Sahara Reviews

Great old fashioned adventure lacking character

There is a distinct lack of family action films that have been released in the past few years. However, ?Sahara? makes the second one in a few months, the other being ?National Treasure?. Comparisons of these films to the Indy trilogy is obvious as they all feature treasure hunters.

In Sahara?s case it is Dirk Pitt an ex-navy man who now works privately to discover lost treasure. He is aided by is best friend Al, played by the excellent Steve Zahn, and on this adventure, a doctor who is seeking a cure for a plague (Cruz).

The film is set almost entirely in Africa so has a different feel to many recent action films. The set pieces are great fun and the chemistry between the two male leads is excellent. What lets the film down is the lack of character development and slow first half of the film. Hold out till the end though and the exciting finale certainly makes it worth while.

Suitable for all the family this film is a good action film to sit down and watch together.

(Based on cinema release)

UTTER AMERICANA NONSENSE

Well, well, well. Having seen the other reviews printed here, I simply feel that my short review will differ. All smiling, chewing, hair band wearing, pumped up Matthew McConaughey (quite laughable), over rated Penelope Cruz and same old Steve Zahn. All appearing in a shoddy attempt at doing an Indiana Jones style film. Giving Penelope Cruz a medical folder to carry around with her was like ' seeing Jordan appearing in ER'. A quote from a tabloid newspaper. For me that summed up the film. You would need to switch more than your brain off to cope with this one. Enough said.

No laughter desert here.

An adaptation of Clive Cussler's brilliant book ‘Sahara’... destined to controversy from the outset from the media regarding Cussler’s unhappiness with the script.

Tell you what, try fitting a monster, brilliant book like that, into a film 90 – 120 minutes long and you have to realise it’s not going to happen without big cuts.

If you’ve read the book, watch it. Smile at the differences and at the casting. Matthew McConaughey, contrary to some Dirk Pitt fans thoughts, does make a good Dirk Pitt. Even Steve Zahn, though more of a zany Giordino, works as a buddy well and provides light relief.

It’s an action movie. It’s full of quips and fun, if you like Indy Jones, you’ll like this. Full of clichés and laughter, along with a romp of an adventure. Try it. Go on you know you want to.

It's not that bad

I've read the mixed reviews that this films had on here and watched it fearing the worst.

How wrong could I have been!

I found it very watcahble, probably helped by the fact that I've not read the book which does seem to spoil some films.

The story line was a bit 'silly' but the action sequences were well done.

If you love a good action film and haven't read this book watch the film.

If you've read the book and love a good action film watch the film with an open mind and forget about the book.

If you can't do that don't watch the film...but you might be missing a treat!

The epitome of the modern hollywood blockbuster

The idiotically named Dirk Pitt, hero of this overblown action bonanza, must be the blankest, most clichéd protagonist to have graced our screens in quite a while. To say he has no personality would be a compliment: he has an active lack of personality- an uninspired amalgam of Indiana Jones and James Bond- whose sole aim in life seems to be to dodge bullets and spew out one-liners like a machine-gun.

Matthew McConaughey smiles tackily and flexes his brawny muscles to little effect, not even trying to bring a wisp of interest to Dirk- admittedly, it would take Laurence Olivier to give the character a personality.

As for the rest of the film, it’s pretty preposterous, with an archaeological search for coins rapidly turning into a ‘save the world from destruction’ pastiche. At least you can’t accuse it of taking itself seriously, and if you’re willing to throw your brain out of the window for a few hours, you might have some fun.

Might.

Desert Delight

I thought the adventure film was finished together with the Errol Flynn type hero. I changed my mind with Sahara. Matthew McConaughey is excellent as Dirk Pitt, Steve Zahn takes the sidekick role to a higher level. Penelope Cruz has more presence in the set up before she needs to be rescued. Lenny James is very credible playing it straight, not a panto baddie around. Entertaining and one of the most well acted adventure films I've seen for some time.

[Highly rated reviewer]

A film with confused identity

The guys who raised the Titanic are back and this time they're looking for a long lost civil war Ironclad ship that all evidence suggests, in now located in West Africa. Based on what's supposed to be a serious novel, the film has some good tongue-in-cheek moments before suddenly falling apart halfway through into a ludicrous Bond movie, the kind that the committee in the Orange adverts would come up with.

Disappointing!

Had been looking forward to watching this. Poor by comparison to National Treasure.

it's not a bad film... It's an entertaining film

But then again, isn't that what films are meant to do, Entertain.

It was NOT a Indiana Jones film, It was a film on it's own.

If you want a coulple of hours of non political/racial/moralistical film, then this is for you.

Sit back and enjoy

I did,

I do a nasty job and to watch a film with no other intention than to entertain, makes a change.

so there !!

Desert Stormer

Enjoyabel romp in true 'Indian Jones' style .. a bonus is Penelope Cruz, who looks good enough to eat !