Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) User Reviews

The sands have spread fairly thin and it shows... but surprisingly in a good way

[OrinAGN · 7/10 · 28 May 2010]

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!

It was entertaining and fun

[thefilmgourmet · 8/10 · 22 May 2010]

First of all when I read some of the reviews about this movie all my excitement was drained but I went to see it anyway. What do you now, the movie was great. It was fun, had a lot of action in it, the CGI was nice (excecpt few scenes in the beginning). I thought acting was nice Gyllenhaal (prince) and Arterton (Princess) did a good job in my opinion. As a fun of the game; the script wasn't entirely accurate just like most of the movies based on games but it didn't stray too far either. OK it was not the perfect movie but it was something that I would go and watch its sequel.

Overall I enjoyed myself and I believe if you go open minded you will enjoy yourself too.

Surprisingly Good

[acebreaoeva · 8/10 · 14 August 2018]

I've never played the Prince of Persia games, but this movie wants me to try one of the games. The movie is very good and the visuals are stunning.

Proof a video game cross over CAN work...

[Generic_Gooner · 7/10 · 24 May 2010]

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.

Enthralling watch!!!!

[jeethususanvarghese · 7/10 · 5 July 2020]

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.

entairtaining and enjoyable.

[barhoom555 · 6/10 · 20 May 2010]

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

Prince of persia

[0U · 15 February 2020]

Having never played the game I didn't know much about what the plot was about but the games were big hits and popular enough to make a live action movie so I eventually gave it a watch and was very surprised, The story is very loyal to the games from what I seen in the games, Some nice action scenes and good effects, I didn't like the choice of actors but they did ok, As far as game to movies go it's probably one of the better ones, Even if it won't stand the test of time (No pun intended) I think maybe it could of been better if it wasn't made by Disney as they like to tone films down so much that if you're over the age of 11 it's not as enjoyable, But it could of been much worse so I can't complain too much, A good family film that is easy to watch even if you haven't played any of the games.

Enough to like

[r96sk · 7/10 · 9 November 2020]

Never played the video game, but I enjoyed this film suitably.

It has flaws, though there's enough to like about 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time'. I rate Jake Gyllenhaal as an actor, while I don't think he's perfect for this role I did enjoy his performance all in all. The special effects are neat, especially for the dagger. The support cast are satisfactory, Alfred Molina being the standout behind Gyllenhaal.

The premise is a pretty fascinating one, but I don't feel there is enough there for a near 2hr production. It felt, a number of times, that the story was going round in circles and overextending itself in order to fill the run time, there are many times where 'A' runs from 'B', 'B' finds 'A' instantly, 'A' gets away. In many different guises, but it kept happening.

Could've been far greater, but I still come away from viewing this fairly positively.

Not Your Average Video Game Flick

[bucaneerfilms · 9/10 · 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!

Prince of Persia has plenty of flaws but ultimately is a great action adventure film full of fun and worth your time.

[Paragon240 · 7/10 · 21 January 2023]

Prince of Persia is a great action adventure with elements of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and Tomb Raider. While it doesn't rise to the heights of those films, it's still an entertaining film filled with beautiful set pieces, excellent action, and a unique story. There are a lot of complaints about this film, such as casting choices and mediocre CGI, and while some of that might be valid, if accepted for what it is, Prince of Persia is a ton of fun! While a surprising choice for the role, Gyllenhaal commits to the action and stunts and makes Dastan a likable hero. Ben Kingsley is always excellent in whatever he does, and so is Gemma Arterton. I really do enjoy this movie and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good, fun adventure film.

Entertaining summer romp

[dvc5159 · 5/10 · 27 May 2010]

Movies are like food. There are some which are bitter and hard to swallow yet nutritious in every aspect, and those which are tasty albeit fattening. "Prince Of Persia" falls in the latter category, it's fun to watch and enjoyable, and where intelligence doesn't really matter.

With Jerry Bruckheimer producing, lots of action, adventure and excitement are promised. With "Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time" he continues that promise. The film, from start to finish, is filled with well-choreographed sword-fighting action, fantastic special effects, sweepingly exotic scenery, lavish production design, and a good, sweeping music score by Harry Gregson-Williams. During the action scenes the camera does not shake that much compared to recent movies... although I admit there are one too many slow-motion sequences, that (although gorgeous to look at) distracts the audience too much. However Bruckheimer has a thing for slo-mo, so he's excused. The screenplay is about what you'd expect for a Hollywood-filmed Arabian adventure.

The actors did a good job with the material they're given. Jake Gyllenhaal emits sex appeal and charisma throughout, walking through the film with ease. And he's quite good with the action sequences and fighting! Jake, welcome to the action hero club. A big surprise though is Gemma Arterton's performance as Princess Tamina; it is a HUGE improvement from her bland performances in "Quantum Of Solace" and "Clash Of The Titans"; here Arterton manages to inject wit, charm AND emotion into her character, not to mention looking gorgeous at the same time. However I was slightly disappointed by Ben Kingsley's performance - a two dimensional villain. Granted, Kingsley acted great in the role but I felt like it just didn't match to his standards. Alfred Molina has a funny supporting role and the rest of the cast did quite a good job, although I wish a little characterization would come from this.

Still, Mike Newell's tight direction manage to put all these amazing factors together, thus he and Bruckheimer not only made an entertaining summer blockbuster, they also made arguably one of, if not the, best movies based on a video game ever. Period.

In short, if you want to take a little escape from reality, go back in time to "Prince of Persia" and enjoy. It's fun and light on the brain.

Entertainment value: 9/10

Overall: 7/10

Very Entertaining Summer Blockbuster Film!

[3xHCCH · 8/10 · 30 May 2010]

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!

When a very best combat/platform game turns age 21, now it became a Swashbuckler film

[CihanVercan · 7/10 · 15 June 2010]

Prince of Persia is the BEST PLATFORM GAME on computer I ever played as a child. It's not that industrial standard movies can create new ideas, they have to find a source to make an adaptation, but Sands of Time doesn't stand enough loyal to its title. What not staying loyal to Prince of Persia means, there is not any visually admirable combat with the film at all. When it's been first released, AUTUMN 1989, in Apple II; there were only a palace, a peasant child, a princess under the Caliph's servitude and hundreds of guardians defending the palace. Our peasant child as a spy was there to rescue the princess to bring her back to father the Persian Emperor. Looking at the continuation of the game series, the story is taken back in time about 15 centuries back to Persian realm before the birth of Christ. When I played the 2003 Sands of Time game on X-Box, the combat sense of the game had been gone. It was rather boring and bothersome since our peasant has become a prince, with not much to do other than jumping back and forth over the house roofs like Spider-Man.

What's good with the movie better than its 2003 version of video game is we have more challenges than the game here. It's widely enriched with industrial standards. Classic cat and mouse type tags, rebel and noble girl falling in love with the boy, people from evil side turning to good side, suspicious characters seeking tricky and manipulative ways of possessing more power and authority, good side falls into an adventure/journey as a team, proves the importance of teamwork and beats the odds: The very-well known SWASHBUCKLER clichés since 1950s' Erol Flynn flicks, 1960s' Akira Kurosawa Seven Samurai, 1980s' Conan the Barbarian with Arnie, Indiana Jones with Harrie, 1990s' The Mummy, and from recent years the LOTR and the Pirates of the Caribbean. Prince of Persia has a lot to offer to the video game fans, but not much to offer for movie fans at all.

With great aspects from locations and change on weather conditions especially on desert, this movie is considerably interesting, even though most of them are CGI; animals from desert, the OSTRICHS, the COBRA SNAKES and ARMORED HORSES even though it's not appropriate with its history.

Sands of Time as a production had great potential of usage in props, but either the producers never made a deep research or may be they just couldn't provide them. In the computer game, the props were the heart of the franchise. FLYING CARPET, DOUBLE-SIDED ALTER-EGO CREATOR MIRROR, POTHOLE AMBUSHES, BARRED DOORS, ROTTEN PUNK FLOORS, ELIXIRS...(for the full list props from the game, please go to the Message Board to find my message, in the title page). Here in the film, a large barred door been used, but it was a pre-built one with very well-known studio usage from 1980s' RED SONJA especially. Other cons were the SACRED DAGGER which given its name to the title of the movie, the POISONED KING DALMATIC. Other than those the costumes of the actors were only average. But the Princess needed a better costume other than a gown.

