 In the spirit of the Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films transport you to the mystical lands of Persia for this wildly entertaining, epic action-adventure. It's a race against time when a rogue prince (Jake Gyllenhaal) reluctantly teams up with a rival princess (Gemma Arterton) to safeguard a magical dagger that gives its possessor the power to reverse time and rule the world. Filled with death-defying escapes and unexpected twists at every turn - Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time is a fun-filled adventure that will keep your pulse pounding long after the credits end. Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown on August 31, 2010 -- Oh, Hollywood. Dear, sweet disembodied Hollywood. I love you, I do, but your inability to produce a jaw-dropping, groundbreaking videogame adaptation is wearing thin. You took spandex, web shooters and adamantium claws and worked magic, transforming a fledgling, frankly hopeless subgenre into an arresting, multi-billion-dollar cultural phenomenon. I know, I know. It took a few decades and a few Christopher Nolans to perfect the superhero film, but you eventually came through. Even before hitting your stride, there were hints of greatness to be had (Superman, Superman II, and Tim Burton's Batman among them). But videogames? With so much of their allure and charm rightfully wrapped up in smart, satisfying, innovative gameplay, tight control schemes, and entertaining hands-on experiences -- elements that can't possibly translate to the silver screen -- their adaptations require a far more graceful touch. Their stories and characters demand meticulous care, their individual mythologies need substantial streamlining, and their loyal fanbases deserve to be treated with respect. Instead, you've given me Super Mario Bros, Street Fighter, Double Dragon, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Wing Commander, House of the Dead, Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Doom, BloodRayne, DOA: Dead or Alive, In the Name of the King, Hitman, Max Payne and The Legend of Chun-Li, some of which arguably represent the worst films of all time. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was supposed to be different, Hollywood. You promised Curse of the Black Pearl chemistry and charisma. You promised gripping fights, stirring stunts, dazzling special effects and a sand-swept tale of genuine adventure. But you did what you always do... cram creator Jordan Mechner's classic platformer and Ubisoft's still-thriving videogame franchise through the same rusty grinder; one that punctures, pulverizes and liquefies everything that passes through it into a bland, unseasoned paste. No, Prince of Persia isn't a complete waste of celluloid. I'll even go so far as to say it handily bests the vast majority of videogame adaptations on the market. But it's merely an average, by-the-numbers, FX-laden fantasy actioner; hardly the revolutionary thrill-ride that could have rejuvenated an ailing genre and ignited a creative firestorm. Director Mike Newell and producer Jerry Bruckheimer's Prince of Persia tells the story of Dastan (William Foster), an orphan whose selflessness attracts the attention of the king (Ronald Pickup). Adopted and made a prince, the young boy is raised as a warrior and swordsman, and soon becomes one of his father's most trusted commanders (not to mention the spitting image of Jake Gyllenhaal). All changes though fifteen years later when Dastan secretly steals a mystical weapon -- a dagger with power over time itself -- during a vicious attack on the sacred city of Alamut led by his brother, Tus (Richard Coyle). But while news of the assault infuriates the king, his anger is short-lived. Literally. Poisoned by a sinister assailant, the king is killed and Dastan is blamed for his murder. With little choice but to flee the region, Dastan sets out to clear his name, avenge his father, and unravel the plot behind his death. He even joins forces with an unlikely ally: Tamina (Clash of the Titans' Gemma Arterton), a feisty Alamutian princess determined to protect Dastan's recently acquired dagger. It seems Dastan's dastardly uncle, Nizam (Ben Kingsley), is after the dagger too, and hopes to use its magic to change history and claim Persia's throne as his own. Can Dastan and Tamina put a stop to Nizam's nefarious plot? Will romance bloom in the desert between our two reluctant heroes? Will a colorful cast of characters help them battle a band of sword-slinging baddies? Is there a Prince of Persia question that doesn't come chained to a predictable answer? Arterton imbues Tamina with welcome assertiveness and wherewithal, and Kingsley gnaws, savors and spits out his fair share of chewy scenes, but Gyllenhaal -- miscast, mismanaged and misused -- is out of his element. While his commitment to an increasingly complex series of stunts and action sequences is certainly commendable, his somber eyes and sullen weariness are at constant odds with the swashbuckling, time-bending adventure that ensues. His scenes with Arterton are a drag as well, and their symbiotic turmoil is as problematic as the film's copious use of green screen. The pair aim for playfulness, but settle on snarkiness; attempt to kindle a convincing romance, but forge little more than a superficial, malnourished connection; try to embrace sillier aspects of the plot with as much sneering tenacity as Kingsley, but rarely relent or sully their neatly-manicured nails. Individually, they're serviceable leads. (Gyllenhaal's spry exchanges are appreciated, and Arterton's coy wit keeps her various encounters lively.) Together though, they lack the spark and effortlessness their sand-crossed lovers so desperately require. Gyllenhaal's swordsmanship and physicality is far more believable than anything else he brings to the table, and it's a shame he struggles to make Dastan anything