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Year:    2005
Studio:  Paramount Pictures
         Bristol Bay Productions

Feature: 3/5
DVD:     4/5

Sahara is a movie based on Clive Cussler's series of adventure novels starring his hero Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) and his sidekick Al Giordino (Steve Zahn). Dirk and Al are former Navy SEALs now working for NUMA (it's an underwater salvage company).

While in Africa, Dirk gets wind of the Texas, the last Confederate ironclad, full of Confederate gold, which was lost at the end of the Civil War. Dirk is the lone believer that the Texas mad it to Africa and the gold is here somewhere and now he has a clue and goes off to find it.

Meanwhile Dr Eva Rojas (Penélope Cruz), working for the World Health Organization, is trying to track down the source of a mysterious plague. Both their journeys lead to Mali so Dr Rojas hitches a ride with Dirk and Al. Although they split up again, eventually their two quests will bring them back together.

Sahara is a fairly standard adventure movie. It does try to be funny when appropriate and in a natural way. There are little touches that are pointed out in the commentary of why this is a different adventure movie than others, though unless you're paying attention you won't notice.

Overall though it's a good movie. It may not be great but it doesn't suck either.
Extras

Commentary by Director Breck Eisner.

Commentary by the director and Actor/Executive Producer Matthe McConaughey.

Across the Sands of Sahara - 15 min making of.

Visualizing Sahara - 20 min visual effects and filming.

Cast and Crew Wrap Film - 10 min from the year of shooting.

Deleted Scenes - 5 min with commentary.

Copyright (c) 2005 Kevin C. Wong
Page Created: October 5, 2005 Page Last Updated: October 10, 2005