Sahara

Matthew McConaughey looks like he’s spent more time in the gym lately than smoking pot and playing bongos naked in his living room. As master explorer and treasure hunter Dirk Pitt, he makes being an action star look easy and fun in this far-fetched but entertaining adventure. While Pitt and his sidekick (a wacky but semi-restrained Steve Zahn) chase down clues in West Africa that may lead them to a long-lost American Civil War battleship, they cross paths and eventually join forces with a World Health Organization doctor (Penélope Cruz) who is searching for the source of a mysterious plague. This sort of Indiana Jones-light slice of escapism has enough lively popcorn peril and heroism for two movies. It addresses a serious environmental issue but never takes itself too seriously. Directed by Breck Eisner.