I found the editing job in the introduction scenes and the first half very pathetic. It became a matter of story design afterwards. There are bunches of continuation mistakes, costume changes without the location changes and errors in every other scene while telling the drama sequences. I'm crazy for sword combats in action movies, but Sands of Time displayed one of the worst sword combats I've ever seen, Jake needed to practise more on handling swords. In this case, even the Pirates of the Caribbean was so-so. If it's the matter the best sword combat was used in Star Wars 30 years ago. As a reminder, the first 3 games until 1999, Prince of Persia was full of excitement with its excellent sword combat simulations. Instead of sword combat, we witness the agility skills of our Prince, making the guardians run after him, jumping back and forth over the house roofs. If you're using agility skills to display in such a Swashbuckler; then what's Spider-Man, X-Men, BatMan for? For the cuts and takes from the action scenes, which is hard to say "combat", director Mike Newell has preferred mostly C.U. shots, that's dated back to John Woo, which is underclass nowadays. So as an action genre, Sands of Time fails almost every aspect. But there is one thing, I most fond of is the Hassansin soldiers and their combat weapons, and the successful sound effects comes with them.

The story design is pathetic, but we feel a nice development work on the story-telling. There is not many heritages from Persian Mythology, so it's fine and dandy to draw the long bow, but why is it always TIME-TRAVEL, isn't there anything else for the Mythological Gods to represent their power on Earth? After the first half, when the exact idea of who is on evil side, who is on good side is established, and when it's their time to challenge each other; it becomes breath-taking to watch and admire the Sands of Time.

Story: 3/10 , Story Development: 9/10, Production Design: 2/10, Sounds: 7/10, Effects: 7/10, Acting: 5/10, Script: 3/10, Visuals: 7/10, Action: 5/10, Adventure: 7/10, Fantasy and Creativity: 4/10.

Overall my mark is 6.5/10. Time is never wasted if it's for fun while watching Sands of Time

Better than expected

[quinnox-1 · 7/10 · 1 June 2010]

My friend dragged me to this movie, I am usually picky and wouldn't have seen this on my own but there I was in the theater on my friends insistence watching Prince of Persia. Surprisingly it was pretty good for a summer movie meant to entertain. I was never a fan of the main actor in this movie, but he was good in the role as the Prince of Persia who was not royal born.

There are lots of jumping and sequences that remind of video games where you have to do fancy acrobatics to get to the next point, and good action scenes in the movie. It kind of reminded me of "The Mummy", but of course wasn't as good, but did have a similar vibe going on.

The computer generated backgrounds were excellent and showed exotic fantasy architecture of middle eastern flavor and normally I would hate that a lot of the movie had computer graphics as backgrounds but this was done so well I have to make an exception.

For other picky movie goers like me I can give you a recommendation for this movie, it is a fun lightweight summer movie and you will have a good time watching it.

A great adventure...

[ajs-10 · 7/10 · 22 May 2010]

As a player of the original video game, back when computers were clunky and slow, I was quite interested to see how the Prince has evolved. I wasn't disappointed; a lot of the moves and mythology from the original game survives in this film. Obviously the graphics are much better, and the film isn't too bad either.

Dastan is an orphaned street urchin when he is taken in and adopted by King Sharaman, who has seen something he likes in the boy. He grows up alongside the kings' two natural sons, Tus and Garsiv who treat him as an equal even though he will never inherit the throne. The king's brother, Nizam is with the three brothers when they approach a city that the king has told them not to take. Nizam tells the brothers that a spy has found evidence that the city is making weapons for the Persia's enemies. They take the city and Dastan comes into possession of a mysterious dagger that everyone seems interested in. Princess Tamina, who rules the city, also wants the dagger, but to protect it. The king comes to the city and is murdered, seemingly by Dastan. Fleeing for his life, he takes Tamina with him. That night, he discovers the dagger's secret, it can turn back time, but only the person holding the dagger is aware of it. This makes the dagger a very powerful weapon. It will only work for one minute though before the sand is all used up. The magical sand is hidden below the city and if it is released, it will destroy the world. Can Dastan discover who really murdered the king, and can he and Tamina keep it safe from those who would use it for evil? Well, since I don't want to spoil the ending, I'm not going to tell you right now.

