Sahara

[moviegroupie]

Opens tomarrow, April 8th.

Credited cast:
Matthew McConaughey .... Dirk Pitt
Steve Zahn .... Al Giordino
Penélope Cruz .... Eva Rojas
Lambert Wilson
Glynn Turman
Delroy Lindo .... CIA Agent Carl
William H. Macy .... Admiral James Sandecker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dayna Cussler .... Kitty Mannock
Clint Dyer .... Oshodi
Lennie James .... General Kazim
Patrick Malahide .... Ambassador Polidori
Nathan Osgood .... Gun Lt.
Billy Seymour .... Powder Monkey
Mark Wells .... Sailor Who Drops Gold
Rainn Wilson .... Rudi Gunn
(more)

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/sahara/sahara_bigposter.jpg
i 'll pass , just ** from Peter Travers . it doesn 't look very good either in my opinion.

[Moviefan02000]

It looks alright, much better then FEVER PITCH anyways.

[EDsoulsurvive*]

my friend directed me to this synopsis at MSN the other day and i could not stop laughing. Here it is for your reading pleasure:

Explorer Dirk Pitt, a modern-day Indiana Jones, discovers the lost barge of a pharaoh on the bottom of the Nile River. Before he can raise it, he's summoned by the National Underwater and Marine agency to investigate the source of poisons that are creating a huge red tide, one that will soon shrink the world's oxygen supply to unlivable levels. After rescuing beautiful World Health Organization worker Eva Rojoas from assassins, Dirk must help her discover the source of a fatal plague that is turning natives in Africa into bloodthirsty, rampaging cannibals. Dirk then discovers that an evil French industrialist has been using the country of Mali for solar nuclear waste disposal, and that the disposal methods have poisoned the water table. All of it ties into the sinking of an Ironclad during the Civil War and the vanishing of a famous female pilot over the Sahara in 1931.

sound pretty straightforward and believable to me...

[ChemicalRomance]

PLEASE GOD LET SIN CITY REPEAT #1.

This looks like fucking trash. So bad. So. so. bad. Thank god it at least has Penelope Cruz.

[Sigur509]

I'm a fan of the two leads. But I'll wait for DVD.

[thedudeman69]

Originally posted by Moviefan02000
It looks alright, much better then FEVER PITCH anyways.

It looks a hell alot better than that.

[Criminal Rock]

I saw the only screening they had here in AZ, and i tor it apart in my video/review i gave them... from what they said at the time, they changed some shots because of me, and it made feel so good inside.:)

[chinton]

Spoilers!!!

Did anybody notice how the teasure ship plot was barely a part of the movie. Instead there was the lame ass tocix pollutor storyline

Also I loved that scene where the tennis ball just happens to bounce into the cave with the paintings. Has to go into the all time great plot contrivances.

Full r eview later.

[chinton]

