The Scorpion King: Rise of a Warrior (2008) (V)

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers:

Randall McCormick (written by)
Stephen Sommers (character)

Release Date:

19 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

See how the legend of The Scorpion King began!

Plot:

In Ancient Akkad, Mathayus grows up as the proud son of Ashur, a captain in the world-renowned military corps of Black Scorpions...

Plot Keywords:

King | Sword | Scorpion | Mercenary | Warrior

Cast

Michael Copon	...	Mathayus
Karen David	...	Layla
Simon Quarterman	...	Ari
Tom Wu	...	Fong
Andreas Wisniewski	...	Pollux
Randy Couture	...	Sargon
Natalie Becker	...	Astarte
Jeremy Crutchley	...	Baldo
Shane Manie	...	Jesup
Peter Butler	...	Ashur
Chase Agulhas	...	Young Noah
Pierre Marais	...	Young Mathayus
Warrick Grier	...	General Abalgamash
Terry Norton	...	Inanna
Az Abrahams	...	King Hammurabi
Abbie Maybanks	...	Young Layla
Raffaele Sabatini	...	Ticket Seller (as Raphaele Sabatini)
Marion Holm	...	Angry Woman
Vaneshran Arumugam	...	Gudean Emissary
Mike Thompson	...	Molokh
Muhammed-Reza Savant	...	Young Crying Boy
Anthony Rowe	...	Friend of Crying Boy
Clayton Herolds	...	Akkadian Soldier
Wayne Shields	...	Black Eyed Soldier
Robin Smith	...	High Priest
Diane Wilson	...	Woman in Swamp
Nathan Fredericks	...	Soldier
Vincent Andrews	...	Illyrian Warrior
Christian Bennett	...	Shalmaneser
Clayton Evertson	...	Stabbing Guard
Sean Higgs	...	New High Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amira Quinlan	...	Concubine (uncredited)
Clodagh Quinlan	...	Concubine (uncredited)

Directed by
Russell Mulcahy

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Randall McCormick		written by
Stephen Sommers		character

Produced by
Thomas Becker	....	co-producer
Nina Heyns	....	line producer
James Jacks	....	producer
Kevin Misher	....	executive producer
Stephen Sommers	....	producer
Jörg Westerkamp	....	co-producer
David Wicht	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Klaus Badelt

Cinematography by
Glynn Speeckaert

Film Editing by
John Gilbert

Casting by
Anna Feyder
Manuel Puro
Jeremy Zimmermann		(as Jeremy Zimmerman)

Production Design by
Tom Hannam

Art Direction by
Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson

Set Decoration by
Fred Du Preez

Costume Design by
Diana Cilliers		(as Dianna Cilliers)

Makeup Department
Chiara Allegrucci	....	assistant makeup artist
Nikky Haberle	....	contact lens technician
Zanmarie Hanekom	....	assistant makeup artist
Christa Schoeman	....	key makeup: second unit
Kerry Skelton	....	assistant makeup artist
Simone Stubbs	....	assistant makeup artist
Megan Tanner	....	makeup artist
Leon von Solms	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Marisa Soneman	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Annelize Bosch	....	second assistant director: splinter unit
Lisa Marie Holland	....	third assistant director: splinter unit
Martin Palmer	....	first assistant director: splinter unit
Hayley Ross	....	second assistant director
Michael Swan	....	second unit director
Leigh Tanchel	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Igsaan Baradien	....	set builder
Sacha Beattie	....	on-set dresser
Warren Bedford	....	carpenter
Mogammat Igshaan Benjamin	....	carpenter
Kenneth Berg	....	assistant construction manager: South Africa
Gaby Beyers	....	art department coordinator
Julian Carver	....	fabricator
Greg Cleaver	....	head carpenter
Rial De Wet	....	storyboard artist
Kirk Doman	....	stand-by props
Michael Dooling	....	assistant carpenter
Jonathan Gesinski	....	storyboard artist
Gregory Gibson	....	assistant carpenter
Brian Glaser	....	assistant construction manager
Andrew Gouveia	....	carpenter
Wilfred Kok	....	carpenter foreman
Sam Liversage	....	set dresser
Herbert Lotz	....	carpenter
Niel Meyer	....	art department assistant
Tom Olive	....	set dresser
Mark Risk	....	storyboard artist
Brendan Smithers	....	construction coordinator
Douglas Smorenburg	....	carpenter
Rashaad Stemmel	....	carpenter
Geniez-Armel Thibaut	....	swing gang: South Africa
Jan Tooley	....	construction foreman
Lily Turner	....	set dresser
Tanya Van Tonder	....	set dresser
Dana Weiner	....	fabricator
Hamish Whitecross	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Craig Clark	....	supervising sound editor
Michael Farnan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Susan Fitz-Simon	....	foley artist
Robert Friedman	....	foley artist
Danny Kim	....	sound designer
Nick Kray	....	adr mixer
Conrad Kuhne	....	sound mixer
Colin Rogers	....	adr foley mixer
Colin Rogers	....	foley editor
Craig Schafer	....	sound designer
Craig Schafer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Allan Schultz	....	adr editor
Allan Schultz	....	dialogue editor
Dave Subkleve	....	adr recordist: South Africa

