Sahara, directed by newcomer Breck Eisner (son of the former Disney Executive Michael) delivers an action packed adventure full of excitement until the very end. What we have here is a typical adventure plot. One male macho character teamed with a goofy sidekick and a sexy damsel in distress. Very entertaining stuff packed with plenty of action in the unfamiliar scenery of the Sahara desert. It was nice to see a movie plot located somewhere else besides a city.

Matthew McConaughey as Dirk Pitt is supposed to resemble Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones. I won't compare the Dirk Pitt character to any other movie action hero because this film is a book-to-movie adaptation. He has the chiseled body matched up with the fighting skills of a highly trained bouncer and the keen intelligence of a scientist. Dirk Pitt is a Clive Cussler creation. Cussler did have some say in this movie and I read that he did not agree with McConaughey's characterization of him. However, my point is that this is McConaughey's initial dive into an action hero flick. Previously he took on romance comedies, but with Sahara we get to see his character flexibility. I liked seeing him in this hero role. McConaughey's suave characteristics come into play when he is driving a car or riding a camel. You can tell he is enjoying himself and doesn't think twice about knocking around a bad guy to show whose the boss or to once again save the girl.

Penelope Cruz is without a doubt a spicy actress. She has good dialogue and takes on this role seriously. I haven't seen a movie that she didn't disappoint me in with her ability to portray different characters even though she has no vocal influence meaning that with her sexy accent, it's slightly difficult for her pull off another accent. Cruz as Eva Rojas is the damsel in distress in this story. Her character has a purpose, which is to solve the epidemic problem. She is teamed up with two assistants but they are quickly killed off once their work is established. Penelope displays every quality we like to see in a female character. She has sex appeal. She is intelligent. Her character actually cares about other people and puts herself in immediate danger despite the consequences. It's characters like these that make movies enjoyable to watch despite a bad or complex plot. Cruz was at times interesting to watch and others quite dull. Cruz was good eye candy to watch and her good portrayal of Rojas made up for the lack of her character development.

Steve Zahn is simply in this for comic relief, which is nice but the cliché of the goofy sidekick is way overdone. He had plenty of goofy lines to make us laugh but also displayed bravery and smarts when he decided to track down the bomb. I liked this in his character because it showed some depth. There wasn't a lot of depth to either Pitt or Giordino but their actions spoke louder than words (meaning dialogue explaining their past history together). These two characters seemed to fit each other quite well despite the complex plot. Zahn is supposed to be cute and funny and he delivers without any problem. My problem is that his character is not exactly sidekick material. I would not want to have this guy with me clowning around while being shot at. Get it?

With the characters seemingly out of focus, the next biggest feature is the action. Eisner definitely didn't hold anything back with the sequences. I especially enjoyed the boat chases when the trio attempts a "Panama". The other favorite action scene is when Pitt and Giordino take the wreckage of a broken bi-wing plane turn it into a wind mobile vehicle as they sailed their way through the desert plains. Last but not least, the best action sequence would have to be the three of them versus Kazim's entire army. I am not even going to describe what happens here because it was so cool. I would grade the action being above average with the gun fights and fist-fight scenes, but overall the action is the main element that carries this movie.

As I watched Sahara, I got the general feeling that this film was too long. It seemed to go on forever and become a drag. I believe Eisner's first directing attempt was a success but at the same time he may have tried too hard. The plot was too involved and took away from any character development. Honestly, Eisner's attempt to simplify the story actually made it more difficult to comprehend. With patience and more experience at the helm, Eisner may develop into a fine director.

Eisner's take on Cussler's creation isn't bad, I would have to honestly say that for a first time director he did a fine job. But there are things to think about next time he attempts an action film. First is storyline. This storyline seemed too vague. Evil Dictator empowers army to control population which is dying quickly because of a toxic waste epidemic. Then there is the two adventurers or explorers searching for the lost treasure, which is the long lost Confederate Army coins and the supposed legend of their Death Ship, an iron clad. I would prefer to see more background into why the Dictator is doing this before watching the entire movie being confused. As far as the explorers go, NUMA deals with ocean, not desert. There should have been more emphasis on why they would do something crazy like travel into a dangerous country in search of a ship that they had no proof of even existing. Then again, I'm not an explorer so I'm not crazy like that!

Secondly, as much as I enjoy William H. Macy, I would have to say that his character was not involved as much. I like Macy's portrayal of characters, even though he wasn't very authoritative or commanding and basically was pushed around the whole time. If anything he should have had a bigger part in this movie, perhaps a grudge against the dictator. I like to see him in a leadership role but his past few movies he has been reduced to nothing more than a cameo role or secondary character.

Like I said before the storyline was too complex to be simple. I also think that if this movie is going to be the modern day Indiana Jones, then the casting of Zahn was completely wrong. Nothing against him, but Zahn is always quirky in every role. I have not read Cussler's Dirk Pitt Adventures so I am unaware of how he handles Al Giordino's character. If they are going to do a sequel, better yet, make it a prequel so we get some decent character development. There was nothing interesting about the three main characters worth mentioning. With Cussler's Dirk Pitt Adventures, we can have plenty more on-screen adventures like Sahara. It is promising, but not guaranteed if the writers and director cannot solve the problem of missing character personality and plot complexities.

If anything, Clive Cussler, the author of Sahara and Dirk Pitt, should have been aboard as a co-director. Why on earth would a rookie director do this by himself but only to establish himself as a professional? I have nothing against amateur directors, but it would have been more smart to consult with the original creator of the works just so you can get things right. No wonder why Cussler was disappointed. The flow of this movie isn't necessarily perfect, but it smoothes along accordingly to the fast paced plot. I can't help get the feeling of being bored at times although this movie is action first, characters second.

Good, but not Great. Eisner's first attempt at directing was decent. There's plenty to like about Sahara if you enjoy intense action sequences and occasional humor. Although the character development is missing, the action packed story of Sahara will keep you entertained till the very end. McConaughey, Zahn, and Cruz all join forces to blow you away.

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