review

There is a certain genre of film that seems to have been directly inspired by the movie Indiana Jones. The best way to describe this type of film is Indiana Jones-lite. These movies share all the characteristics of that famous movie series. For example, we have extreme plot-contrivances tempered by a sense of fun and good humor. Also, there is the over-the-top actions scenes which don’t make a whole lot of sense, but manage to get away with it anyway. In the end, these films seem to be a direct homage to early day actions serials. Films like Romancing The Stone used this formula best by providing witty banter and great leads among exciting and compelling derring-do. The new film Sahara sadly falls in the mediocre slot thanks to a script that rebounds back and forth between unexciting and occasionally useless.
The film is based on Clive Cussler’s novel of the same. The hero of the movie is Cussler’s regular character, Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) along with Pitt’s perpetual sidekick Al (Steve Zhan). Pitt is a member of NUMA, which is a diving operation that is connected with the NAVY and dives for things. Sorry to sound vague, but then again this movie doesn’t really explain what this organization is. Pitt is obsessed with finding a phantom ironclad ship from the Civil War, which may hold a vast treasure. He finds new clues and is given three days by his boss, played by William H. Macy, to find the ship.
What was just described may sound like the main plotline but that is a bit misleading. From the trailers one might expect that this is the main story. Oddly this takes a back seat and, in the end, never really has any great bearing on the main plot.
The main plotline follows a doctor named Ava (Penelope Cruz) working in Africa. Suddenly, she discovers that there may be a plague that is starting to form. She eventually meets up with Pitt and Al, and three of them must stop an evil businessman from possibly poisoning the entire world.
While this is not a completely terrible film there are a lot of problems with the movie. The most notable one would be the complete waste of the two plotlines. First, we have what could have been an exciting adventure film, but that’s thrown out the window as the plotline is barely mentioned. When it does make it’s appearance again late in the climax it feels as if the screenwriter forgot about the phantom ship and decided to hastily include it.
Therefore, the majority of the film is taken up by plotline B. This is too bad as the storyline turns out to be seriously lame. Much like any adventure film the story ends with the three trying to save the world from destruction, but it’s odd how little impact or excitement the story has. This might have been because it was poorly developed. One has to wonder if the story would have been any better had they cut out the completely useless plot A and decided to simply make the movie concerning what it was really about.
Speaking of non-excitement it’s odd how unexciting a lot of the film is. For at least two-thirds of this movie it feels as if it is on auto-pilot. None of it really rises from being standard and with such a skimpy plotline it surprisingly takes forever for the movie to get anywhere. Admittedly, some of the action scenes, which punctuate the movie every 20 minutes or so are decent but there is nothing really memorable. The only time this film gets the least bit exciting is probably in the last 20 minutes. It’s as if the screenwriter has decided to wake up and actually do something with the climax. While the two action scenes that make up the end of the film are preposterous they are at least somewhat exciting. Too bad the same can’t be said for the rest of the unremarkable film.
Thankfully, the actors seem to be having fun making the first 2/3rds of the movie mediocre instead of unwatchable. This is mostly thanks to Steve Zhan who can frankly make any movie bearable. He basically does the same comedic routine he does in every film, but it works here as it does in every film he’s in. Although, if one wants to see his best performance see Joyride. Cruz and Matthew do fine and are enjoyable but nothing that special.
This is not a terrible film. It’s too unassuming and good-natured to be truly bad. Also, it does have a thrilling climax. Yet, there is nothing at all remarkable about this movie. It’s standard to the point of boredom most of the time, hampered by a story that doesn’t work at all. If one wants to see a movie that overcomes plot contrivances with a truly witty script and two great performances see Romancing The Stone.

4/10

[thedudeman69]

It was very entertianing.

7/10

[ilovemovies]

I love these type of Indiana Jones-esque Action/Adventure flicks and this movie was no different. It was just such a fun, fast paced and really exciting adventure movie. Mathew McConaughey and Steve Zahn are such a great, dynamite team. Penelope Cruz has never been sexier and while she and McConaughey don't exactly burn up the screen, they nonetheless have a nice, playful, sexy chemistry that works for this kind of movie. I love William H. Macey though he doesn't have much to do though he does have one good scene involving his boat.

The movie is just great, rollicking fun from start to finish!

[echo_bravo]

I thought this movie looked like complete shit, but after reading a couple of reviews I may see it in the Dollar Theater or rent it.
I do like Steve Zahn

[Nachokoolaid]

This movie was decent at best. I'll give it a generous 6/10. There were just way too many "walking through the desert/riding in a boat with some loud music playing" scenes. Ten minutes of just that type of shot could have been edited out, and the film would flow better, and be tighter.

What worked:

The chemistry between Matt Mc. and Cruz was surprisingly believable. And I've never been a fan of Cruz, but she actually impressed me here, and did better than I expected. Zahn is useful too, although less so that in previous films. Lambert Wilson is always good. The same applies here.

What didn't:

The script was pretty bad in places. And I've always said that William H. Macy is good in EVERYTHING he's in. Sadly, that can no longer be said. He's just not right for this character. Granted, I guess I give him props for trying to stretch out and play against what he has established as his "type" (weaker, paranoid, flawed), but this tough guy Admiral is not his best effort.

See it if you have nothing else to do, but I'd wait for a rental. 6/10.

[Criminal Rock]

I thought the film was absolutely retarded, the cheesiness was overwhelming, and the horrible, horrible, horrible hieroglyphics on the wall inside the cave me laugh my ass off… and the (forced) funny parts aren’t anything special either, I’ve seen it done before.

