Search - Sahara (Full Screen Edition) on DVD

Sahara
Full Screen Edition
Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, Penelope Cruz, Christopher Bello, Nicholas Beveney
Genres: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Mystery & Suspense

PG-13 2005 2hr 4min

IN THE SCORCHING DESERT, DIRK PITT UNCOVERS THE TRUTH BEHIND HIS LIFELONG QUEST - THE FATE OF A CIVIL WAR IRONCLAD. NOW, AMIDST THE BLAZING, SHIFTING SANDS OF THE SAHARA, DIRK PITT WILL MAKE A DESPERATE STAND - IN A BATTLE... more »

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Movie Details

Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, Penelope Cruz, Christopher Bello, Nicholas Beveney
Genres: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Mystery & Suspense
Sub-Genres: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Mystery & Suspense
Studio: Paramount
Format: DVD - Color,Full Screen
DVD Release Date: 08/30/2005
Original Release Date: 04/08/2005
Theatrical Release Date: 04/08/2005
Release Year: 2005
Run Time: 2hr 4min
Screens: Color,Full Screen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 11
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Languages: Arabic, English, French
Subtitles: English, Spanish
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Member Movie Reviews

Charles C. (CC) from WAYNESBORO, VA
Reviewed on 11/16/2023...

McConaughey is badly miscast in this superficial actioneer. Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt is a polished, cultured and mature man....McC plays him like a college frat boy. Lots of CGI and historical b.s. (the Confederacy had no ironclads in Richmond at the end of the war; even if they had, such a vessel could not have gone across the Atlantic. They weren't constructed for that.)

Be ready to suspend your disbelief, by the bucketful.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Mary-Jo W. (mjowest) from SHELBYVILLE, MI
Reviewed on 7/17/2013...

Movie is in the spirit of National Treasure, with some nice eye candy to join along-
Nothing too spectacular, or even believable- can't ANY soldier hit a target? but it was 2 hours spent in air conditioning in 90+ degree weather, and you can't beat that.

0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Donald J. from FEDERAL WAY, WA
Reviewed on 2/18/2011...

A good fast moving action movie.

1 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.

JENNIFER W.
Reviewed on 6/7/2010...

Great movie!

0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Movie Reviews

Old School Adventure Film with Good, Clean Fun

Tsuyoshi | Kyoto, Japan | 07/02/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know the reaction of Clive Cussler fans to this film -- I don't know why the author is so angry about it -- but as an ordinary film fan, 'Sahara' is mostly enjoyable, if not outstanding action adventure film. Matthew McCoaughey is a likable treasure hunting hero Dirk Pitt from 'NUMA'; Steve Zahn is a scene-stealing sidekick (and he is always so) Al Giordino; and Penelope Cruz as a doctor Eva Rojas from WHO, who gets involved with Dirk's adventures. These premises, together with the hidden gold coins made during the time of the Civil War, sound much like 'National Treasure,' and the comparison is interesting because director of 'Sahara' is Breck Eisner ('Taken') also known as son of Michael Eisner.

But 'Sahara' is different from that Nicholas Cage film, and that is the location mostly set in the hot desert of Africa. Dirk, Al, and another NUMA agent Rudi (Rainn Wilson) borrowing a small boat from Admiral Sandecker (William H. Macy), cruise on the river into the desert of Mali, Africa, where he believes a huge US iron-clad ship disappered with gold coins.

At the same time, the film shows us that a deadly plague is killing the people of Mali. So, on the way to the country, Dirk and Al travel with a beautiful doctor Eva, who seeks for the cause of the disease with her senior Dr. Frank (Glynn Turman). Don't call it a contrived story yet, for 'Sahara' is going to get more contrived as the team is attacked by the machine-guns, rockets, tanks, and helicopters of the country's troops, and their incredible adventures begin.

That's it, and that's all I have to say. The film is made with a familiar set-pieces, none of which are particularly imaginative or innovative, but techinically speaking they are fine. Action film fans like me might say we have seen the same kind of scenes -- like, peeping into the 'secret' of one company owner (Lambert Wilson); blowing dynamites without using fuse, or foolishly giving our heroes chances to escape from the villains who just don't think of killing them instantly. You can spot bits from James Bond, bits from Indiana Jones, or bits from any actioners shot in Morocco, the land which provides the wonderful landscapes for the film.

However, in spite of its impossible story and lack of chemistry between McConaughey and Cruz (who is miscast, I am afraid), the whole film goes plesantly enough, with competently done action sequences and authentic images of Africa. Totally unoriginal, but 'Sahara' is still fun to see."

Better Than I Expected

Darrell Heath | Little Rock, AR USA | 01/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Sahara" had less than a stellar turn out at the box office upon its initial release and I happened to let it slip by my radar at the time. I had read the novel upon which the film was based and thought it stupid but fun and I expected the film to be about the same but with more emphasis on the former than the latter. Well I was a bit wrong on that score. Sure, "Sahara" isn't going to win awards for smarts but hey this is an action adventure film and it doesen't pretend to be anything but that. Fortunately thats what makes this film stand out from a lot of others of its kind. Its concerned only with providing good old fashioned actioneer fun; nothing more and nothing less and it succeeds quite well with those simple ambitions.

