Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Review

Rated PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence and Action)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 56 Minutes

Cast:

Jake Gyllenhaal-Prince Dastan

Gemma Arterton-Princess Tamina

Ben Kingsley-Nizam

Alfred Molina-Sheik Amar

Steve Toussaint-Seso

Toby Kebbell-Prince Garsiv

Richard Coyle-Prince Tus

Ronald Pickup-King Sharaman

Gísli Örn Garðarsson-Hassansin Leader

Directed by Mike Newell

Guess this isn't the right time to take a bath with a beautiful woman?

Despite the fact that video game-to-film adaptations have been critically reviled, Hollywood still insists on making them, hoping something will make a profit. The “Resident Evil” series has enjoyed some measure of success and both “Tomb Raider” and “Silent Hill” manage to capture the spirit of the games, although as films, they’re entertaining but ultimately forgettable. As for Uwe Boll, it’s mind-boggling how he continues to make movies when they’re all total garbage, and that’s a fact. “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” based upon the video games created by Jordan Mechner and published by Ubisoft, hopes to break the never-ending cycle of terrible video game adaptations. Personally, I’ve never played the original “Sands of Time” trilogy, though most fans seem to hold the original in high regard. Despite high ratings from gaming journalists, the game didn’t sell. To reach a ‘wider audience,’ Ubisoft made the next two entries over-sexualized. Since then, they’ve been trying to recapture the magic of the first game, coming close with 2008’s reboot, simply titled “Prince of Persia,” which I own for PC. To coincide with the film’s release, Ubisoft released “Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands”. However, it is not based on the film. It is an interquel between “Sands of Time” and “Warrior Within.” As for the film itself, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” may arguably be one of the best—if not the best—video game adaptation ever; as a film, it’s entertaining but offers little in the way of actual substance. The characters are never developed due to its rushed pacing and the overall direction feels too generic and lifeless.

In Ancient Persia, King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup) adopts a young street urchin named Dastan when he sees him defending a helpless boy. Fifteen years later, the grown up Prince of Persia (Jake Gyllenhaal)—who is traveling with his brothers, Tus (Richard Coyle) and Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) to the Holy City of Alamut, is suspected of giving weapons to Persia’s enemies, according to the king’s brother and advisor, Nizam (Ben Kingsley). Alamut is home to the beautiful Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton), who guards an ancient dagger that grants its user the ability to go back in time for short periods. During the battle to take the city, Dastan finds the dagger and takes it as trophy, unaware of its powers. Sharaman arrives at Alamut to celebrate the victory but he is soon murdered, with the suspicion falling on Dastan. With Tamina in tow, Dastan must now find a way to clear his name and return the dagger to its rightful place before it falls into the wrong hands.

It’s not obvious to see that producer Jerry Bruckheimer wants “Prince of Persia” to turn into a franchise like “Pirates of the Caribbean” but it lacks a charismatic or memorable protagonist like Jack Sparrow. The story suffers from predictability and some of it can be attributed to its marketing campaign where it’s obvious that Nizam is the main villain, although it takes Dastan midway through the film to actually figure it out. With a premise involving a weapon that controls time, the writers end up cheating in the end and it doesn’t take a blind person to see how they do it. Although the games themselves try to invoke an “Arabian Nights” feel, the film seems like it was made for kids, while most people who played the games are older. There’s no sense of danger or suspense since you know who the villain is and the good and bad guys are clearly defined without any moral ambiguity. The writers try to throw in a few swipes at the Bush administration when the Persian army invades Alamut, only to find that there are no weapons there. Certain characters also grumble about paying taxes and though they provide a few chuckles, all this ends up being irrelevant and dated. Video games can tell great stories. BioWare does it time and time again and Quantic Dream’s recently released “Heavy Rain” on PlayStation 3, which offers an intense, emotional tale of love. However, Hollywood seems to settle for the pedestrian. Ultimately, that’s what makes “Prince of Persia” forgettable: it plays it too safe with the story.

The acting is adequate for the most part. It’s unusual to see Jake Gyllenhaal in a mainstream action-adventure film but he makes a likable Prince, though his British accent comes off as a little forced. Unfortunately, he doesn’t do enough to make him memorable. Gemma Arterton is Princess Tamina and looks stunning with her exotic looks. She plays a similar role as in “Clash of the Titans” by offering up small bits of exposition. As for the romance, she and Gyllenhaal just end up staring at each with doe eyes, about to kiss but suddenly, something interrupts them! They do share some good chemistry with their quips and barbs. Playing Dastan’s uncle Nizam is Ben Kingsley: glowering around with his mascara-laden eyes, it’s a wonder no one figures out that he’s the villain early on. Finally, Alfred Molina provides some comic relief as Sheik Amar, dodging taxes and holding ostrich races!

