Of the two adventure films that competed with each other in the form Sahara and National Treasure, I would have to say my vote goes for Sahara, but purely for being a complete big adventure as opposed to National Treasure’s fragmented and dragging plot.
Sure, Sahara doesn’t contain anything incredible or new to bring to the screens, and it is as formulaic as Cage’s piece, but it’s certainly bigger, faster, and better as a visual adventure. Based on a book, the story revolves around tresure hunter Dirk Pitt’s (Matthew McConaughey) desire to find an old metal ship which was lost during the civil war and somehow ended up somewhere in Africa. It’s existence is merely a rumour, but Pitt is convinced that coins that have turned up, have done so from that very ship.
At the same time, there seems to be an epidemic of human catastrophe is occuring, which the UN is investigating. The rumours of a plague spreading across the continent are growing and doctors from the World Health Organisation are sent to investigate the possibility of an outbreak. With little evidence, they have to accumulate as much information as possible, but unfortunately their business interferes with a military leader’s ambitions and his territory, causing the investigative team to delve deeper and in turn risk their lives.
It’s a chance encounter that brings one of the doctors, Eva (Penelope Cruz). and Dirk together, after he saves her life from unknown men intent on killing her for obviously snooping around. It eventually turns out the source of both their needs are one, and fate decides to throw them together along with Pitt’s side kick Al (Steve Zahn), as well send a load of bad guys chasing after them.
There’s nothing particularly exciting or amazing about Sahara. It’s a sort of strange mix of Indiana Jones & James Bond, but carrying neither the charisma or production qualities of either. It’s not poorly made, but they seem to do what they can with the money they have, which doesn’t seem to be a lot at times. Mind you I suppose there isn’t a lot to do in a desert, except run away from nutjobs with machine guns.
In terms of chemistry it’s practically non-existent between Dirk and Eva. I just don’t feel Cruz is suited to the type of films Hollywood makes, her roles are often unconvincing and she never really seems to make it her own. Cruz comes across more like a model dressed up as a UN doctor than a UN doctor. I know that’s the reality, but if films are to be escapism, then those provide the escape have to convince the audience it’s happening and Cruz certainly doesn’t do this.
McCoughnahey does pretty good with his gung ho American bravado. He kicks arse like any lead adventure hero, and comes up with a plan when required. At one point in the film he’s complete with bandana looking more like an extra from Platoon than a treasure hunter. But Dirk is certainly not the star of the film for me, and his dialogue is often dull.
What perhaps raises the film from being wholly mediocre are the locations and the small burts of action. The other factor is Zahn as Al, providing some well played comic relief, and the chemistry either with Dirk and the other characters, or on his own just brought a smile to my face. The jokes weren’t orignal, but it was all about the timing and delivery, and Al’s dead pan but stating-the-bloody-obvious comedy was certainly the highlight of the film for me, and made the experience more bearablet han perhaps it would have been without. I just wonder why he got such little screen time over the monotony of Cruz’s eventual damsel in distress escapades. The latter certainly offered little in the way of entertainment.
Neither National Treasure nor Sahara are great films, or indeed completely enjoyable ones. Cage’s charisma carries his film, and in this it’s Zahn’s one liners – both of which should not be the key reasons for enjoying a film above plot, script, direction and so on. It’s perhaps the comedy of Sahara that provided more enterainment for me than the slicker, and slightly more serious production style of National Treasure.
As we wait quietly, patiently and curiously for what Spielberg and Ford can offer us in the form of a fourth Indy film, you do have the choice between two adventure films of which neither can really offer anything worthwhile, but are the only ones on offer at present. Sahara is fun, loud and over the top action adventure. National Treasure is slickly produced, urban adventure. There’s little to choose between the two.
Verdict: A decent action adventure film, saved mostly by Zahn’s co-starring performance. Average, but worth a look