Special Effects by
Daleen Badenhorst	....	prosthetics assistant
Rob Carlisle	....	key prosthetic artist
Doug Hardy	....	special effects foreman
Jason Human	....	prosthetics assistant
Tyrell Kemlo	....	special effects coordinator: second unit
Belinda Manwaring	....	prosthetics assistant
Shona Martin	....	prosthetics assistant
Gian Palermo	....	special effects coordinator
Paul Pieterse	....	special effects technician
Ashley Powell	....	prosthetics assistant
Steven Saunders	....	prosthetics assistant
Clinton Smith	....	prosthetics supervisor
Gerald Sutherland	....	prosthetics assistant
Jessica Taljaard	....	prosthetics coordinator
Anton Voster	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Desmond Allan	....	compositor
Adrian Berghoff	....	digital artist
Kent Butterworth	....	visual effects producer
Charmaine Greyling	....	compositor
Ryan Johnson	....	compositor
Isaac Lui	....	digital effects artist: particles simulation
Ali Maleka	....	digital artist
Brett Manson	....	compositor
Royston Michaels	....	digital artist
Devin Mitchell	....	digital artist
Richard Morton	....	digital artist
Mzolisi Pitolo	....	roto artist
Cyril Schumann	....	compositor
Nicholas Seal	....	digital compositor
Matthew Desmond Smith	....	lead artist
Charlene Sun	....	additional visual effects
Ryan Torres	....	digital artist
Andre Van Der Merwe	....	visual effects supervisor
Heiko von Fintel	....	lead artist
Jason Williams	....	lead artist
Tristan Winslow	....	digital artist
Nicolas Young	....	compositor

Stunts
Blase Augulas	....	stunt children
George Bailey	....	stunt rigger
Oliver Bailey	....	stunt rigger
Celeste Batha	....	stunt double: Layla
Henie Bosman	....	stunt utility
Donavin Bossette	....	stunt utility
Philip Dixon	....	stunt double: Ashur
Ronni Gadula	....	stunt utility
Theo Gildenhuys	....	stunt utility
Francois Grobbelaar	....	key stunt rigger
Rico Hatting	....	stunt utility
Elton Horn	....	stunt utility
Adam Horton	....	fight choreographer
Ryno Keet	....	stunt children
Lucian Kobermann	....	stunt utility
Leander Lacy	....	assistant stunt coordinator (as Leander Lacey)
Leander Lacy	....	stunt double: Ari (as Leander Lacey)
Hope Maimane	....	stunt children
Annick Marais	....	stunt double: Layla
Anthony Mo Marais	....	stunt coordinator
Andrew McKenzie	....	stunt double: Sargon
Gavin Mey	....	horse master
Voytec Modrezewski	....	stunt utility
Anton Moon	....	fight choreographer
Chantel Nel	....	stunt utility
Shaamilla Noordien	....	stunt utility
Grant Powell	....	stunt utility
Luke Rhode	....	stunt utility
Alexander Rice	....	stunt children
Christopher September	....	stunt utility (as Chris September)
Michael Solomon	....	stunt utility
Peter Spiropoulous	....	stunt utility (as Pete Spyro)
Richard Thomson	....	stunt utility
Thembaletu Tyutu	....	stunt utility (as Thembo Tyutu)
Jaime Valedeya	....	stunt children
Emma Walsh	....	stunt double: Astarie
Duncan Wheatley	....	stunt double: Mathayus
Nathan Wheatley	....	stunt utility
Vernon Willemse	....	stunt utility
Jared Cohen	....	stunt double: Tom Wu (uncredited)
Jared Cohen	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Francois Grobbelaar	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Adam Horton	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
George Amos	....	first camera assistant: splinter unit
Francois Archer	....	second assistant: "c" camera
Patrick Botha	....	desk operator
Steven Caddie	....	grip
Paul Ulrich Fischer	....	video assistant
Philip Francis	....	first assistant: "c" camera
Naguib Fredericks	....	darkroom loader
Eitan Gartushka	....	rigging gaffer
Allan Gray	....	grip
Guy Hodgen	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Zak Katz	....	video assist: second unit
Ilze Kitshoff	....	still photographer
Adam Liebenberg	....	rigger
Jacob Mafolo	....	best boy grip: splinter unit
Jade Maxwell Newton	....	camera loader: splinter unit
Jefri Meintjes	....	second assistant camera
Zak 'Ebenezzer' O'Leary	....	best boy grip
Paul Painting	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Justin Paterson	....	best boy electric
Mark Rabe	....	rigging gaffer
J.P. Ridgeway	....	key grip
Marco Rinaldi	....	video: take off
Tatum Roche	....	first assistant: "b" camera
Dale Rodkin	....	Steadicam operator
Dale Rodkin	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Jean Marc Rolando	....	first assistant: "c" camera
Wayne Shields	....	gaffer (2008)
Tobie Smuts	....	rigging electric
Michael Snyman	....	director of photography: splinter unit
Leroux Swanepol	....	electrician
Jaco van Niekerk	....	key rigger
Hermie Venter	....	rigger
Constant Viljoen	....	rigger (as Constance Viljoen)

Animation Department
Isaac Lui	....	animator

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Manuel Puro	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kristine Berg	....	specialty costume fabricator
Niki-Jay Bougaard	....	on-set costumer
Hetta Burger	....	on-set costumer
Rick de Souza	....	set costumer
Jayne Forbes	....	assistant costume designer
Nawaal Hendriks	....	on-set costumer
Jacomina Jankowitz	....	key costume stand-by
Charlene Johnson	....	seamstress
Roseline Kannemeyer	....	on-set costumer
Michelle Karavoussanos	....	costume buyer
Abigail Metcalfe	....	on-set costumer
Susan Pollard	....	costume stand-by
Leonie Roberts	....	costume supervisor
Mandy Smit	....	on-set costumer

Editorial Department
Carl L.W. Bochek III	....	post-production coordinator
Cassie Dixon	....	post-production assistant
Joe Fineman	....	post-production consultant
Petr Geertsema	....	assistant editor
Louise Mycielski	....	post-production coordinator: South Africa
Akkara Srauy	....	post-production assistant
James G. White	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Klaus Badelt	....	score producer
Malona P. Badelt	....	music production manager (as Malona P. Voigt)
Christopher Brooks	....	score co-producer
Christopher Carmichael	....	music arranger
Ian Honeyman	....	composer: additional music
Robyn Klein	....	music consultant
Andrew Raiher	....	composer: additional music
Mark Yaeger	....	music intern

