Sahara: Not so dry
Matthew MacConaughey, Penelope Cruz and Steve Zahn, along with William H. Macy, combine their forces against evil in this action-packed drama that owes a lot to Indiana Jones (not to mention Harrison Ford) and maybe a tiny bit to the recent film, National Treasure.
Set in Africa, this films villains include the ever-popular corporate greedmeister and an army general turned dictator. Sahara is entertaining and even fun, as long as you can completely suspend disbelief in about four or five major plot turnings. As former Navy buddies, MacConaughey and Zahns characters have a long history together and a lexicon of inside stories and impossible maneuvers that get them out of the most preposterous of situations.
Yes, they make MacGyver look like your grandmother.
Cruz is good playing a WHO doctor who has discovered a plague and is searching for its source. Her path through the Sahara crosses with the boys and each saves the other a few times before they actually end up traveling together. She and Matt are believable as love interests. However, the real chemistry is between MacConaugheys character and Zahns; they are perfect building blocks for this buddy-film-cum-environmental saga, with a treasure hunt thrown in for good measure.
Three out of four stars, mostly for the solid cast, who looks like they are working really hard. The plot will not win many awards. Lots of explosions, gunfire and a few mildly graphic scenes of plague victims. No nudity, no sex, and surprisingly, very little salty language. Rated PG-13 for action violence. Fine for most nine year olds as long as they can handle the noise. Good family adventure flick and fine date movie.
