Sahara

Herald rating: * *

Perhaps best known as the catalyst for the Penelope Cruz and Matthew McConaughey relationship, Sahara is an action adventure flick promising boat chases, exploding helicopters and a topless McConaughey, and that's about all you get.

Directed by Breck Eisner (son of retiring Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner), it's been disowned by Clive Cussler, the author of the pulp adventure yarns the film is based on. While there's an easy comparison to make with Indiana Jones, Sahara has none of that franchise's style, charm or cleverness. The beauty of it is, it just doesn't seem to care.

One might be perplexed about its premise - how an American Civil War-era, iron clad Confederate ship ends up hidden in the sands of the Sahara desert.

Searching for this legendary "Ship of Death", which mysteriously travelled from the Southern States of America to the Niger River in Africa, is excitable marine explorer Dirk Pitt (McConaughey) and goofy sidekick (Steve Zahn). They come across Penelope Cruz's World Health Organisation doctor trying to find the source of a plague-like illness which could turn into an epidemic.

Soon enough the three of them are heading into battle with a local dictator, creating an alliance with rebels, and struggling to react with any skill to the fake mayhem around them.

Poor performances along with clumsy direction and a weak script make Sahara one big, dumb, and yet curiously entertaining - in a so bad it's good kind of way - Hollywood blockbuster.

CAST: Penelope Cruz, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy
DIRECTOR: Breck Eisner
RUNNING TIME: 127 mins
RATING: M (low level violence)
SCREENING: Village, Hoyts and Berkeley Cinemas