‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time’ Is Very Predictable By Art Byrd

A film based on a video game is not the best premise for a successful film. “Doom,” “Super Mario Brothers” and “Double Dragon” all got zapped at the box office. The curse of the video game on the big screen comes with a lesson: stick with the small screen.

Enter “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.”  It had all the elements a swashbuckling film should, such as jumping on and off of things, big scenic shots and special effects. But the story is based on a video game. The curse continues.

I couldn’t get into the film, and I wasn’t the only one -- based on reactions from those in the audience with me. We literally sat there like bumps on logs.

“Prince of Persia” seems like it has the making of a first-rate traditional action film, with a good-looking, likable leading man in Jake Gyllenhaal. He plays Dastan, the orphan boy adopted by the King of Persia. Gemma Arterton as Princess Tamina (“Clash of the Titans”) plays the beautiful and strong leading lady.

But it is the same old story from the first; Prince Dastan and Princess Tamina don’t like each other, yet there is a mutual attraction. Also, one is keeping secrets from the other.

That’s where the trouble begins – an action film trying to mix a story and a love story together. It’s the same old formula that audiences have seen so many times. Too many times.

The formula continues when it’s revealed that should a magical dagger (Or lost ark. Or crystal. Or Holy Grail. Or mummy remains…) not be returned to its predictably hard-to-access place, the world will be destroyed.

There is the usual band of thieves who are scary at first, but as you and the characters get to know them, they turn out to be a nice group. In this film, Sheik Amir, played by jolly Alfred Molina, leads the thieves that help out Dastan and the Princess.

Of course, there is a villain. Uncle Nazim, played by Sir Ben Kingsley, is the King’s brother and uncle to Prince Dastan and his brothers. He will stop at nothing to capture the dagger for his own evil purpose.

I could tell you what the dagger does, but I will leave it out in case you still want to sit through the movie in a theatre or at home.

On a positive note, the action sequences and stunts were good. On the flip side -- the editing was so quick that I missed the real action, just like in some of the “Bourne” films with Matt Damon.

The movie was directed by Mike Newell, who has directed a “Harry Potter” film, so the film wasn’t given to just anyone.

Still, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is just too predictable. Hollywood producers know there is a formula that’s worked for big-budget summer movies. I guess it’s for good measure (wink, wink) that “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” have every formula cliché in it.

Maybe in the next movie, the gods should destroy the tired formula of big-budget films -- instead of trying destroy the world -- and find an original way to tell stories.


Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts