Review - Kathryn Ryan

   

When summertime rolls around in late May and Early June, some things are expected during this time of the year. Hoards of children are let out of school for a break from leaning, the temperature rises to uncomfortable levels, and Hollywood releases a barrage of summer movies. It is expected that they are not the deepest films in the philosophical department. Though this fact might push some people away from the theaters for the next few months, they will be missing out on some good popcorn flicks. To kick off the summer film fun, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time certainly kicks off the season on a rather high note.

The story follows a Persian prince named Dasdan, played by the charming Jake Gyllenhaal, who was an orphan boy that was adopted by the Persian king. He is a noble and brave prince who, during a battle of a holy city, comes to find a unique dagger. He soon discovers that this weapon has the mystical power to turn back time for the person holding it. Put in the wrong hands, the dagger could cause great destruction. With the help of the dagger's guardian, princess Tamina (Gemma Arterson) they must take the dagger to a safe place before it is too late and greedy hands reach it.

The film certainly delivers in many different departments. The acting, though not difficult for a film like this, was wonderful. Jake truly delivered with his portrayal of the video game icon. Even the supporting cast made their characters memorable. Alfred Molina plays a wise-guy bandit who will do anything for a little gold in his pocket. His lines and timing made him great comedic relief throughout the film. Along with the acting, the special effects were spot-on. The seamless blend of live action and CGI keeps the audience in the moment and certainly does not seem cheap or cheesy. The only major faults of this movie are the usual pitfalls of summer flicks. Although the plot is good, the pacing at certain points drags. Right when the story seems to hit a concluding point, it continues for another forty minutes. Along with the length issue, the plot has holes. With such epic stories, the storyline can be put to the wayside for special effects and action sequences. When walking out of the theater, questions about how things worked begin to make their way to the front of your mind and bother you for quite some time.

The film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action. The violence never gets gory, and the fighting is equivalent to Lord of the Rings in which you don't see any blood or actual limbs being severed. I would definately recommend this movie to people who want to start of the summer with a fun flick. Die-hard fans of the game series beware: it is not the exact same Dasdan story you are used to. There are sadly no sand monsters in this so don't get your hopes up.

I give Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time three and a half out of five sand dunes. While it is not the perfect summer film, it certainly starts summer off right and gives me high hopes for the rest of this film season.