Now if your a hardcore Cussler/Dirk Pitt fan you may be disappointed with the fact that the films characterizations are not the same as the ones in the book but I will argue that the movie does a good job of at least staying true to the spirit of those characters. Frankly I'm not overly impressed with Cussler's writing. His characrers are flat and his dialog is laughable. For example, his villains are right out of some old pulp or movie serial and will actually say things like: "The American devils have foiled our plans and now they must die!!" I kid you not, that is not an exaggeration of typical Cussler dialog. You can see how that may not translate well to film and fortunately the film makers are able to make the dialog and story a bit smarter than the original material upon which it is based. Anyway, the actors are fine and are having a great time and the direction and cinematography are above average. My only real complaint is an over reliance on classic rock as a soundtrack; I like classic rock but it should have a more limited role as a music soundtrack for an action film.

All in all "Sahara" is great old fashioned escapist entertainment and is not meant to be taken too seriously. So, my recommendation is to pop some popcorn and put this disc in for an evening of solid action entertainment."

Sahara Blu-ray

Raymond L. Duncan | australia | 01/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another terrific remastered movie, compared to standard definition, this Blu-ray version is nothing short of superb, but once again, the best panel, leads and audio are essential to appreciate this technology."

The best action/adventure since The Mummy!

HeadbangerDuh | Los Angeles, CA | 04/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although there have been a lenghty string of action/adventure movies in the last year or so, and they have all been worthy and entertaining, never as action-packed or fun-filled as this one. Matthew Mconaughey plays a modern-day Indiana Jones or Rick O'Connell who is in search of a Civil War battleship buried in the Sahara. He is everything you'd want in an action hero. He has a wisecracking sidekick (Steve Zahn). Also helping is a doctor (Penelope Cruz). Some people say this movie is unrealistic, silly, and stupid. And some of it is. But really, who cares? It's action-packed, National Treasure-meets-The Mummy type of movie. And if that's not the greatest action/adventure ever made, I don't know what would be. Also reccomended, The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, National Treasure, the Indiana Jones movies, and Sky Captain and the world of tomorrow."

More fun than cliched characters and an over-the-top plot ar

Alyssa Nolan | New Hampshire, USA | 06/03/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Sahara, directed by Breck Eisner, is an action/adventure film about two treasure hunters, Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) and Al Giordino (Steve Zahn). Al and Dirk travel to Mali to try to search for a lost Civil War battleship filled with treasure, but then they temporarily abandon their own quest and join Eva Rojas (Penélope Cruz) to try to find the source of a deadly "plague" that's spreading across Africa.

If you think Sahara is another one of those predictable, clichéd action movies that we've seen too many of lately...you're right. Everyone loves to see a great action hero perform some cool, humanly impossible stunt, and it just wouldn't be an exciting enough ending if the main characters didn't overcome impossible odds to achieve their victory, but when this happens again and again and again...it's not even thrilling any more. "There's no way that should have worked, right?" remarks one of the characters near the end of the movie, but by that point I'd already thought the same thing myself countless times. Still, I do have to give the filmmakers some credit. The special effects are great, and at least a lot of the stunts are imaginative, though unrealistic. But there was one thing about the plot that really got on my nerves. Isn't it suspenseful enough to watch the heroes and heroine try to save the lives of all the people in Africa? Apparently not, since part way through the movie it's revealed that if the nuclear waste that's poisoning Mali's water supply isn't taken care of in a few days, it will destroy the entire world. No, I'm not joking, they really expect us to suspend our reality that much.

The three main characters in Sahara are formulaic for this type of movie. You've got the laid-back, overconfident action hero who has more luck than skill, the comic-relief, and the brave heroine who, despite her brains and resourcefulness, still needs the aforementioned action hero to rescue her from the bad guy's lair. McConaughey wasn't very believable in his role, often appearing way too calm, but Cruz did alright in comparison. At first, I was pleasantly surprised at the way the movie down-played the usually inevitable romance between the male and female lead, but that just made it seem out of place when they started kissing at the end. Uh, did I miss something? On the other hand, I was really impressed with Zahn. He had a lot of funny quotes, and his comedic timing was perfect! I wasn't the only person in the theater laughing out loud at lines that would have sounded lame if they'd been said by almost anyone else. If you ever decide to go on a perilous treasure hunt, Zahn's character, Al, is definitely the type of guy you want to take with you; he'll make the whole experience much more enjoyable.

Sahara is funnier and more imaginative than a typical action movie, but that doesn't change the fact that it is still just that: a typical action movie. But, since I doubt that too many original action/adventure movies will be coming out in the near future, if you're a fan of the genre you might want to settle for this."