more than a roguish, distinctly European incarnation of his videogame counterpart. It doesn't help that the plot, though fairly faithful to the franchise, serves up an uninspired mish-mash of familiar characters, obvious twists and choreographed dust-ups the likes of which wore out their welcome ten years ago. At its best, it treads water alongside the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. At its worst, it... erm, treads water alongside the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. Still, as fun, shallow summer fare goes, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time isn't nearly as bad as it could have been. Numerous scenes give up the ghost, but just as many showcase what could have been. Swords clash with palpable electricity, time reversals bring with them a host of visual wonders, and Kingsley and his henchmen place many a daunting obstacle in Dastan's path. Newell even unearths several redemptive character arcs that infuses some dramatic weight into the film's at-times hollow theatrics. If nothing else, Prince of Persia skirts by with momentum, humor and a string of exciting action sequences, all of which make Newell's trek across the desert entirely digestible. (Even enjoyable on occasion.) It's a sad state of affairs when such a middle-of-the-road adventure emerges as one of the best videogame adaptations in Hollywood's canon, but I suppose you have to start somewhere. Give it a rent and see if it appeals to your tastes. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a decent adaptation of the videogame franchise, but style trumps substance at every turn. Ah well, as big, dumb summer adventures go, it's an entertaining diversion in the vein of the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. Thankfully, Disney's Blu-ray release is more rewarding. Its near-perfect video transfer rarely disappoints, its chest-thumping DTS-HD Master Audio track will wake the neighbors, and it offers gamers and filmfans two hours of behind-the-scenes material. If you haven't seen The Sands of Time, I'd suggest renting it first. However, if you already grinned your way through Prince of Persia when it was in theaters, don't hesitate to pick up this impressive release. Cast Notes: Jake Gyllenhaal (Dastan), Gemma Arterton (Tamina), Ben Kingsley (Nizam), Alfred Molina (Sheik Amar), Steve Toussaint (Seso), Toby Kebbell (Garsiv), Richard Coyle (Tus), Ronald Pickup (King Sharaman), Reece Ritchie (Bis), Gísli Örn Garðarsson (Hassansin Leader), Claudio Pacifico (Hassansin Porcupine), Thomas DuPont (Hassansin Whip Man), Dave Pope (Hassansin Giant Scimitar), Domonkos Pardanyi (Hassansin Double-Bladed Halberd), Massimilano Ubaldi (Hassansin Long Razor). User Comment: bucaneerfilms from United States, 3 May 2010 • Tonight I was fortunate enough to see an advanced screening of this film. Like many, I became a fan of this franchise with the Sands of Time trilogy, and I was very excited when I learned that there were plans to make a feature film based on it. The storyline of the game is very cinematic (at least in the aforementioned trilogy, not necessarily in the previous games in the series) so I felt that at film adaptation would be an impressive epic. Having finally seen this movie, I can say that I was not at all disappointed! One of the main strengths going into this movie was it's involvement of the series creator Jordan Mechner. He crafted a very engaging screen story that pushed beyond the controller, creating an entirely new addition to the mythos. I know that at times including the creator can sometimes stifle the process, as many will fight changes to the source material that may need to be altered to work better with a director's vision; but I feel that Mechner's involvement showed his desire to see his brain-child develop into a success on the big screen. In addition to involving Mechner, the other big strength was the way that the filmmakers chose to handle the story. Let's face it, movies based on video games have a very poor track record. Super Mario Brothers, Street Fighter, Tomb Raider... all of them made for films that were mediocre at best, and downright abysmal at worst. Prince of Persia had a mighty big hurdle to clear with this, and they found the perfect team to tackle it. Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney already accomplished a similar feat when they brought Pirates of the Caribbean to the big screen (a movie based on a theme park ride, in a genre that had not seen success in 50 years!) Their strategy was the same, they wrote their own story that borrowed elements from the game, but did not strictly follow it. The film stands alone, and does not require it's audience to be intimately familiar with the source material. The nods to the game throughout were great, but I was relieved that I was able to enjoy this film for what it was, rather than constantly looking for where it deviated from the games. This movie clearly was made for someone like me, and in my party of four, three of us, who were all guys, loved it. The fourth, who was the only woman in the group, was less than impressed, and complained that it was too much action. If you're expecting Citizen Kane, you stand to be disappointed, but if you expect this to be another video game adaptation, you are in for a real treat! Summary: Not Your Average Video Game Flick. [CSW] -4- It is first and foremost an action film with such an excellent D-Box (9.0/10) that you'll you never loose interest. The backdrop is excellent as are the realistic costumes and people. The story telling is good if not great. All in all it is a beautiful legendary myth period piece, a bit long but never boring. I think I'll add this one to my collection. [A4.5-V4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - DBox-9.0/10 IMDb Rating (11/30/10): 6.7/10 from 47,934 users
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