Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz are Terrifyingly Well Built
While most people who combine Matthew McConaughey, Penelope Cruz, a Civil War ironclad, the WHO, Confederate gold, a solar powered waste vaporizer, a vast epidemic, and impending African civil war would end up with a lump of shit wound around a movie reel, the Sahara team pulls it off well. This has a lot to do with, in Austinist's opinion, the often half-naked stars gallivanting around with their pilates/yoga enhanced bodies exposed. Bastards.
As long as the idea of a Civil War era ironclad being burried somewhere in the Sahara does not threaten to destroy your ability to rationalize normally, you will enjoy this film. The action sequences are very well choreograph, including some very well done, and authentic, knife disarming and multiple opponent fighting techniques by Mr. McConaughey. And the chemistry is definitely bubbling between the homegrown Texan and the lovely Penelope Cruz.
The movie starts out with Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn, who plays a good comedic foil to all the dramatic action going on, as former Navy SEALS who now work for William H. Macy (as The Admiral, of course) salvaging underwater relics for the good of humanity. Awww. Meanwhile, Penelope Cruz and Glynn Turman, as WHO doctors, are trying to find the source of a mysterious illness moving quickly across Western Africa.
Dirk Pitt (McConaughey), who happens to be rescuing an ancient relic from the bottom of the ocean at the same time and place as Dr. Eva Rojas (Penelope Cruz) is being attacked by 3 unknown men on the beach. After climbing out of the water and kicking the crap out of the nameless goons, Pitt takes the unconscious Dr. Rojas back to the Admiral's salvage ship, and the adventure begins.
The movie is a good action flick that doesn't take itself too serious, and McConaughey indeed embodies the American hero, never giving in, and always keenly on the lookout to improvise a solution to whatever trouble they find themselves in. Unsurprisingly, he always comes out on top.
It's not Shakespeare, but it is definitely a good time. Not a bad outing for McConaughey as a first time executive producer.
