Movie Review
Sahara
The first action adventure movie of Summer 2005 packs a punch indeed and can back up all its talk by walking the walk.
Sahara sets a bar of action adventure fun that all other summer movies this year have to aspire to. If all further movies this summer promises to be as exciting/informative/funny as Sahara...then we’re in for a good summer of cinema indeed!
This movie manages to pull off that rare feat where on the surface it is sold as an Indiana Jones style adventure (going in I thought it was going to be an Indie rip-off) yet manages to charm the audience with its extra subplots. It’s part buddy movie, part rom-com, part environmental message, part social/moral reality and of course part Indiana Jones/James Bond action adventure.
First time film maker Brent Eisner (son of Michael Eisner) manages to bring the Clive Cussler novel to life and make you believe in Dirk Pitt’s (Matthew McConaughey) world.
The movie starts really slow in the first 30 minutes as it introduces us to each character and how they end up joining together on their current rag-tag adventure. The cool thing is, as the movie develops...you start believing in these characters...it’s not just actors & actresses spouting lines... you believe that there’s a past b/w Dirk and the Admiral and his buddy.
U can feel that they’ve been on numerous adventures and we viewers are just lucky to be brought along on their latest ride.
The first action adventure movie of Summer 2005 packs a punch indeed and can back up all its talk by walking the walk.
Sahara sets a bar of action adventure fun that all other summer movies this year have to aspire to. If all further movies this summer promises to be as exciting/informative/funny as Sahara...then we’re in for a good summer of cinema indeed!
This movie manages to pull off that rare feat where on the surface it is sold as an Indiana Jones style adventure (going in I thought it was going to be an Indie rip-off) yet manages to charm the audience with its extra subplots. It’s part buddy movie, part rom-com, part environmental message, part social/moral reality and of course part Indiana Jones/James Bond action adventure.
First time film maker Brent Eisner (son of Michael Eisner) manages to bring the Clive Cussler novel to life and make you believe in Dirk Pitt’s (Matthew McConaughey) world.
The movie starts really slow in the first 30 minutes as it introduces us to each character and how they end up joining together on their current rag-tag adventure. The cool thing is, as the movie develops...you start believing in these characters...it’s not just actors & actresses spouting lines... you believe that there’s a past b/w Dirk and the Admiral and his buddy.
U can feel that they’ve been on numerous adventures and we viewers are just lucky to be brought along on their latest ride.
Plus Penelope Cruz is believable as a U.N./WHO aide who’s researching the cause of a plague currently sweeping Africa. The banter between Penelope and Mconaughey doesn’t get too sickly sweet or unrealistic and their relationship moves along at a realistic pace (seeing as to how they ARE in a poverty stricken, plague infested part of Africa, there’s little time for romance).
Brent Eisner excels again when he wows the audience with his beautiful shots of desert vistas, ancient cities hewn deep into mountains and majestic African/Middle Eastern based cities.
It felt as though you were watching Discovery Channel / National Geographic at the same time as an action adventure judging by the beautiful vistas and pseudo-science environmental plot.
In summary, Sahara is one rip-roarin, wild action adventure with a dash of buddy movie and romance and a sprinkle of Discovery Channel science / National Geographic documentary. Just withstand the SLOW first 30 minutes and I promise you all a great time at the movies!
Brent Eisner excels again when he wows the audience with his beautiful shots of desert vistas, ancient cities hewn deep into mountains and majestic African/Middle Eastern based cities.
It felt as though you were watching Discovery Channel / National Geographic at the same time as an action adventure judging by the beautiful vistas and pseudo-science environmental plot.
In summary, Sahara is one rip-roarin, wild action adventure with a dash of buddy movie and romance and a sprinkle of Discovery Channel science / National Geographic documentary. Just withstand the SLOW first 30 minutes and I promise you all a great time at the movies!
posted by NiK! at
10:38 AM
