Movie Quest 2005

10. Sahara

In the world's most famous desert, plausibility is but a mirage

Based on the Clive Cussler novel, Sahara follows the adventures of dashing Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey), an ex-Navy SEAL who, with his sidekick Al Giordino (Steve Zahn), heads to Africa in search of a Civil War battleship potentially filled with Confederate gold. The pair join forces with Eva Rojas (Penélope Cruz), a World Health Organization doctor investigating a mysterious plague in Mali. It's a far-fetched tale, but good popcorn fun. And the North Afri- can backdrop is breathtaking.

But forget about visiting Mali. The U.S. State Department advises against going to the country's northern regions (beyond Timbuktu) and warns travelers to exercise caution in isolated areas. Besides, the majority of Sahara was filmed in Erfoud, Morocco, a tiny desert town 340 miles east of Marrakech. "We stayed in a hotel called ...