With seven games released in the last eleven years, and a recently released eighth title, the Prince of Persia series is one of the most active franchises in video games today. The series has proven so popular, Disney decided to make a movie based on the Sands of Time trilogy. Film adaptations of video games aren’t typically known for being memorable or, at the very least, even very good. Of course, none of those previous films had Disney, Jerry Bruckheimer or Jake Gyllenhaal attached. Sadly, the people that turned an amusement park ride into one of the highest-grossing film franchises of all time fail to capture the same magic and charm with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Even though there are a few exciting moments in the film, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ends up being a fairly mindless affair. The reason? There’s no heart or charm in the script. Screenwriters Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro, and Carlo Bernard craft a script that borrows just enough of the video game that it will feel familiar to those who played it, but they also create enough new content to make the film more accessible to newcomers. In doing so, though, they’ve also created a film that doesn’t stray too far from the formula in any aspect. The prince is a bit roguish, and is trying to avenge his father’s death. He doesn’t really get along with the princess because she’s spoiled and stubborn, but he can’t help falling for her. She sees him as a rude brute, but there’s a softer side only she can bring out. The two overcome several obstacles in trying to set things right, end up falling for one another, and they all get lots of sand in their pants. If the characters had a bit more charm, this paint-by-numbers plot would likely have been more enjoyable.
There have been few film pirates as charismatic as Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, and because he’s written so blandly, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Dastan has no opportunity to become nearly as engaging for his audience. Jake struggles to fit himself into a mainstream role, never truly letting loose, and the performance he’s keeping bottled up is visible at times, but never breaks free of restraint. It’s a shame because he has so much screen time with which to captivate the audience, yet he never really does. Oh sure, you’ll see him flash that smile in an effort to charm the skirt off the gorgeous Gemma Arterton, but you never believe him. It always feels like he’s acting.
Arterton herself plays the role of the gorgeous pampered princess with a mission, Tamina, very well, and she looks good doing it too. However, the only reason you’ll be pulling for Dastan and Tamina is because the movie is telling you to. No stranger to video game movies, Ben Kingsley actually hand delivers his performance for once, instead of merely mailing it in from overseas. He doesn’t get much time to act save for the last third of the film, but even in such a limited role, he’s able to school nearly everyone else in the cast. Alfred Molina, in the clear comedic sidekick role, plays a very solid poor man’s Jack Sparrow, and that’s about all you can say about his performance.
The action and the effects are the best part of the film, and actually do follow the game fairly closely. There are more than a few sequences of rooftop running/parkour maneuvers seemingly stripped straight from the game itself. The movie truly shines in these moments, as these are the few times when the inspiration from the video game breaks through. Combat sequences are a little frantic for my taste, and they’re never really given room to breathe. I like to see the combat happen, not just a dozen quick cuts between punches to make it look like more is happening than there actually is. Getting to see the dagger in motion is really cool, and the effects team did a fantastic job showing off the power of the Sands of Time. However, as great as the effects are they don’t make up for the lackluster plot.
It’s been a long time since there’s been a video-game movie worth seeing, and though Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time isn’t going to be winning any awards anytime soon, it’s a mildly entertaining experience. There’s not a lot of character development, and the action is a bit too frantic at times, but it’s a pretty decent adaptation of the source material. Unlike other recent video-game adaptations, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is certainly worth checking out. Whether or not you wait until it’s out on DVD is up to you.