The action scenes capture the platforming that the games are famous for; however, you can’t help feeling that you would rather go home and play the actual game. The quick edits and pacing often makes these scenes blend together—nothing ever stands out despite the money being spent on the effects. Dastan utilizes parkour when moving around and fighting a group of generic, knife-wielding assassins. One action scene that is somewhat memorable has him dodging an assassin using two razor-sharp whips, but that’s about it. “Prince of Persia” also spares no expense on the visuals and while they are impressive, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before in other blockbusters. To be honest, I don’t see anything that will surpass the revolutionary effects of “Avatar” anytime soon unless that film is being made by James Cameron himself.

Released into theaters on May 28, 2010, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is one of the better received video game adaptations with 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics agreed that the film lacks substance, but found it to be an ‘entertaining swashbuckler—and a substantial improvement over most video game adaptations.’ It is competing with the highly anticipated sequel “Sex and the City 2,” which will end up dominating the Memorial Day weekend as there haven’t been many event films catered to female audiences. “Prince of Persia” will settle into second place with around $50 million. So far it has earned $28 million internationally. The response from the audience was unusually enthusiastic and they applauded multiple times. I may be just the snobby film critic but there wasn’t anything there that warranted that type of response. “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” offers some light fun and entertainment for two hours and the film is competently made with nice visual effects, but in the end, it’s a soulless and forgettable experience.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5

"I've seen its power with my own eyes! Releasing the sand turns back time. Only the holder of the Dagger is aware what's happened."

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Iron Man 2 - The IMAX Experience Review

Rated PG-13 (Sequences of Intense Sci-Fi Action and Violence, and Some Language)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 5 Minutes

Cast:
Robert Downey Jr.-Tony Stark/Iron Man
Gwyneth Paltrow-Virginia 'Pepper' Potts
Don Cheadle-Lt. Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes/War Machine
Mickey Rourke-Ivan Vanko/Whiplash
Sam Rockwell-Justin Hammer
Scarlett Johansson-Natalie Rushman/Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
Samuel L. Jackson-Nick Fury
John Slattery-Howard Stark
Jon Favreau-Harold 'Happy' Hogan
Garry Shandling-Senator Stern
Clark Gregg-Agent Coulson
Paul Bettany (voice)-Jarvis
Leslie Bibb-Christine Everhart

Directed by Jon Favreau

Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as the Golden Avenger in "Iron Man 2."

It has officially begun! The 2010 summer movie season kicks off with one of the most highly anticipated sequels ever, “Iron Man 2,” based upon the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby in 1963. The film is currently in limited release for IMAX theaters so if you’re a hardcore fan like me, make sure to pre-purchase those tickets now because “Shrek Forever After” is taking those screens away once it is released into theaters on May 21. The original “Iron Man” was a critical and commercial success in 2008, grossing $585 million worldwide, thanks to the charismatic and hilarious performance of Robert Downey Jr. With the obligatory origin story out of the way, director Jon Favreau can finally let loose and create a better film. “Iron Man 2” largely succeeds in surpassing the original: the stakes are higher and the action is more explosive but it is by no means a perfect film as it does not approach the emotional resonance of other comic book films such as “Spider-Man 2” or “The Dark Knight.” Action scenes often fly by too quickly and the story can sometimes feel over-plotted with too many characters but everything comes together nicely at the end, making “Iron Man 2” the most fun you’ll have at the movie theater.

As the opening credits roll, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) witnesses the death of his father while living in a dingy apartment in Russia. Vanko, using blueprints from Stark Industries, manages to make a duplicate arc reactor chest-piece and begins to plot his revenge against Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Six months have passed since Tony has revealed to the world that he is Iron Man and the public adores him for it. However, he is slowly suffering from excess palladium in his blood and the chest-piece that keeps him alive is also killing him. Since there is no way to slow the process, Stark begins to give away his possessions and appoints his trusty secretary, Virginia ‘Pepper’ Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) as CEO of Stark Industries. Meanwhile, a United States Senate committee led by Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) wants Stark to hand over the Iron Man suit as they do not trust him to use it responsibly and are worried that the technology might fall into the wrong hands. At the Monaco Grand Prix, Vanko, as the energy whip-wielding Whiplash attacks Stark but is quickly dispatched. However, rival industrialist Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) of Hammer Industries wants Stark out of the way by any means necessary, seeing Vanko as a potential ally to achieve his goals.

