SAHARA. An Unjustly Crushed and Forgotten Adventure Film

American author Clive Cussler gained immense popularity with his series about the adventures of Dirk Pitt, a somewhat cliché and, in essence, flat character, but endowed with great charisma and a likable nature—a mix of James Bond and Indiana Jones with a hint of MacGyver. The plot always revolves around some mystery connected to the sea, and each installment reads quickly, making for enjoyable reading. The author’s vivid imagination sends Pitt and his friends across the globe, constantly pursued by some dastardly villains. The series now has twenty-seven volumes and is being continued by Cussler’s son, Dirk (after whom Pitt was named), as the author passed away in 2020. Each book is essentially a ready-made script for an excellent adventure film, so it’s surprising that Pitt has only appeared on screen twice—first in the ill-fated “Raise the Titanic!” in 1980, and then more than a quarter-century later in “Sahara”. And it’s that second adaptation we’ll be delving into today.

The movie is an adaptation of the eleventh novel in the series. Pitt is on the hunt for a Civil War-era ironclad that vanished carrying a load of gold coins. Meanwhile, in Mali, a mysterious plague is spreading, and Dr. Eva Rojas from the WHO is trying to find its source. Soon, Eva and Pitt’s paths cross, and they both get entangled with local warlord Kazim and French businessman Yves Massarde.

After seeing how filmmakers “gutted” his novel “Raise the Titanic!”, Cussler was put off Hollywood for many years, only returning to the idea of a film adaptation shortly before 2000, this time securing some influence over key decisions. Unfortunately, cooperation with the producers didn’t go smoothly, leading to lawsuits that continued long after the movie’s release. As is often the case with adaptations, the screenwriters changed some aspects of the book’s plot, rightly trimming or reworking certain threads. Matthew McConaughey plays Pitt, while his best friend, Al Giordino, is portrayed by Steve Zahn. Dirk and Al have a tight bond, able to rely on each other in any situation, and would go through fire for one another. The actors capture this relationship from the books brilliantly, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that if more sequels had been made, we could have had one of the best buddy duos in cinema history (on par with Riggs and Murtaugh from “Lethal Weapon”). The cast also includes Penélope Cruz, the always excellent William H. Macy, Rainn Wilson (known from the American version of “The Office“), with popular French actor Lambert Wilson and Lennie James (“The Walking Dead”) playing the villains.

Someone once said that the greatest sin an adventure film can commit is to be boring, and in this regard, “Sahara” holds up well, though the pacing could have been improved in a few spots. However, the action scenes are impressive, tension is skillfully relieved with humor, following the best rules of the genre, and Pitt and Giordino find a way out of every predicament. And they’re incredibly likable, so we root for them from the first scene. Clint Mansell’s music enhances the mood, with a main theme reminiscent of Monty Norman’s “James Bond Theme”.

The cinematography by Seamus McGarvey also deserves mention. Most of the action takes place in desert regions, and you can almost feel the heat radiating from the screen. The fact that the film was shot on location rather than in a studio adds credibility; the filmmakers went to Morocco, which “stands in” for Mali, and reportedly, part of the production budget was inflated by bribes for local authorities. I also have to highlight the fantastic opening sequence, where the camera glides over Pitt’s office, showing mementos from his various travels, cleverly building up Dirk and Al’s backstory. It’s a great way to introduce the characters, suggesting they’ve already shared many adventures.

Unfortunately, “Sahara” flopped in theaters, and the subsequent legal issues didn’t help, essentially burying and leaving the film forgotten. Yet, I believe it’s quite an enjoyable, atmospheric movie with a fantastic main duo. Just look at the poster—it practically screams “Adventure!” I genuinely regret that no sequels were made, and I’ll always recommend “Sahara”.