As with previous Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer productions, I'm thinking of the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films, there plenty of swashbuckling action. It's a very well made film, as you'd expect with some very good special effects. Decent performances from all of the main cast, Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan, Gemma Arterton as Tamina, Ben Kingsley as Nizam, Alfred Molina as Sheik Amar, Steve Toussaint as Seso, Toby Kebbell as Garsiv, Richard Coyle as Tus and Ronald Pickup as King Sharaman.

A special mention for Alfred Molina as Sheik Amar, his comic role reminded slightly me of Robert Newton as Long John Silver. There was plenty of action, although I felt the ploy of running and jumping over rooftops was a little over used. Over all a very entertaining film with some great action and a pretty reasonable story, a great one to take the kids to! Recommended.

My score: 7.0/10

In a Nutshell: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

[mike-adly5 · 7/10 · 30 May 2010]

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time..If you're thinking that this is another cheesy video game based movie, think again!

As much as being based on a major video game makes a movie widely anticipated, it also makes the audience very hesitant towards going to see it. This one may not be perfect but it's a win for your money. At least this is not another "Street Fighter" or "Max Payne".

The Sands of Time or the first of The Prince of Persia series gives us the Genesis of Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), your favourite video game Prince, the story of how he is adopted by the good king of Persia and how he becomes a part of the royal family of one of the biggest kingdoms of the world. The story goes on to tell us about Dastan's brothers making the decision to invade the Holy City of Alamut in which Dastan joins hands with Princess Tamina for a dark race against evil forces to protect an ancient dagger that has the power of releasing the Sands of Time.

The good thing about The Sands of Time is that all aspects of moving making behind the lens come together to put on a good show. Cinematography and Art Direction play some of the biggest roles in this picture. The shooting angles and the set decoration make it all so vivid and so real. There are times in the movie where you think you're in the game itself, that you're moving Dastan, as he jumps from one roof top to the other, with your own hands. For all this to happen, you have to have Oscar winning cinematographer John Seale directing those cameras, the man behind photography of "The English Patient", "City of Angels" and "Cold Mountain".

About the acting, I have to say it was average except for Alfred Molina who portrays the character of Sheikh Amar, a desert con man who runs ostrich races. Not only does Molina excel in every line of his role, he also plays lead in the comic relief side of the story. Molina gives you the laugh you need every now then between sword fighting and knife throwing scenes. No wonder he's become the top story of every critic's review about this movie since it was released. But regarding the role of Princess Tamina, let's just say it was very unfortunate for that Iranian actress who was planned to play it to get arrested before the shooting, because as far as I can see it; Gemma Arterton has made the princess of the, supposedly Holy City, look like a sorority girl.

In a nutshell, apart from the acting that could have been more satisfying in some parts, this film is an entertaining ride. This is good fantasy movie making with a strong promise of a sequel.

Prince of Persia - A franchise too far...

[Shanus · 6/10 · 13 May 2010]

I'll make this short and sweet...

The script is predictable, unfunny and unoriginal...

The direction is poor...

The editing extremely disjointed...

Special effects are good...

Gyllenhaal and Arterton are far too good for this flimsy material and are the movies only shining light. The chemistry is good albeit predictable and Gylenhaal makes a surprisingly good action lead. Arterton looks stunning and acts amicably with the 1980's TV movie script.

However... Packaged up i can see a franchise in the making... But drop Newell, get a decent script, keep Arterton, and stop trying to remake an Indiana Jones/Assassins Creed hybrid! It doesn't work! Not worth a trip to the Cinema, wait for the DVD.

It is refreshing!

[miriam-rios · 9/10 · 28 May 2010]

Did you see Iron Man and Robin Hood? Yes? Well, this film is better, simply because the story is original. I know, I know, it is based on the computer game...which I used to play ages ago...but the story portrayed in the script is classic and refreshing at the same time; the performances are natural and the stunt scenes are unbelievable. Now, what did Iron Man 2 miss and this movie excels at? Plot, and a fast action pace without being over caffeinated big bang explosions (ever saw G.I. Joe?)

Having said that, you must be warned, the dialogues are simple but not stupid and it does contain a fair amount of moral references.

Sure everyone is crying out loud about the British accents... "ohh but Persians didn't speak English" yeah but this isn't The Passion of The Christ, or Apocalypto and Mel Gibson was nowhere near the production, Jake Gyllenhaal is an American, but the rest of the cast is British, makes sense they should all have a similar accent doesn't it?? So quit yer whining

Overall a good wholesome fun summer movie. worth repeating!

