Sahara DVD Review

"SAHARA" reviews

DVD

SAHARA

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2005-10-27 22:16:48

Provider

DVD Review

Sahara introduces Matthew McConaughey as Dirk Pitt, an Indiana Jones for the 21st Century: a master explorer and treasure hunter combined, as he embarks on a trail to find a historic legend with his reliable crewmate Al. Along the way, and in true boy's own stuff, they'll have to save the girl as well. Oh... and the small matter of the world too!

Dirk is a key member of Admiral Sandecker's NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency) treasure-hunting crew who travel the globe salvaging great lost relics. However, his personal passion is to find a battleship from the American Civil War that, myth has it, sailed across the Atlantic only to be lost with it's cargo in West Africa. When Dirk acquires a coin believed to have been part of the cargo the search is on, as he borrows the Admiral's speedboat and heads up river. Hitching a ride is World Health Organisation doctor, Eva Rojas, investigating a mysterious epidemic sweeping the desert. Soon things get pretty hairy and the three are thrown together as they discover their quests are intertwined. They'll face a dastardly businessman, an African dictator and plenty of evil henchmen before it's all over.

McConaughey shines as Pitt, a character with more to offer (we hope). He's ably assisted by Steve Zahn, who's now ploughing a fertile furrow as a supporting actor with a talent for comedy and serious drama. Penelope Cruz ably completes the intrepid trio joined by an impressive supporting cast including Lambert Wilson, Delroy Lindo, Lennie James and the ever reliable William H Macy as the Admiral.

Terrific action-filled fun and the perfect respite to all those slightly downbeat realistic dramas and CGI laden spectaculars we see so often.