friendly charm to the movie and if that is not enough, Penélope Cruz should make up the difference.

This movie is definitely not a masterpiece. The screenplay is dumb. The acting is to say the least, average. The story is preposterous. Yet, as Ebert nicely put it, "I enjoyed this movie on its own dumb level, which must mean (I am forced to conclude) in my own dumb way". Yes, this is a film you should watch with your brain switched comfortably to the 'Off' position, a nice cold beer on the table and a bag of popcorn in your lap. When you come to think about it though, isn't that what movies are supposed to be all about in the first place?

P.S. One thing worth mention though is the excellent cinematography. The movie is a wonderful African picture book, which definitely helps the overall experience.

i didn't mind this movie.it's pretty lite fare,but enjoyable.the movie is based on a novel by Clive Cussler and centers around thrill seeking adventurer Dirk Pitt(Matthew McConaughey)and his travelling companion(Steve Zahn).the duo find themselves in over their heads and trying to avoid being killed by enemies they have made on their latest treasure hunt.they end up teaming with a humanitarian aid doctor,played by Penelope cruse.McConaughey and Zahn make a good pair,and work well off each other.they each have some funny lines.cruse was OK,though i am not a fan of hers.the movie is fast paced and has some thrills.it's funny at times,but it is also unrealistic to the point of absurdity.my eyes got a workout from rolling back in my head so much.also the movie feels incomplete somehow.there was great potential and i think they could have made a great movie.nevertheless,for mindless entertainment,you could do worse.for me,Sahara is a 6/10

My Take: James Bond meets Indiana Jones with silly yet exciting action, crackling wit.

Although it was credited as a "Dirk Pitt Adventure", SAHARA seems more in kin with James Bond and Indiana Jones than Clive Cussler. I haven't read any of Clive Cussler's books, but I'm absolutely certain that this would be Cussler's visualization. It is, indeed, a B-level adventure film, complete with heroes in top gear (complete with winning grin, no less), the sexy heroine, the sidekick, and the bad guys who want to rule the world (or simply get whatever it is they want). Not to mention the series of stunt play and gunfights done the old-fashioned way. This is the look (and feel) of an action picture they no longer make, which provides most of its appeal. I enjoyed SAHARA on the level many think it doesn't work, and that's being a traditional old-fashioned brainless adventure. It's not great at the field, but at least it has its heart on it.

Its tag line states "Adventure has a new name", it's without question or doubt that Dirk Pitt, Cussler's brainchild hero played here by Matthew McConaughey, will be a new James Bond or Indiana Jones. The charisma given to him is good but obvious. He's calm over tension, and never loses his cool even at extreme measures. The other supporting characters have nothing in them, their there, but practically, their hardly anybody but characters in a movie. If characters in adventure movies could be quite as interesting as those featured in the INDIANA JONES series, couldn't we deserve to get the same on other entries in the genre, including knock-offs.

Still, what you've come to expect from SAHARA are here anyway. The implausible plot involves the quest for a lost Ironclad in the middle of the Sahara desert (!) by the dashing Dirk Pitt (McConaughey), his sidekick Al (Steve Zahn) and a daring Dr. Eva Rojas (Penelope Cruz), who trek through the blazing desert landscape with camels, vans, boats, you name it. Along the way, they are trailed by the bad guys and get into situations that could only mean more action movie fun. What's in store? Helicopter chases (my favorite!), gunfights, boat chases and even a train chase with camels (who even knew that you can still come up with a fun action movie sequence with camels!). If you don't think this stuff is any fun, you may wanna have to check with your doctor in case your sugar's a little low.

Is SAHARA any great? No it isn't. But did I get exactly what I wanted from it? It surely does. Even if this genre, which includes films like NATIONAL TREASURE, will never live up to its superior INDIANA JONES ancestors, they will still nonetheless offer the action and adventure it promises. And in that level, SAHARA delivers.

Rating: *** out of 5.