Sahara [2005]

March 25, 2022

If you love adventure movies, you’re going to love Sahara, an action/adventure movie from 2005. It’s sleek, stylish and oddly enough based on a novel. I remember how excited I was when I finally got the chance to download, I mean purchase a perfectly legal DVD copy of this movie back in the day. Ahhh, those early 2000s adventure movies are something else I’ll tell you. We finally emerged from the wacky nineties and eighties with their impressive but somehow still clunky sets and set foot into a whole new world of adventure. A whole new world…

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, National Treasure and Tomb Raider were all very fun and featured excellent special effects. They brought back memories of great older movies that can be summed up as Indiana Jones clones. But enough about that, let’s talk about Sahara. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Penélope Cruz, and Steve Zahn this is a very underrated and entertaining movie. The sets are phenomenal and feel very authentic as we zip across the continents following the Ship of Death.

Ahhh, see, you already want to know what the fuck is a Ship of Death. Well, you’re going to have to see this movie to find out. Apart from our main trio, I’m sure you’re going to recognize a couple of actors in supporting roles. Lennie James, William H. Macy, and Rainn Wilson are all here to balance out Mr. McCanaughey. I have to admit that he’s an acquired taste but still a good choice for this type of role.

Meet Dirk Pitt, a man of adventure looking for the find of a lifetime. He’s a salvage diver right now, but he has bigger plans along with his buddy Al. Two of them will cross paths with Dr. Eva Rojas who’s trying to find the source of a mysterious disease that’s sweeping across the African continent. However, she will join Dirk and Al as they search for the treasure that’s going to make them all infinitely rich.

I really love movies set in Africa. And it doesn’t matter if we end up in lush jungles or barren deserts, that exotic atmosphere is still there. The bustling markets, busy ports, and beautiful coasts look so inviting that you’ll want to visit them immediately. As you can guess, the production values here are excellent.

If you’re looking for similar movies, check out Fool’s Gold also starring McConaughey and Into the Blue. And I guess Quantum of Solace is also a good choice if you’re hungry for some action-packed adventure. Finally, you can’t spell desert adventure with The Mummy, a movie that’s always worth another watch.