Guess I'll probably get hammered for this. I bought the DVD and watched it and all the extras. I also bought Sin City. I watched them both one after the other. I had seen Sahara in the theatre. Me and the wife wore our Doxas and went with high expectations. Came out going "well it was all right, not as bad as it could have been". Never saw Sin City as the wife just didn't fancy it.

I remember at the time there was some comparison of the 2 movies as they came out around the same time of year.

Seeing Sahara for the second time in the cold light of non enthusiasm (although I was wearing my Doxa) I felt it really didn't work very well at all. All bread and no filling. I still think MM and SZ were good as Dirk and Al. PC sucks as an actress but WM was good as Sandecker.

Sin City on the otjher hand was far better than I expected. Mickey Rorke was awesome and so was Bruce Willis. All of the stories were great and it all tied in nicely. If you haven't seen it, go rent it. I think you will be surprised.

As for Sahara, I'll sell my DVD as I doubt I'll ever watch it again. I was so wanting this to be a winner. I actually have 3 versions of the script and I preferred one of the earlier versions to the final one. I really can't see there being any more Cussler movies.

Sorry guys.

Pete

Its funny that you say that becasue the earlier scripts were the ones that were the most challenged by Cussler himself...I think you should just hope that the next movie to come out will do his books more justice, until then, look at it as an adventure movie and enjoy it as using the characters of his books and displaying them to the world.

I think their never was a good script. The people who made it should all be taking to the gallows and be hanged then given to the tigers at various zoos and eaten for the entertainement of sick people like me.

"You're really weird." (Done in my best Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka impression) ;)

Flying Doctor, I think it's unfair to make a comparison between Sahara and Sin City. Talk about two completely different movies! jay is right: watch the movie without making comparisons between it and the book. We should appreciate its care in maintaining the spirit of Clive Cussler's characters.

- Andy

Andy,

you are probably rifght about the comparison thing. I looked at both from an entertainment value and return on investment perspective. I don't know the final numbers but I think Sin City outgrossed sahara and didn't cost as much to make. I'd also say Sin City came closer to recouping it's investment than Sahara ever will. actually there is a Sin City 2 scheduled for release in 2006 so it must have made money already.

For me once you took away the Doxa and Cussler tie in, Sahara was an average adventure, bubble gum for the eyeballs movie. Sin City was something new and visually stunning. It was a far more entertaining movie. That's the comparison for me. Like most people I was willing Sahara to be a success as I wanted there to be another better Cussler movie. I was also hoping the DVD would have more of the movie. For example the bit of your signature which shows the land yacht. There was a trailer where they are on the yacht and Al says something like "where are we going" and Dirk replies "hell if I know, but we sure are making good time". That was great and was Dirk and Al as I imagined. It wasn't in the movie and wasn't a deleted scene.......

As for "appreciate its care in maintaining the spirit of Clive Cussler's characters.
", I'm not really sure it did.

Pete

I have yet to see Sin City, but with Jessica Alba in it, I am sure it is very stunning in visualness. p:

I think i understand about this character thing and here's my take on it. MM was a good Pitt to me, he had all the attributes, and was stoked to play the part. Now to Zahn as Giordino. I think if he would have colored his hair brown and tanned a little, people wouldn't be complaining as much. I'd bet that to be true. The one that alll should be complaining about is Rudi. "Your on the Martha Ann, its a NUMA boat...ship" That would never come out of a Naval Academy Graduates mouth, let alone finishing second in his class, or first, I can't remember. Other then that, I think they could've gotten a more attravtive Eva, PC doesn't do it for me. Sandecker was great, Macy is always great. w:

I agree tiburonjjay, the actor who played Rudi is a character actor who has played nerd type of characters and I have never pictured Rudi as a nerd or dumb. Andyhuff, I love your avatar. w:

Was I the only one who really enjoyed Rudi Gunn in Sahara? True, he's nothing like the Rudi Gunn of the novels, but he's great as the nerdy computer side-kick guy. And who knows, maybe Rudi will become even more heroic in the next movie. Shooting a guy with a flare gun was only the first step... ;)