Transportation Department
Paul Brassell	....	transportation captain
Anthony Davids	....	driver: art department
Stephan de Lange	....	driver
Laurie Dunn	....	transport manager: splinter unit
Daniel Francke	....	driver: art department
Ilze Kitshoff	....	driver
Joseph Legobate	....	unit driver
Bizeki Magwanda	....	driver
Jamiel Müller	....	driver
Vincent Ndikumana	....	driver
William Rondganger	....	driver: trailer
Berend Smith	....	driver: art department
Lester Sweetman	....	transportation manager
Dale Townsend	....	driver
Justin Van der Spuy	....	driver

Other crew
Faldela Abrahams	....	account assistant
David Aronson	....	on-set medic
Hugh Barret	....	financial controller: Film Afrika (as Hugh Barrett)
David Botha	....	set production assistant
Josef Brandmaier	....	bank manager
Billi Bruins	....	production accountant
Stefan Brunner	....	business affairs executive
Luke Cornell	....	animal wrangler
Nicholas Davids	....	set production assistant: splinter unit
Liesl Ernst	....	accountant: Film Afrika
Daryn Goldsbrough	....	set production assistant
Gina Goosen	....	production coordinator
Andrew Guess	....	fabricator
Tamsin Hall	....	script supervisor
Brett Hodgkinson	....	production assistant
Brett Hodgkinson	....	set production assistant
Frederich Fiela Jonck	....	production assistant
Grant Kilian	....	production assistant
Marie Krige	....	account assistant
Edward Kruger	....	office production assistant
Edward Kruger	....	production assistant
Michelle Mazurkiewicz	....	horse wrangler
Regan Mitchell	....	tracking shots
Lisa-Marie Pansegrouw	....	fabricator
Ntombenqaba Precious Petros	....	receptionist
Simon Rhodes	....	assistant production coordinator
J.P. van der Merwe	....	extras coordinator
Johan Van Eeden	....	fabricator
Charlotte Young	....	assistant legal affairs
Lisa Gooding	....	production executive (uncredited)
Patti Jackson	....	production executive (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• ApolloMovie Beteiligungs
• Film Afrika Worldwide
• Sommers Company, The

Distributors

• Universal Studios (2008-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• RTL Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2008) (Argentina) (all media)
• Universal Home Video (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (The Scorpion King Action Pack)

Special Effects

• Condor Post Cape Town

Other Companies

• Reder & Feig  production counsel
• Roundabout Entertainment  sound post-production
• Waterfront Studios  post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, and sexual content including references

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA | South Africa | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | New Zealand:M | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Atlantis, Western Cape, South Africa

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

This film is a prequel to a prequel of a sequel of a remake. That is, it is the prequel to The Scorpion King (2002), which is a prequel to The Mummy Returns (2001), which is a sequel to The Mummy (1999) which is a remake of The Mummy (1932).

Goofs:

Continuity: Narration at the start of the original The Scorpion King (2002) takes states the story takes place 'before the time of the pyramids' yet in this prequel Layla talks about going to see the pyramids in Egypt.

Quotes:

Sargon:You've come to avenge your father, the great hero?
Mathayus:I fight for more than vengeance now, Sargon. I fight for what my father once believed in. And I fight for what you've corrupted.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Visual Effects of 'The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior' (2008) (V)

Not bad for what it is - a straight-to-DVD prequel

Don't take this film too seriously - the filmmakers obviously didn't. Although it's set in a period "long, long ago", most of the characters look, talk and act VERY contemporary. Equally contemporary is the use of "bullet time" in some of the fight scenes! I wouldn't count on it for a lesson in mythology, either (hmmm, and I thought the Minotaur was killed by Theseus!). And there are a few too many scenes where the characters are simply walking around, while we're waiting for something to happen. On the bright side, Russell Mulcahy is an experienced B-movie director, and the film delivers enough spectacle, with clear cinematography and some imaginative special effects (the best being the transportation from the labyrinth to Hades). The script is basically yet another "quest for vengeance" story, but it does have a nice double-twist at the end. Oh, and I hope we'll get to see more of the breathtakingly beautiful and exotic Karen David in the years to come. Wow, what a woman. Smart move to put her, and the also beautiful and exotic Natalie Becker, on the DVD cover - without those two, I would never have rented this film. (**1/2)