Sahara (2005)
The Cast
Matthew McConaughey .... Dirk Pitt
Steve Zahn .... Al Giordino
Penélope Cruz .... Eva Rojas
Lennie James .... General Zateb Kazim
Delroy Lindo .... Carl
William H. Macy .... Admiral Jim Sandecker
Lambert Wilson .... Yves Massarde
Directed by Breck Eisner (great name, but who?), Sahara is based on a Clive Cussler book that I believe is part of a series of books featuring the Dirk Pitt (McConaughey) character. Pitt is some sort of adventurer / treasure hunter in the vein of Indiana Jones & his ilk. Pitt & his sidekick Al (Zahn) have military training & a survivalist background, however you say it, basically they're damned good at what they do.
It's a hard movie to review technically, as at it's heart it's basically a popcorn movie. A fun, check your brain at the door kinda movie that you're supposed to be on the edge of your seat for, even though it's your standard predictable adventure fare. Having said that, I enjoyed it as such, & got what I expected out of the movie.
The characters were fun, the story outlandish but believable in context (I guess), the cinematography great, the acting passable (notable overachievers Macy & Zahn), & it didn't annoy me. Well, Penelope Cruz annoyed me, but she does that all the time. & having Lambert Wilson act as a subservient lackey is a waste of his Smirktacular talents. I'll go with 3.5 outta 5.