Sahara (2005)

Master explorer Dirk Pitt goes on the adventure of a lifetime of seeking out a lost Civil War battleship known as the "Ship of Death" in the deserts of West Africa while helping a WHO doctor being hounded by a ruthless dictator.

Director:

Breck Eisner

Writers:

Clive Cussler (novel), Thomas Dean Donnelly (screenplay),

Stars:

Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, Penélope Cruz

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew McConaughey	...	Dirk Pitt
Steve Zahn	...	Al Giordino
Penélope Cruz	...	Eva Rojas
William H. Macy	...	Admiral Jim Sandecker
Rainn Wilson	...	Rudi Gunn
Delroy Lindo	...	Carl
Lambert Wilson	...	Yves Massarde
Lennie James	...	General Zateb Kazim
Robert Cavanah	...	Captain Tombs
Jude Akuwudike	...	Imam
Mark Aspinall	...	Lawyer
Rakie Ayola	...	Mrs. Nwokolo
Christopher Bello	...	Train Driver
Nicholas Beveney	...	Gunboat 1 Officer
Empotoe Bosage	...	Pick Up Truck Guard

Storyline

Master explorer and former US Air Force Major Dirk Pitt and his wisecracking buddy Al Giordino goes on the adventure of a lifetime of seeking out a lost Civil War ironclad battleship known as the "Ship of Death" that protects a secret cargo is lost somewhere in the deserts of West Africa. But while the two cross paths with a beautiful and brilliant U.N. scientist Dr. Eva Rojas who is being hounded by a ruthless dictator. She believes that the hidden treasure may be connected to a larger problem that threatens the world around them. Hunting for a ship that no one else thinks exists, Dirk, Al, and Eva must rely on their wits and their daring heroics to outsmart dangerous warlords, survive the threatening terrain, and get to the bottom of both mysteries.

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Plot Keywords:

ship | desert | treasure | explorer | dictator | 

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Taglines:

Dirk Pitt. Adventure has a new name.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for action violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [de] Official site [ru]

Country:

UK Spain Germany USA

Language:

English French Arabic

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sahara - Abenteuer in der Wüste

Filming Locations:

UK

Box Office

Budget:

$130,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$157,753 (Hong Kong) (8 July 2005)

Gross:

$68,642,452 (USA) (29 July 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Bristol Bay Productions, Baldwin Entertainment Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

To hawk the movie, Matthew McConaughey crossed the country in his Ford pickup, hauling an Airstream trailer with Sahara advertising. He stayed at trailer campsites and visited baseball stadiums during spring training.

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Goofs

As they are having dinner while going up the river just before the camera cuts to behind Dirk, Eva reaches for the bottle, as we look over his shoulder she's sitting back against the cushion. When the camera switches back to face Dirk they talk, then it switches to over his shoulder and she takes a swig from a glass, that she never had a chance to fill, and which wasn't even on the table.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sailor Who Drops Gold: Sorry, captain.
Pilot, Ironclad: It's all right son, just keep moving. That's the future in your hands.

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Crazy Credits

In the opening title sequence of the movie, when the camera is panning over all the Dirk Pitt articles and pictures on the wall, just as in many of Clive Cussler's books he appears in one of the pictures. There is a cut-out of Clive's head atop a woman in a bikini - just after the picture of Dirk and Al in Navy Whites and just before a picture of Sandecker with the President.

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Connections

Featured in Visualizing 'Sahara' (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Djole"
Written by Mamady Keïta
Performed by Mamady Keïta
Courtesy of Fonti Musicale / Follow Me Productions / Zig Zag World

User Reviews

Finally a family-friendly action movie

I was pleasantly surprised to see how fun, fast-paced and witty this non-R rated movie came out. Beautiful scenery and Indiana Jones-like action mixed with humor and drama. Great film. I wish there were more films like this that lack the need for explicit sex, violence, drugs or swearing to get noticed. I believe strongly in movies that contain the aforementioned elements and are for adults; it's just sad to see few family films that don't involve animated cookie-cutter characters. Nice jobs by both Zahn and Cruz. The supporting characters were likable and not too cliché. Admittedly Zahn has fallen into a role of the crazy side-kick, but in this film I think he finally finds the balance of kooky and serious in the way a action movie "buddy" should.