Prince of Persia (2010)
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: Approximately 116 minutes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Mike Newell
Based on the popular video game series, the movie, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was highly anticipated. There has certainly been an audience for the video game-turned-feature film genre, (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li; Max Payne; Resident Evil; Silent Hill) yet with one too many having concluded in disappointment. I have not played any of the games, although appealing, so I had my handy sidekick relate what was consistent within the film and the game. The look of Dastan (Jake Gyllenhal) seems to mesh with the game character yet some people have a bone to pick with the choice of actor (see below). Naturally he had the ability to turn back time which didn't deviate from the game but we shouldn't expect any different. The gist of the story is this: As a child, in a shocking maneuver, Dastan gets adopted by King Sharaman of Persia and grows up as royalty. He is a unique warrior with a penchant for rushing into everything head first. Amidst the celebration of a hasty overthrow of the Holy City of Alamut, he gets framed for his father's death and has both brothers searching for him to make sure he is brought to justice. Having fled with the princess of Alamut, Tamina, he embarks on a journey to reveal the true source of his father's death and to stop the abuse of a powerful weapon, controlling time itself and threatening the past, present and future.
The basics are satisfactory - Dastan is the rogue brother who is more Achilles then Hector. He exchanges words (and dodges attempts at his life) with the princess yet we know that their stubbornness is temporary as we anticipate their destiny with one another. Dastan's tricks and sidesteps, his jumps from rooftop to rooftop, seemingly second nature as he flies over people, as if they simply weren't there, are quite amazing. You can't look away as he pulls a Mario move - hopping/climbing up walls, and then ducking punches, deflecting swords. The sequences are thrilling yet in the day and age of an action movie released 2 to 3 times a month, every sequence is expected to be crazier and more daring - with all this, it's possible that I am marred and numbed - it takes much more to impress me. I was impressed by all that transpired yet I felt the film as a whole compared more to say, The Mummy, more so than say Ironman. The Mummy was a great film with amazing effects yet destined to be a TBS or ABCFamily film premier, to run every holiday yet less dvd-worthy and more watching it on the tube-worthy. Ironman is the film you get on Blu-Ray ;)
In addition, with this having taken place in Persia, with a story about a Persian empire, I can fathom how certain groups are disappointed and confused about the choice of actor for the main character. While Jake Gyllenhaal did a commendable job, (and those in charge of wardrobe), he is clearly NOT Persian. He is a fairly well known actor and this is an influential decision when trying to bring in an audience, for a film that could push someone of Persian-descent (or even bearing more of a resemblance) would've been honorable and speak louder as an encouragement and a break from the norm with regards to our very white-centered film industry.
All in all, this gets a 3 out of 5 frames.
A la trailer:
Tell me if you want to go see this or couldn't care less if it washed away with the sands of time *giggle giggle*. Get on the J1studios.com forum, blog page or shoot me an email!
Danae signing off!
source: traileraddict.com
