Kate Hudson (“You, Me and Dupree”) and Matthew McConaughey (“We Are Marshall”) are reunited on screen for the first time since “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” They play a recently divorced couple who attempt to rekindle their passion for one another on a treasure hunt.

The script cobbled together by two unknown screenwriters and director Andy Tennant (“Hitch”) is filled with continuity gaps and huge plot holes. The odd assortment of cartoonish characters gets in the way of the spectacular tropical scenery. The sun, water and warm weather in Queensland, Australia (standing in for the Caribbean since filming took place during hurricane season) provides audiences with an escape from the winter blahs.

The unshaven, scraggly-headed McConaughey appears shirtless and barefoot throughout most of the movie. His lean and fit physique will have the ladies ogling him.

The petite Hudson lacks her usual charm. She shows off her tan in a black bikini and other skimpy outfits. She never gets the chance to demonstrate her comedic gifts inherited from her legendary mother, Goldie Hawn. She uses the word “uselessness” in a line of dialogue that astutely describes this whole misguided effort.

A complicated history lesson about the Queen’s Dowry – 40 chests of exotic Spanish treasure lost at sea in 1715 – serves as a long-winded time filler.

The flimsy premise becomes waterlogged after a slow and uninvolved beginning that fails to generate laughs. The endless fight sequences, daredevil stunts and underwater diving become meaningless with an absence of likeable characters. Your thoughts start wandering as other memorable action adventures like “Romancing the Stone” and the Indiana Jones trilogy pop into your mind.

Donald Sutherland, with a distinctive, over-the-top British accent, adds a touch of class in his role as a billionaire tycoon. His mega-yacht sails around in a circle never going anywhere. This dull movie has a similar destination.

Review By:
Keith Cohen, "The Movie Guy"