Souped Up Sabu

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 29 May 2010]

There was a time back in the day when Hollywood turned out dozens of films like Prince Of Persia. Universal Studios was the chief maker of these ancient Middle East fantasies. Maria Montez had a set built for her films and when she died it was used lots of times by stars like Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis in their early days. And of course the boy from India, Sabu kept his career going on films like Prince Of Persia.

Now if you're expecting to see something remotely realistic about the Persian Empire which Alexander the Great put out of business, don't look at this film. Based on a video game, Prince Of Persia has about as much realism as an old Sabu movie. But that doesn't mean it isn't fun.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the adopted son of the King Of Persia Ronald Pickup who as a lad is taken into the royal family and becomes like another brother to his two natural sons. There is a brother of Pickup played by Ben Kingsley who is a chief adviser to the throne. All seems like a happy family.

But Kingsley's got Richard III like ambitions and Shakespeare immortal crook backed child murderer has got nothing on Kingsley. He gets the sons to invade a Holy and peaceful city run by Princess Gemma Arterton on the pretext this crowd is plotting with folks who want to overthrow the Empire. However Kingsley wants to get at an artifact which in his hands can make him the master of time.

I think with all the computer graphic generated effects which are considerable and nice, still don't make this that much more than one of those Arabian Nights fantasies that Universal used to specialize in. Sabu, Rock Hudson, and Tony Curtis, and Maria Montez were never in a film with a budget like Prince Of Persia.

So with a plot based partially on Richard III and a bit taken from the Biblical account of the flood, Prince Of Persia will give you a couple of hours of good old fashioned film entertainment.

Bruckheimer and CGI Effects Dominate a Paper-Thin, Fleet-Footed Video Game-Derived Epic

[EUyeshima · 5/10 · 2 June 2010]

The sight of Jake Gyllenhaal in a defiantly heroic pose with his imposing dagger on the poster of this 2010 fantasy adventure would seem to portend a film filled with self-parody, but alas, the actor takes the Aladdin-like title role semi-seriously. He's actually better than expected in the over-the-top derring-do role, but the movie itself is absurdly convoluted and overly ridiculous, even by the standards of the 2003 video game which inspired this CGI-saturated production. It should come as no surprise that the executive producer is action-schlock master Jerry Bruckheimer, whose commercial track record extends from "Beverly Hills Cop" to the "National Treasure" franchise. What did surprise me is that the director is Mike Newell, better known for soft, female-oriented fare such as "Enchanted April" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral". However, both he and Gyllenhaal give themselves almost entirely to Bruckheimer's more commercial, comic-book sensibilities.

The fanciful plot takes place in the sixth century B.C. where we find a Persian street urchin named Dastan being adopted by King Sharaman for his courageous acrobatics in a crowded marketplace. He grows up with his loyal foster brothers Garsiv and Tus, the rightful heirs to the throne who lead the Persian army in an attack on the sacred city of Alamut. In a none-too-subtle allusion to current-day Iraq, the siege on Alamut comes from a wrongful assumption that the city's people are selling weapons to their enemies. Behind the assault is the King's brother and trusted adviser, the Dick Cheney-like Nizam. Elsewhere in the city, Dashan leads a swashbuckling rogue effort that leads him to the comely Princess Tamina who holds the secret behind the mythical Dagger of Time. The dagger has time-bending powers that allow the user to undo any mistake and redo any moment. In short order, Dashan gets framed for murder and escapes with Tamina and the dagger.

All sorts of contrived shenanigans subsequently follow with the addition of Sheik Amar, an ostrich-racing thief who amusingly hates both taxes and the confining role of government, as the dagger elusively changes hands and a fatalistic sinkhole yields an ending that may remind you of Pam's unexpected discovery of Bobby in the shower on "Dallas". Aside from Gyllenhaal's muscular performance, Gemma Arterton (a memorable bit as Strawberry Fields in "Quantum of Solace") makes a fetching princess with plenty of predictable moxy. As Nizam, Ben Kingsley is not nearly as embarrassing here as he was in "The Love Guru", but his Oscar will continue collecting dust by itself with his string of disappointing movie choices. The ethnically versatile Alfred Molina steals the film in an act of petty larceny as the comical sheik. With so many special effects coming at the viewer uninterrupted, it was extremely difficult to find a core of humanity in this whole venture. But that's Bruckheimer's objective after all - to overwhelm your senses until you turn into the exact same pulp he chooses to present to all the fanboys and fangirls who will flock to this paper-thin extravaganza.