- Andy

Well andy I won't lie, I think he played his part well, I didint; agree with Rudi being so damned nerdy, but he got me laughing. The scene where MM gets on the boat after the chase and Rudi's like "I shot a guy with a flare gun", and MM is like "cool", I actually laughed quite a bit. You understand what we are saying though right? w:

No, I totally get what's been said about his character being such a polar opposite of the Rudi Gunn of the novels, I guess I just view Sahara being a different Dirk Pitt universe where Rudi can be a nerd. I'm a huge movie buff and I can overlook a non-literal representation of a novel on screen. Jurassic Park the movie was extremely different from the book, but it was still a good movie. Some aspects of a novel can't be translated onscreen, whether they be too expensive or just weigh down the overall theme/story. The nerdy Rudi fit within the frame of the movie, but wouldn't have fit in the novel. On the other hand, the novel Rudi would not have fit within the context of the movie. The same could be said about a number of differences between the book and movie. In some ways, I don't think its fair to compare the movie and the book. That may sound weird, since the movie is based on the book, but you are talking about two completely different formats of entertainment and very rarely are those two forms compatible to any high degree.

Anyway, I'm gonna go finish watching the 'Boys on Monday Night Football!



:lol:

- Andy

Sorry to see yoyur Cowboys give it up , and I thought they had it. I agree with you about everything you said. To add a little extra it is also very rare that a movie surpases the book in enjoyment factor.

there are many good arguements for and against all of the people of Saraha. You can't please everybody. it was a good action movie, but I don't think it was on line with what Clive wanted for his book. Andyhuff, I don't think your Cowboys will go anywhere with Bledso as their quaterback. He didn't do a thing for the Buffalo Bills.:lol:

You know, I watched National Treasure last night, see I love those types of movies. To give you an idea, Indiana Jones is my favorite so I gave it a try. In all honesty I enjoyed Sahara alot more...I thopguth it was alot better. Even my gf who doesnt read Cussler books(thought I try to get her to) said that Sahara was ten times better. t:

I completely agree with you! Well said th: th:

I couldn't help but laugh when Rudi shot that guy with the flare gun and cheered. But, I do enjoy the movie as a stand alone adventure tale. And that is all we will probably get if there are more film adaptations of Clive's books. Maybe they can use someone else to play Rudi who can look less nerdly and have more of a character than stereotype role.

That was a funny scene...but who knows, either way I look forward to the next movie or movies becasue I know that I will enjoy them. Who knows it can also maybe draw the gf in to read so i cna have someone to talk to that isnt on the forums lol, noone from round here reads him.

I didn't get to watch it at the movies (too busy) but bought the DVD the other week, I enjoyed the movie but I think i set myself up to enjoy it rather than be dissapointed because it doesn't follow step by step with the book.

I liked SZ as Al, albeit the physical resemblence wasn't there.

MM was good and bad IMHO there were scenes where he was excellent as Dirk and others that were terrible.

As soon as I saw Rudi on the ship with that terrible first comment I was pissed off to put it lightly. It was a terrible portrayal.

Overall I enjoyed the movie, especially the calliope scenes (that is one mean mother of a boat).

Anyway just though i'd add my views.

Cheers

FLI355

Doesn't Rudi in the book look nerdy with his horn-rimmed glasses? We just don't think of him as nerdy because he is down-to-earth yet very intelligent and knows how to be tough when the going gets that way. I thought his character brought a bit of humor to the movie but was further from the books than anyone.

I didn't see the movie in the theaters but just now rented it...

Hoo boy was I disappointed.

Steve Zahn is NOT Giordino. He is a moron. Giordino was transformed into an idiotic stereotypical sidekick with no intellligence. I kept thinking that SZ was a poor "Garth from Wayne's World" impersonation.

That idiot that played Rudi Gunn was even worse. Terrible actor, wasn't loyal to the character at all.

The Calliope is a SUPER YACHT. Not some old Grimsi-looking wreck.

Yves Massarde is a cold eyed, ruthless exterminator, not that cowardly whining "French guy" portrayed on screen.

Ummmm... Unicratt force? Tebezza? Hike across the desert? General Kazim's last stand?

Ugh. They ruined the book.