Sahara
cast: Matthew whats-his-name, Penelope Cruz, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy
The good: steve zahn humor
The bad: lack of focus
Adventure films are a dime a dozen and few rise up to the occasion. Sadly, Sahara is not one of the few as its nothing more than a sub-par, thrill-free, confused romp through boring locales.
At first glance, Sahara might seem like a rip-off of Nicolas Cage's excellent National Treasure which was inspired by semi-historical civil war period America. Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey), is a treasure hunter who is out to find a legendary iron-clad boat from the civil war era which is believed to have been shipwrecked somewhere in Africa. Now, this premise is quite tasty but the whole movie isnt really about this tasty plot, but rather about a bland save the world from pollution plot with the usual evil businessmen conniving with evil tyrant.
The film, therefore, goes in two directions as Dirk with partner Al (steve Zahn) sets out to find the ship while Eva (Penelope Cruz), a WHO doctor, tries to find the curse of a "plague" which is infecting the local populace.
Obviously, the two points somehow meet but to the expense of an extremely boring and slow-moving middle part. Besides, what few action scenes the movie has are quite frankly boring and not up to the pace of even standard act/adv films.
There's precious little dialogue which is sad because what this movie needs is more references to the history which semi-inspired it just like National Treasure did. If there is a saving grace it is the slight humor which Steve Zahn conveys. While Matthew seems like a paperboard character, Steve is alive and entertaining.
Overall though, this film aint worthy of your ticket money. Watch one year from now in HBO or wowow instead. (2/5)
*Fun Fact: Lambert Wilson, who plays evil businessman Massarde in the film is, of course, the all-too frence Meruvingian from the Matrix flicks.
The good: steve zahn humor
The bad: lack of focus
Adventure films are a dime a dozen and few rise up to the occasion. Sadly, Sahara is not one of the few as its nothing more than a sub-par, thrill-free, confused romp through boring locales.
At first glance, Sahara might seem like a rip-off of Nicolas Cage's excellent National Treasure which was inspired by semi-historical civil war period America. Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey), is a treasure hunter who is out to find a legendary iron-clad boat from the civil war era which is believed to have been shipwrecked somewhere in Africa. Now, this premise is quite tasty but the whole movie isnt really about this tasty plot, but rather about a bland save the world from pollution plot with the usual evil businessmen conniving with evil tyrant.
The film, therefore, goes in two directions as Dirk with partner Al (steve Zahn) sets out to find the ship while Eva (Penelope Cruz), a WHO doctor, tries to find the curse of a "plague" which is infecting the local populace.
Obviously, the two points somehow meet but to the expense of an extremely boring and slow-moving middle part. Besides, what few action scenes the movie has are quite frankly boring and not up to the pace of even standard act/adv films.
There's precious little dialogue which is sad because what this movie needs is more references to the history which semi-inspired it just like National Treasure did. If there is a saving grace it is the slight humor which Steve Zahn conveys. While Matthew seems like a paperboard character, Steve is alive and entertaining.
Overall though, this film aint worthy of your ticket money. Watch one year from now in HBO or wowow instead. (2/5)
*Fun Fact: Lambert Wilson, who plays evil businessman Massarde in the film is, of course, the all-too frence Meruvingian from the Matrix flicks.
posted by NaCl at Tuesday, April 26, 2005
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