Underrated

[monkeymajik153 · 9/10 · 29 May 2010]

I didn't expect much from this movie, and wasn't planning on watching it after watching the trailer, which had somehow managed to butcher the action sequences which turned to be pretty good in the movie. It hardly depicted the movie for what it made out to be, so i'm more than glad that i did. At first glance Jake wouldn't be my first choice for the role of the prince as i didn't think he really looked the part, with his slightly goofy looking demeanor, but he made up for it as he certainly played the part(and thanks to the costume designer, dressed the part), coupled with a good body double the parkour wasn't far off either. There was good chemistry between the male and female leads, however, granted perhaps overplayed in less than idyllic moments for pda haha, which some might find cliché but hardly something to dwell on in this pretty awesome movie so its not as bad as other critics claim. It offers aesthetically pleasing graphics (as to be expected of the people who worked on the pirates of the Caribbean) and although deviated from the plot of the game, the important aspects blended well and made for an enjoyable, and not totally predictable storyline. Another epic jerry epic i say. I sincerely hope they make a sequel, especially if the the dark prince is involved in the storyline, that would be badass (magma cracks already showing on the prince's body during slow mo time travel scenes so fingers crossed)

See this movie when you're in the mood of some mindless fun

[michawheeler · 6/10 · 16 June 2010]

I don't expect much from movies like this one except for a good time. For me this means a good looking movie, likable characters and short sentimental bits.

The movie delivers these. It would have been a treat if the plot was a bit more original, the solutions not quite so simplistic (**MAJOR SPOILER** Dastan just turns back time and everything is alright?! Even the dead are gotten back!) and the conversations had a bit more wit, but it doesn't do any good to dwell on these things. I enjoyed the fast pace and even the humour provided by Sheik Amar worked. I'm not an expert on special effects but the fight sequences looked pretty good to me and these were quite frequent.

Jake Gyllenhaal makes a charming action hero. There is a certain honesty about his face that makes Dastan more real. Gemma Arterton sounded a bit wooden at times but that may be the script's fault, I also liked Seso, it's a pity that he died, oh wait...

Ultimately I felt safe watching this movie, that I wouldn't have to sit through dizzying plot twists, explicit sex scenes, gruesome bloodbaths or lame acting and boring scenes. The movie stretches to do what is expected of it but nothing more.

I must mention one last thing to be completely honest. I might have written this review under the influence...of Jake Gyllenhaal's arms, Jake Gyllenhaal's eyes and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Prince of Persia: loud, noisy, clichéd and forgettable

[MadMax4333 · 1/10 · 4 June 2010]

If I thought the overlong, frightfully dull "Avatar" contained and rehashed every Hollywood cliché ever used, albeit in blue, "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time" runs the gamut of every mindless Hollywood action-feature effect, computerized or not, and even as an admittedly escapism event, it falls short of any intended mark. It is obvious that there is little new under the Hollywood sun. Frankly, 1942's "Arabian Nights" did this plot line much better and Shemp Howard, of Three Stooges fame, surpassed Alfred Molina's deadly dull and ineffective attempt at humor. Jake Gyllenhaal, in spite of much daring-do stunts and macho posturing, is still not the virile stud hero that his handlers are trying to turn him into, and Arterton's clichéd bitchy dialog becomes tedious after 10 minutes. It's a shallow waste of time from beginning to end and how Ben Kingsley could keep a straight face throughout this loud, noisy romp is a testament to his enormous experience in front of a camera.

A rollicking good ride.

[Troy_Campbell · 7/10 · 28 May 2010]

The Sands of Time? A mythical dagger that can turn back time? A sandstorm created by the Gods that will destroy humanity? All sounds a bit rubbish, doesn't it? Well it is. And isn't. For all the silliness of the story and convenience of the plot, Persia is remarkably fun, thanks to the unhinged action set pieces which rotate through at a terrific pace. Have the characters been talking nonsense for over a minute? Never fear, in about 15 seconds Dastan will be doing something cool. Like free running on the Persian rooftops or climbing a wall using freshly shot arrows. Or maybe even battling with a whip-wielding assassin or his sword swinging brother.

