Sahara (2005)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Breck Eisner

Writers (WGA):

Clive Cussler (novel)
Thomas Dean Donnelly (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

Dirk Pitt. Adventure has a new name.

Plot:

Master explorer Dirk Pitt goes on the adventure of a lifetime of seeking out a lost Civil War battleship known as the "Ship of Death" in the deserts of West Africa while helping a UN doctor being hounded by a ruthless dictator.

Plot Keywords:

Ship | Africa | Doctor | Treasure | Warlord

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 30	10:00 PM	TNT
Fri. July 31	12:30 AM	TNT

Cast

Matthew McConaughey	...	Dirk Pitt
Steve Zahn	...	Al Giordino
Penélope Cruz	...	Eva Rojas
William H. Macy	...	Admiral Jim Sandecker
Rainn Wilson	...	Rudi Gunn
Delroy Lindo	...	Carl
Lambert Wilson	...	Yves Massarde
Lennie James	...	General Zateb Kazim
Robert Cavanah	...	Captain Tombs
Jude Akuwidike	...	Imam
Mark Aspinall	...	Lawyer
Rakie Ayola	...	Mrs. Nwokolo
Christopher Bello	...	Train Driver
Nicholas Beveney	...	Gunboat 1 Officer
Empotoe Bosage	...	Pick Up Truck Guard

Also Known As:

Sahara (Spain)
Sahara - Abenteuer in der Wüste (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for action violence.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

UK | Spain | Germany | USA

Language:

English | French | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Taiwan:PG-12 | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Malaysia:U | Iceland:12 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Ireland:12A | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 | Hong Kong:IIA | UK:12 (video rating) | UK:12A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Delta del Ebro, Tarragona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

When Dirk and Al talk about an incident in the past where they rode camels in Morocco, actors Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn are actually in the Moroccan desert (depicting Mali).

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the opening credits (after approx 4.5 minutes) a newspaper titled "Nouvélles de Monde" (French) appears. "Nouvelles" (news) is misspelled (there should be no accent). Moreover "Nouvelles de Monde" is not correct, the adequate form is "Nouvelles du Monde"

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sailor Who Drops Gold: Sorry, captain.
Pilot, Ironclad: It's all right son, just keep moving. That's the future in your hands.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Don't Crash: The Documentary of the Making of the Movie of the Book of the Radio Series of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Wombo Lombo

A fun time for all

I'm extremely perplexed at the lukewarm and especially the bad reviews this one is getting from the professional critics, because my husband and I both found it a very enjoyable romp. Yes, you have to suspend your disbelief during some of the action sequences, but I don't remember people complaining about the lack of realism in the Indy Jones or "Romancing the Stone" series. The dialogue (especially the buddy banter and William H. Macy's character) is amusing, the plot easy to follow despite its complexities, and the action virtually nonstop. I also found it refreshing for the sidekick to look like a doofus, but actually more than hold his own during crunch time.

I can only assume the negative reactions are from fans of the book (I have never read any Clive Custler, so it may well depart from it in tone or otherwise.) But judged solely on its merits as a light-hearted adventure movie, it more than met my expectations.