Sahara (2005)

“No, I only know how to say, ‘I don’t speak English’ in English.” 23 September 2019

Adventurer and treasure hunter Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) and partner Al Giordino (Steve Zahn) find themselves in the desert of West Africa searching for a Civil War-era ironclad ship.  They cross paths with a UN doctor, Eva Rojas (Penelope Cruz), looking for the source of a mysterious African plague. They eventually agree to work together but are thwarted at every turn by a ruthless warlord who wants neither to succeed. 

If you look up the definition of “popcorn movie” in the dictionary, it should just read “See Sahara”.  The plot is ludicrous, the explosions are numerous, the action rarely lets up, and the one-liners are ever present.  In short, Sahara is one fun film. The acting is better than you’d expect from a movie like this. McConaughey, Zahn, and Cruz are all more than capable of carrying a movie on their own.  Combined, they’re a real treat to watch. The cinematography is often quite stunning. The West African landscapes are gorgeous. Another plus for me is that Sahara is fairly family friendly.  It’s the kind of movie I can watch with my 7 year-old and not worry. If I’ve got one complaint, at over 2 hours, it runs a bit long. Editing out about 10 – 15 minutes would have made Sahara a real winner. 

I understand that had Sahara done better at the box office, it might have led to a whole Dirk Pitt series of movies.  Too bad it didn’t work out. 

7/10