Costing somewhere in the vicinity of $150m, it's not hard to see where most of that cash went. The CGI is tremendous – the only noteworthy flaw being in the penultimate sequence which can't completely handle its larger scale – and undoubtedly enhances the ambitious action scenes. The moments of slow-mo increase excitement but thankfully aren't overused whilst the fighting and running choreography is suitably uncontrolled and free ranging, you'll never guess how Dastan gets his way out of some situations. It's a credit to the director and crew that they've produced such adrenaline-pumping action that the ridiculous script is hardly noticed.

Not an actor you would instantly think of for a role like this, Gyllenhaal makes a wonderful Dastan – following the recent trend of studios choosing known actors (Depp, Bettany, Downey Jr, et al) for their blockbusters rather than typical action stars – with his wry humour an integral part of the casting success. The road to stardom continues for young Brit actress Arterton (Clash of the Titans and Quantum of Solace) with another decent performance under her belt, her incessant vocal jousting with Gyllenhaal shows major confidence. Kingsley chalks up an additional wooden, one-dimensional portrayal for the sake of a paycheque and the other experienced cast member Molina isn't as humorous as intended as the morally dubious sidekick.

In true form for a Bruckheimer movie, Sands of Time has little substance but makes up for it with more bang for your buck. A rollicking good ride.

3.5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Ordinary, 3 - Good, 4 - Excellent, 5 - Classic)

Bruckheimer does it again

[MaxBorg89 · 7/10 · 29 May 2010]

One thing has to be said about Jerry Bruckheimer: he isn't afraid of anything. Despite the frequent criticism he receives for having launched the dodgy careers of Tony Scott and Michael Bay (ironically with both achieving their finest work to date without his tutelage), he's also responsible for crowd-pleasing franchises like Beverly Hills Cop and Pirates of the Caribbean. Even by his standards, though, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was a bit of a risk. Sure, he secured a competent director (Mike Newell, who helmed the best Harry Potter film to date) and a reliable cast (Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina), but the project still came with that one unpleasant characteristic: based on a video game. Then again, everyone said he was crazy when he wanted to make a movie out of a theme park ride, so maybe he had the right tools to get the game-to-film transition right for once. Based on the finished product, it looks like the gamble mostly paid off.

Based on the fifth installment in the popular game series, The Sands of Time focuses on Gyllenhaal's Dastan, a street kid who finds himself adopted by the Persian king. Well loved by the people and his family, he does fine until a series of circumstances lead to his being accused of murdering the king and being on the run alongside the mysterious and beautiful Tamina (Gemma Arterton), guardian of a dagger that allows its user to travel back in time, something that might come in handy for Dastan to prove his innocence and save the kingdom.

What makes Prince of Persia stand out in the genre is the fact that, except for the (excellent) scenes that involve running, jumping and fighting, it doesn't look like a video-game movie at all. In fact, the surprisingly coherent and fun script follows the Pirates of the Caribbean formula by combining equal doses of action, wit (the exchanges between Dastan and Tamina), pure laughs (Alfred Molina) and charismatic characters (ditto, plus Gyllenhaal, despite an initially shaky English accent). It's formulaic - no prizes for guessing who the villain is - but enjoyable, and the time travel aspect of the story makes the third act less ridiculous than it would have been in an average action flick.

The only real defect, save for a bit of inevitable parallels between then and now (Persia is currently known as Iran, you know), is the fact that the compromise between Bruckheimer (money shots) and Newell (story and character) leads to some chunks of truly awful dialogue, especially the repetitive exposition scenes: is the audience's attention span really so limited that someone has to explain the dagger's function seven times over the course of two hours? Granted, there is time travel in the mix, but that doesn't mean we have to start over every single time. Maybe the screenwriters should have considered hitting the rewind button too.

Overall, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is exactly what it sets out to be, namely a professionally crafted blockbuster that is guaranteed to entertain for a couple of hours. It doesn't quite pack the same charm as the first Pirates movie, but if Bruckheimer has his way and a new franchise begins, there's plenty of potential to exploit in future installments.