Prince of Persia: Les sables du temps

We all know the score. Movie based on a video game, it's going to be poor, right? Well actually Bruckheimer, Newell and Disney beg to differ, and I have to agree with them on this one.

It's not perfect, but it is far superior to many other efforts that came before it. Even those that promised much like Hit-man failed to deliver on the hype beforehand, so with a trailer that had me questioning how good this really was (in hindsight it held back a lot of story reveals and the better scenes, which was quite a gamble) I went in not sure what I would get.

And what I got was a film made by people who seemed to understand what was required to entertain. The flow was perfect, and the story seemed to run cohesively. The story itself wasn't groundbreaking and at times could be a little predictable, but it was enjoyable and not over complicated or patchy.

Jake Gyllenhaal is an indie movie mainstay, so to see him in a role like this was interesting. He certainly looked the part and didn't do a bad job on the English accent, but the acting ability of the guy in general made him believable. Gemma Arteton has at time felt a little wooden in films I have seen her in, but this role of the feisty princess worked well for her and her chemistry with Gyllenhaal made the characters more believable.

The supporting cast were solid too, and the comedy turn from Molina's Amar was a very welcome addition.

But then a film like this will also live or die on the action, and this is an area that may divide people. The film wasn't packed out with it, but what action scenes there were came at perfect moments in the story, and some had genuine class to them. The nod to the earlier prince of Persia games too will not be lost on some of the older audience, like the leaping from one roof to another and climbing and running across strategic poles stuck out of walls. It offered a return to the swashbuckling sword fighting that looks very impressive and doesn't require a CGI monster to enhance it in any way.

To summarise this movie I would offer a comparison to another Disney film that was born of a different media, Pirates of the Caribbean, a ride that became a successful film franchise. Prince of Persia soars towards that level of quality, and is only really let down by a lack of a scene stealer of Captain Jack Sparrow's genius.

But it certainly has made a claim for the best video game adaptation of them all.

I was looking forward to this film because of the hype, and I was afraid to be disappointed. But as the film unfolded, I most definitely enjoyed this adventure from beginning to end.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the titular Prince of Persia, Dastan, who was an urchin picked by the King from the marketplace to be his third son. He and his brothers get caught in a web of political high jinx that cross their paths with Princess Tamina of Alamut (played by Gemma Arterton), and the fabled powers of the Sands of Time.

This is Jake Gyllenhaal's most accessible film so far, and he goes to town with it. OK, granted he does not look the least bit Persian, or of that particular time period, but somehow his charisma was able to carry us on this fantastic ride. I also enjoyed his interaction with the beautiful Arterton, which sparks with humor and romance. She was my favorite part of "Clash of the Titans (2010)," and same here.

I highly recommend this film for a good old-fashioned, action-adventure film set in ancient times. The parkour sequences are definitely of the highest order and very well-edited and photographed. The sets and visual effects are excellent. Best of all, the story is intelligent and well-constructed. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has again delivered a very entertaining summer blockbuster. A very well-executed film of its genre. A must watch!

I liked the way Gyllenhaal played the role of Dastan. There is a charm to him that renders the movie a pleasure to watch. He's got style. Go for it people. Whatever the critics say it has got magic in it to my want to see it again and be awed. It's a joy to watch Dastan in action. Take it from me .....it couldn't have been better.

The common view amongst "professional" reviews is that the movie is average. scoring below 50% from Rotten Tomatoes, and MetaCritic, and notably a 2 out of 4 stars from Roger Ebert. The average user ranking on MC puts it at 9 out of 10.

Most reviews range anywhere from 8 out of 10, to as low as 2 or 3 out of 10.

If there's one thing critics can agree on, its that the movie is clichéd, borrowing elements from plenty of epics based in the Middle East and fantasy alike, and that it's loads of fun.

The one thing no one can agree on is whether that's good or bad.

It should be pointed out that this film is produced by the same company/studio that brought us 'Pirates of the Caribbean', and it certainly shows.

With that said, I'll lead into my thoughts on the film. The first "Pirates" scored on average a 7.8 - 6.4 of 10, while the sequels averaged anywhere from 4.5 to 5.3. I'd say this movie is better than the sequels while not as good as the first.

So, I'd give it roughly a 7 out of 10.

The story is fun, for what it is. Which is a rough retelling of the video game "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time", while incorporating elements of the following two sequels, as well as incorporating stylistic elements from the following game and the first three of the original trilogy. Thats right! Based loosely on one game, borrowing elements from SIX more. The movie is stretched too thin, and it shows.

The movie feels like your prototypical "sword and sandal" action flick, borrowing heavily from films like "The Thief of Baghdad", and stories found in "1001 Nights". So think 'Arabian Nights', Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, Aladdin, all mixed with some Steve Reeves 'Hercules' and Robert E. Howard 'Conan' flash.

Is it as cheesy as that sounds? YES! Is it as awesome as that sounds? YES!

But it's still well edited, well acted, well scored (Harry Gregson-Williams never fails), and overall well done enough to merit an enjoyable experience.

The ONLY complaints I can think of are few, but here they are: A bit too much CGI, not on the stunts (not much CGI there surprisingly) but on things like demonic-esque snakes (you'll see). Too much random slow-motion. The sexual-tension seemed too forced (too many of those really slow "they're about to kiss but don't" moments). And whereas yes, the ending is supposed to have a "Deus-Ex-Machina" feel to it, in the game it is much more thorough and more explained, in the movie you're just expected to roll with it.

Other than that. A fun night at the movies! Grab your over-priced candy, soda, and popcorn (or do like me and sneak snacks in) and have fun with friends, family and loved ones, recapturing the fun escapism of your childhood with an epic but cliché action movie.

Hope you enjoyed my review... And I hope you enjoy the movie too!

Was the movie good? actually yes!! I truly enjoyed this persian wonderful and magical adventure. you will hold your breath while you watch it, you will be thrilled and certainly you will enjoy it. this movie is the good choice to make if you want to entertain your self. Disney people made a beautiful summer movie based on a video game. the direction, graphic, and the acting was good, but the story is not that strong, they could've made it better by adding more deepness to the Characters and the plot, you will enjoy this movie but you will not be touched by it because of it's Shallowness.The Prince Of Persia is an imperfect movie, but an enjoyable one. And you're gonna like it. :D