Beneath the sheltering sky

Movie: Sahara. What a fun ride that was! Based on the Clive Cussler novel of the same name, although the author wasn’t so taken with some of the choices for the movie. A few years ago I took some lame internet quiz like: Which Hollywood Celebrity Should You Date? And the answer came out Matthew McConaughey. At the time I just about knew who he was, so I wasn’t leaping for joy. After seeing this movie, the quiz results make more sense. He stars as Dirk (not so gently) Pitt, a treasure hunter who can get himself out of any scrape he keeps getting himself in. Joined by trusty sidekick Al who can’t keep track of his hats, there’s a witty banter akin to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (“You wanna talk me through that again?”). Overall the action, fast pace and convenience of plot are closer to the James Bond movies. Soundtrack by someone very fond of 70s classic southern rock. A little out of place for Africa. Good to see Six Feet Under’s Alfred and his flare gun. And William Macy performing “the D.C. two-step.” The treasure hunting plot got a little lost in all the adventure, swashbuckling, and saving of the world but all that was so entertaining, I didn’t care.