'Sahara' thirsts for original subtext

By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service

SAHARA (PG-13) Two-and-a-Half Stars (Fair-to-Good) "Sahara" is celluloid popcorn, a mixed bag of action scenes, sexy people, jokes and pratfalls, evil villains and exotic locations. Matthew McConaughey stars for first-time director Breck Eisner. Paramount, 124 minutes.

Matthew McConaughey stars as Dirk Pitt, the hero of a series of Clive Cussler novels.

Though fans of the books say he seemed an odd choice for the scientist-adventurer, he handles the mix of heroic action and devil-may-care attitude with reasonable aplomb.

Though known primarily as an undersea explorer, Dirk heads into the Sahara to pursue a bizarre theory that a Confederate Civil War ironclad ship made its way across the Atlantic, then into Africa on a now dried-up river and is now covered with sand somewhere in the desert.

That stretch is typical of the tale. Viewers just have to go with the implausible flow (like that boat).

Just when the silliness seems too much, viewers get distracted by the amusing antics of a first-rate supporting case, including Steve Zahn as the comic-relief Tonto to this particular Lone Ranger, and Penelope Cruz as a world health physician who gets entangled in the adventures.

The esteemed William H. Macy also has a turn as Dirk's frustrated boss, but he sadly spends his limited screen time far removed from the action.

First-time feature director Breck Eisner has trouble blending a medical subplot about a plague with the central tale of lost treasure.

Still, Eisner keeps the action moving amid evocative desert locations.

Rated PG-13, action violence, profanity.