Sahara

[Brian in Mesa]

Sahara

Release Date: March 25, 2005
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Breck Eisner
Screenwriter: Joshua Oppenheimer, Thomas Dean Donnelly, James V. Hart, John Richards
Genre: Action, Crime
Website: Sahara

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Penelope Cruz, Steve Zahn, Dayna Cussler, William H. Macy, Glynn Turman, Lambert Wilson, Delroy Lindo

Plot Summary: Master explorer Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) takes on the adventure of his life when he embarks on a treasure hunt through some of the most dangerous regions of West Africa. Searching for what locals call "The Ship of Death", a long lost Civil War battleship which protects a secret cargo, Pitt and his wisecracking sidekick (Steve Zahn) use their wits and clever heroics to help Doctor Eva Rojas (Penelope Cruz) when they realize the ship may be linked to mysterious deaths in the very same area.

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To discuss Sahara (the book) or any other Cussler books: Cussler thread

Anyone psyched for this movie? I still haven't read any books by Cussler, but hope this is similar to Indiana Jones...explorer/adventurer from years past...

 

[Dback Jon]

I started reading Cussler's books when I was commuting from Phoenix to Nashville for work. They are usually entertaining, although a bit unrealistic.

The should make a good pulp film - entertaining action if you don't think too deeply.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

This should make a good pulp film - entertaining action if you don't think too deeply.

That's definitely the impression you get from the poster.

 

[Chaplin]

Never been a fan of Penelope Cruz, and Steve Zahn is just annoying. And Matthew McConaughey? He looks like he took whatever annoying pill that Steve Zahn took in the trailer.

I'll probably see it anyway.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I'll probably own it anyway.

:chapbuster:

 

[Chaplin]

:chapbuster:

I'm not thinking that far ahead!

Although, in a new twist, I usually buy DVDs of all the bigger budget movies, whether they were very good or not--mostly because as a "student" of movies, I like to get my hands on everything I can. But I refuse to buy The Village, and have no regrets about it!

 

[Mulli]

That's definitely the impression you get from the poster.

"Okay everyone, tomorrow we shoot the promotional poster for this film." Pleae wear brown pants with a brown belt. Thank you."

 

[Brian in Mesa]

"Okay everyone, tomorrow we shoot the promotional poster for this film. Please wear brown pants with a brown belt. Thank you."

 

[Mulli]

Any word on who will play the Scorpion King?

 

[Russ Smith]

Admittedly the books suspend belief a lot but whoever thinks that MM and Steve Zahn make a good Pitt and Giordino are just nuts. Pitt's supposed to be tall, dark hair with "opalline" eyes, and Giordino is a short stocky Italian guy built like a LB.

I'll see it but based on their choices in actors I suspect it's going to suck.

 

[Pariah]

Personally, I'm a big fan of Steve Zahn. ...This movie looks like dog crap, however. What, Brenden Fraiser wasn't available?

 

[Russ Smith]

Personally, I'm a big fan of Steve Zahn. ...This movie looks like dog crap, however. What, Brenden Fraiser wasn't available?

I liked him in joyride, but he's nothing like the way Giordino is described in the books.

I imagine Giordino to be built like say Bolo the pro wrestler from Amazing Race, I just can't picture Zahn doing some of the stuff Giordino has done in the books.

Apparently MM replaced Hugh Jackman who probably would have made a better Pitt.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

BUMP

This got bumped back until this week.

The reviewers are saying it's a redneck James Bond.

 

[Chaz]

Looks like it could be good.

Not good enough for me to see in the theater but DVD is a possibility.


Russ, I feel your pain when it come to some casting. I still can't get over Ben Afleck as Jack Ryan.

Just suspend your perception of the character from the book and think of it as from some bizarro parallel universe, we'll call this universe Hollywood.

 

[PDXChris]

i saw it last night, i am a big steve zahn fan, he did a good job, never read the book, so his his character was just fine to me, MM was ok, but Penélope Cruz, just very cute in it, I love her. Over all a decent movie, MM and Zahn mixed it up well.

 

[Russ Smith]

So I took the day off to take my ex girlfriend's son fishing, but 20+ mph winds kept us from even driving to the lake(2 people died there last week launching a small boat in similar winds). So we went and saw Sahara instead.

Loved the soundtrack. thought overall it was quite good, Ryen liked it, deviated some from teh book but not horribly.

Zahn is funny, I like him as an actor, but he didn't play Giordino anything like he is in the book. Rudi(Gunn) is MUCH older in the books, pretty sure he's in his 60's, Sandecker isn't retired etc. So it's not true to the books and I imagine that's why Cussler is apparently unhappy. Apparently he was promised more leverage in how the book came to life and didn't get it.

Overall I really liked the movie but think I'd like it a lot better if I hadn't read most of the Dirk Pitt novels and had a preconceived notion.

Oh yes, and Penelope Cruz is still hot.

 

[jstadvl]

This was

a fun movie to go watch. Just plain fun. Simple but good plot. Funny, good action at times, nothing heay. Just fun. I enjoyed this one.

 

[seesred]

I've read all the Cussler books. I like the character Dirk Pitt. You gotta like a guy named Dirk. Then there is Numa. Actually as crazy or far reaching as the books are. Cussler really is a man who invests a lot of money and time looking for old ships. Many of the stories at the biggining of his books are based on the ships history. He owns dozens of old very classic cars which he features in his book as Dirk also owns these cars. So when he talks about Studz he knows how it feels. He lives in Arizona and a fun read if your not looking for a fact based book like Indiana Jones. I will see Sahara but like many I think the casting is a lot to be desired.

Dirk is equal to an Indian Jones look
His right hand man Giordano is a fun loving women loving muscular type on the heavy side.

 

[Pariah]

This was a pretty good movie. As others have said, it was a lot of fun.

Steve Zahn cracks me up.

And, Penelope Cruz...Hubba hubba.

 

[Bada0Bing]

I just watched it. I thought it was pretty good. I haven’t read the books, so I didn’t have any expectations. I watched it without my wife, so she’ll probably make me watch it again with her. She has a crush on Matthew McConaughey.