5/10

[bigred760]

This movie was a lot of fun to watch and little else. It didn't seem to want to do much else other than appear like it was a blast to make. It was fun to watch the leads go all over the place and escape the bad guys and laugh it up having a good time. While Matthew McConaughey didn't really deliver a kickass performance, he was decent enough to lead the movie. Steve Zahn did steal the show for me though and in Matthew's defense, the two of them had very good chemistry as two adventurers looking for a lost battleship while helping out the hot Penelope Cruz.

My major problem with the movie is that the plot would go back and forth a lot. First, they're looking for a battleship, then they're helping out the health chick. In its defense, they did end up blending in the end - a little too conveniently - but hey, it's a popcorn movie. You've got explosions, boat chases, one-liners (delivered quite well by Steve Zahn), and a hero's chance to save the world, basically. All done with a pretty cool looking landscape - the desert.

Overall, I had a pretty good time watching the movie. I wasn't expecting a brain teaser or a classic or anything, just a good time at the movies. It delivered. Granted, this is no Raiders of the Lost Ark or anything like that, but, like I said, it's a good time.

6/10

[chinton]

Belnding conveniently is an understatement. I mean thank goodness Cruz jus t happened to thrw the dynamite there and blow it up to uncover the ship. They would have driven right by it. Almost as good as the soccer ball plot device.


What do you guys think of Clusslers books. As much a s I didnt like the movie his books are worse.

[michael_fan_1]

wana see looks sweet

[Country1969]

I thought it was pretty good. They are not making movies like they use to.
I am really dissapointed with the movies thats coming out this year.

[Nachokoolaid]

Originally posted by Country1969
I thought it was pretty good. They are not making movies like they use to.
I am really dissapointed with the movies thats coming out this year.

Have no fear. The best are one their way.

(STAR WARS, Batman, War of the Worlds, Kingdom of Heaven, Fantasic 4, Charlie & he Choc. Factory, King Kong...) Plus, Sin City was a blast.

[Ted Pikul]

I really liked this film.

It had a jaunty spring in its step & whilst no Raiders Of The Lost Ark it pisses over other recent pretenders to the crown like National Treasure.

The only bum note was Penelope Cruz.

Hopefully she won't turn up in any sequel.

Definitely more Kate Capshaw than Karen Allen.

[JoeChar4321]

Originally posted by chinton
Spoilers!!!

Did anybody notice how the teasure ship plot was barely a part of the movie. Instead there was the lame ass tocix pollutor storyline

Also I loved that scene where the tennis ball just happens to bounce into the cave with the paintings. Has to go into the all time great plot contrivances.

Full r eview later.

My God, I really think this is in the running for the title of DUMBEST action movie of the new millennium.

3/10 at best (3 points because I really like the cast)

SPOILERS

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Chinton is exactly right (except I think it was a soccer ball, not a tennis ball). I can't believe the writers of this stupidity had the gull to uncover the treasure ship by accident with dynamite during a silly chase. Then, to add to this gull, they had our heroes use the civil war weapons inside to take out the helicopter which they were lucky enough for it to fly exactly even with the tiny port they were firing out of. GACK! What about the desert walking scene? Has anyone ever seen anything so stupid and implausible that wasn't in cartoon form. They wander around the dessert chained to a truck bed liner and somehow find a crashed plane WITH TOOLS in the sand. They have enough energy to shape in to a wind glider. They lift it, find a hard surface and ride it in some sort of desert wind gale to safety. GACK! I could go on but why?

Anyone that liked this movie needs help.

[Ted Pikul]

Help!

[neilg78]

I enjoyed it too, though I can see what people mean with the convenient plot points. That said I went in expecting a cheesy action film and thats what I got, good one liners and decen action scenes. Plus bar the end of the film there was very little CGI compared to most of todays action films.

[ralph_wiggum]

I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard mixed reviews (here included). I'm definitely craving a cheezy action flick and I don't mind predictability so I'm not swayed. I hope to see it soon. I'd like to see first person how the two leads interact and if they have any chemistry.