“Iron Man 2” is loosely based upon the Armor Wars storyline that had various villains managing to get their hands on Stark technology. If the first film was about Tony having an epiphany about the consequences of manufacturing weapons that caused a never-ending cycle of violence, than “Iron Man 2” is about legacy, leaving behind something good that people will forever remember you for. Tony Stark finds out the hard way that he’s not invincible and this causes him to have a death wish, acting out in destructive ways that begin to alienate his closest friends. In a way, Tony feels obsessed in making his mark on the world, something his father, Howard, played by John Slattery, tried to do. The mid-section has Tony going on a journey of introspection and he comes to understand that his father was decades ahead of himself. You already know that Iron Man won’t die but what eventually saves his life owes much to what his father tried to pass on. Unfortunately, most fan-boys will end up fidgeting in their seats since there’s a noticeable lack of action during these scenes but this isn’t a Michael Bay film. At times, there seems to be a lot going on in “Iron Man 2” but nothing ever feels cramped like in “Spider-Man 3.” However, I do feel that due to the pressure of pleasing the fans, the cast is slightly unwieldy and certain characters don’t really figure into the main plot until the end.

The biggest asset that “Iron Man 2” has is Robert Downey Jr. and he continues to excel as Tony Stark. Stark, for lack of a better word, is a dick and rather annoying to hang around with but his heart is in the right place and he is sincere in helping the world. He prances around without a care in the world but it’s all a mask; deep down, Stark is scared to death that everything he built will be taken away or worse, used for destructive means. There’s a scene where he recklessly gets drunk during his birthday party and he starts using his repulsors in a dangerous manner. You’ll get a laugh but it also serves as a turning point, especially for Stark’s friends who just decide to give up on him as they see him spiraling out of control. The cutesy, awkward chemistry between him and Paltrow is intact and though they bicker constantly, it becomes apparent that the two belong together, for better or worse. Replacing Terrence Howard is Don Cheadle as Lt. Colonel James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes due to a salary dispute with Marvel. There was nothing wrong with Howard’s performance in the original but his soft-spoken nature made it hard to see him as War Machine. Cheadle’s Rhodes is more assertive as he’s not afraid to put his friend in place, even if it means sacrificing their friendship. Of course, once he dons the War Machine armor, it’s very hard not to explode in a nerdgasm as he blazes away at Hammer’s goons. Playing the Anti-Stark is Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer. He’s like a cheap imitation but lacking all of the morals. Rockwell chews up every scene with glee and it’s a shame that he isn’t on-screen more with Downey Jr. The main villain is Ivan Vanko played by Mickey Rourke, an amalgamation of the Crimson Dynamo and Whiplash. Rouke is not as developed as you’d wish him to be but much of his fearsome attitude comes from the ‘I can snap your neck with one hand’ stare. Finally there’s Scarlett Johansson as the ultra-sexy, tight leather wearing Black Widow. Her character ends up doing little, other than being eye-candy for the fans but damn is she badass during the fight scenes in the last hour of the film.

For a summer film, there’s very little action to be had, which I feel is a good thing. Often times, directors feel the need to have an explosion every minute and that everything from character to story is left on the cutting room floor. The most advertised action scene is when Whiplash attacks Stark at the Monaco Grand Prix. Of course, Stark comes prepared with a special variant of his armor that’s the size of a briefcase and after some fisticuffs, depowers Vanko. Later on, Rhodes, afraid that his friend will hurt himself or worse, innocent bystanders, takes one of Stark’s suits and dukes it out with him. Favreau lets loose at the end as Iron Man flies across the sky while evading an army of Hammer’s drones until finally facing off with Vanko, only this time he’s backed up by War Machine. Unfortunately, these scenes often go by too fast and feel like an afterthought, making “Iron Man 2” a more character driven film than you would expect.

“Iron Man 2” was released internationally on April 28 (earning $139 million already) but May 7 for North America. Critical reception has been positive but many felt that it didn’t quite stand up to the original film, something I humbly disagree with. It currently holds at 73% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics concluding that ‘it isn't quite the breath of fresh air that [the first film] was, but this sequel comes close with solid performances and an action-packed plot.’ The entire IMAX theater was packed and it will easily surpass the original’s weekend gross of $98 million. It will most likely not surpass the $158 million record from “The Dark Knight” so my guess is that it will end somewhere at $130 million. Its main competition will be “Twilight Eclipse” but that film will burn through its business during opening weekend and drop off. If you’re expecting a third “Iron Man” in 2012, don’t, because “The Avengers” is scheduled to be released on May 4 and will serve as the ultimate nerdgasm as Marvel will have achieved the impossible, bringing Captain American, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk in one movie. “Iron Man 2” may be too ambitious in terms of story for Favreau but the whole experience is so fun and enjoyable that it’s hard to really nitpick on anything. The performances are uniformly excellent, the effects are stunning, the action is bigger and it overall succeeds in kicking off summer 2010 on a high note.

Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5

"You come from a family of thieves, and butchers. And like all guilty men, you try to rewrite your history, to forget all the lives the Stark family has destroyed."

Note: Don't leave during the end credits as there is a very special scene about a particular Marvel character whose film is being released on May 6, 2011!

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