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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Directed by Mike Newell
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Toby Kebbell, Richard Coyle, Ronald Pickup, Steve Toussaint

I don't play video games. Never have and can't see a future where I'd really get into it either. That's partly why movies based on them have never really been that exciting for me because I'm not a member of the built-in audience. Partly though, it may also have something to do with the fact that films based on video games have mostly been shit. And gamers can hardly argue against that themselves.

Gyllenhaal plays a prince on the run who's been framed for the murder of his father and all of this is due to a supernatural dagger that can turn back time but destroy the world in the process. He's joined by a princess (Arterton) who is entrusted to protect the dagger and while they can't get along at first (can you see where this is going?), they must ultimately stop the true guilty parties of using the damn thing.

The plot is filed comfortably under Who Gives A Shit because honestly we're here for the action and thrill of adventure. Sadly this is realised only to a modest degree since director Newell (Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, Pushing Tin) doesn't know how to do mind blowing action set pieces which at the end of the day is what these kind of films are all about. Prince Of Persia plays like producer Jerry Bruckheimer tried to start another Pirates Of The Caribbean type franchise but Gyllenhaal - though he gives it his best - is no Johnny Depp. The effects are glorious and the film is visually stunning but since there's a little thing called a soul missing, the film feels mostly a bit hollow. There are some redeeming qualities like Arterton's (Quantum Of Solace, Clash Of The Titans) elegance and beauty and the ladies will probably enjoy Gyllenhaal's rugged looks but best of all is Molina's (Spider-Man 2) hilarious supporting comic relief, a small time hustler obsessed with conspiracy theories, ostrich races (?!) and really really weird anecdotes such as "Did you know ostriches have suicidal tendencies..?"

KITEYTETTYNÄ SINIVALKOISILLE
Prince Of Persia on videopeliin pohjautuva toimintaleffa jossa menoa riittää ja fantasia jyllää. Se on myös hieman tylsä sillä toimintakohtaukset juonesta puhumattakaan ovat tylsiä ja koko leffa tuntuu olleen tuottaja Jerry Bruckheimerin yritys luoda uusi Pirates Of The Caribbeanin tyyppinen elokuvasarja, mutta ensinnäkään Gyllenhaal ei kaikesta ahkerasta pinnistelystään huolimatta ole Johnny Depp, Jack Sparrow'sta puhumattakaan. Kyllä tämän silti kerran katsoo mielellään, sillä visuaalisesti leffa on näyttävä ja sivuosassa hyppivä Molina (Spider-Man 2, Boogie Nights) pitää hauskaa salaliittoteorioista ja strutsikisoista (?!) nauttivana pikkurikollisena.

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time at IMDb

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You should do more reviews!

EdWood said...

I've been buried at work but I'll try to make amends :)