Prince of Persia Review

Disclaimer: This Review may contain spoilers, if you have not seen the movie and do not wish to be spoiled, scroll to the end for the grade.

The Newest, action, fantasy movie from Disney in association with the man himself Jerry "All the good shows are produced by him' Bruckheimer is a mixed bag.

While giving us a fantastically fictitious look at the Persian Empire in its prime, it offers adventure and excitement for pretty much the entire family. Based on a franchise of video games that hearkens back to 1989, the movie goes through the steps of young Prince Dastan, played by a very buff Jake Gyllenhaal, in his quest to save his kingdom and his reluctant love interest.

He is featured as a young man that the current king of Persia saved from the streets of his own fair city and adopted as his son when he was boy. The film makes excepcional emphasis in the fact he neither covets the throne, nor is he of royal blood.

The 2 brothers, the actual sons of the king, bring little to the movie other than a few plot points.

The Movie features special effects, and slow down sequences to enhance the acrobatic abilities of the Prince as he jumps long gaps between buildings and walls, and performs feats or aerobatic prowess like nobody else.

When I first heard about this movie, and Jake being cast as the main hero, I was a little skeptical, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Jake buffed up to show some defined muscles, and a manly physique. A far cry from his thin and boyish look of previous films.

He struggles a bit to keep the faint British accent going, loosing it at times, and pouring it a little heavier at others.

His main enemy is his adopted uncle Nizam which like in other Disney films covets his brother's throne (Lion King anyone). Sir. Ben Kingsley brings this character to life masterfully; giving him nuances of good and evil through out the film. So much so that you don't really know he is the main bad guy until later on. Though the stereotypically evil, black, thin goatee is always a dead give away, he does a great job of masking it so that you aren't completely sure until its uncovered.

The Love interest played by relatively newcomer Gemma Arterton, Io from Clash of the Titans, is supposed to be the breathtakingly beautiful guardian of the dagger and the magical sands that power it. Unfortunately she comes off as slightly annoying and only cute for the most part.

The only other worthy character is the unscrupulous Ostrich race manager, and shady business man that ends up becoming the Prince's ally: Sheik Amar. Played by Alfred Molina; he is a decidedly slimy but funny character that adds that bit of comedic break where Jake and Gemma struggle to be slightly amusing.

The Story revolves around a mystical dagger that has the ability to turn back time thanks to some even more mystical and magical sand. The Prince is framed in the murder of his adoptive father, and is forced to leave the city to avoid being captured. He is then forced to find the mystical sand to fuel dagger and travel back to save his father.

The Time travel angle is done actually fairly decently and cleverly to avoid any possible paradoxes. Its hard to explain, but suffice it to say, when you see it is clear and understandable, and a fairly nice departure from the standard time travel gimmick.

All in all, the movie offers 2 hours of fun entertainment, in a somewhat tame roller coaster ride of a story. Like with some of Bruckheimer's previous Disney films its fun, and its entertaining, without being groundbreaking or Oscar worthy.

I'll give it 3.5 reels out of 5