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Sahara - Movie Review
Apr. 11th, 2005 03:49 pmIf you’ve read the book, the first thing you have to know is that they cut the big WTF plot twist. I was very disappointed, but I understand. It would have needed a lot more explaining.
This is probably the main problem I have with this movie. This isn’t to say I didn’t like the movie, but there were lots of things that just weren’t sufficiently explained. The red tide getting to the ocean? Everyone talked about it like it was a bad thing, but no one explained why. The aircraft in the middle of the desert? Good thing it was there, but why was it there? All of these things had in depth descriptions and reasons in the book. True, some still only existed as plot conveniences, but at least they were explained conveniences.
But it really doesn’t matter. This movie doesn’t exist to make you think. It exists to blow things up and have Matthew McConaughey beat bad guys up. And it did that well.
I didn’t think I was going to like McConaughey as an action hero, but I was wrong. For some reason he made a perfectly fine Dirk Pitt. I don’t really think he’s the hottest guy in Hollywood, but then again, the hottest guy in Hollywood wouldn’t have made a good Dirk. As a long time reader of Cussler, I was not disappointed.
Steve Zahn as Al Giordino could have been a disaster, but other than the way Zahn pronounced “Giordino” (the guy is very Italian-American in the books; he wouldn’t have said it with a Mid-Western accent), I thought he was good. I was worried that he would be relegated to the “humorous sidekick” role, but he wasn’t. Al functioned as efficiently as Dirk in combat situations, and even saved the day. While he wasn’t the big tough guy he is in the books (okay, short tough guy), that role is usually for the hero in the movies, so I understand making McConaughey do most of the physical fighting.
Also, the Dirk/Al dynamic was perfect. I think good banter is tough, but this movie got the way they treat each other down pat. They’re so an old married couple.
As for the plot, it only existed for action sequences to occur. It’s not a bad thing because it was an action movie. Just don’t expect deep thought. And also watch out for the unexplained plot points I mentioned earlier. They would have taken such a long time to explain.
I recommend this movie for anyone looking to kill a few hours and not have to think too deeply about things. It’s a perfect antidote for Sin City, actually (even though you didn’t have to think for that either). It’s got violence, but it’s not relentlessly grim and visceral. It’s just fun.
This is probably the main problem I have with this movie. This isn’t to say I didn’t like the movie, but there were lots of things that just weren’t sufficiently explained. The red tide getting to the ocean? Everyone talked about it like it was a bad thing, but no one explained why. The aircraft in the middle of the desert? Good thing it was there, but why was it there? All of these things had in depth descriptions and reasons in the book. True, some still only existed as plot conveniences, but at least they were explained conveniences.
But it really doesn’t matter. This movie doesn’t exist to make you think. It exists to blow things up and have Matthew McConaughey beat bad guys up. And it did that well.
I didn’t think I was going to like McConaughey as an action hero, but I was wrong. For some reason he made a perfectly fine Dirk Pitt. I don’t really think he’s the hottest guy in Hollywood, but then again, the hottest guy in Hollywood wouldn’t have made a good Dirk. As a long time reader of Cussler, I was not disappointed.
Steve Zahn as Al Giordino could have been a disaster, but other than the way Zahn pronounced “Giordino” (the guy is very Italian-American in the books; he wouldn’t have said it with a Mid-Western accent), I thought he was good. I was worried that he would be relegated to the “humorous sidekick” role, but he wasn’t. Al functioned as efficiently as Dirk in combat situations, and even saved the day. While he wasn’t the big tough guy he is in the books (okay, short tough guy), that role is usually for the hero in the movies, so I understand making McConaughey do most of the physical fighting.
Also, the Dirk/Al dynamic was perfect. I think good banter is tough, but this movie got the way they treat each other down pat. They’re so an old married couple.
As for the plot, it only existed for action sequences to occur. It’s not a bad thing because it was an action movie. Just don’t expect deep thought. And also watch out for the unexplained plot points I mentioned earlier. They would have taken such a long time to explain.
I recommend this movie for anyone looking to kill a few hours and not have to think too deeply about things. It’s a perfect antidote for Sin City, actually (even though you didn’t have to think for that either). It’s got violence, but it’s not relentlessly grim and visceral. It’s just fun.
