Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time
Sat, May 29, 2010 
If you haven’t played the video game and or you’re not familiar with the story, much like I wasn’t, Prince of Persia is about Dastan a street kid( Jake Gylenhaal) in the Persian Empire in the sixth century. After showing that he’s got some balls in the Market place, the king who just happens to be hanging out there decides to adopt him as his son. Dastan grows up as part of the royal family with no royal blood and no eye for the throne.
The plot somewhat borrows from current world issues like the war in Iraq. Fifteen years after being adopted by the king Dastan and his brothers lead the Persian army in an attack on the sacred city of Alamut, under the assumption that the city's people are selling weapons to their enemies, as they’re told by Nizam (Ben kingsley) the King's brother and adviser, who also happens to wear eye liner for some reason.
During the attack Dastan kills one of Princess Tamina's (Gemma Arterton) guards who was in the possession of the mythical Dagger of Time. The dagger gives its owner the ability to go back in time for one minute, so that the user can try to correct any mistake or redo any moment.
While the Persians are celebrating their success, Dastan is fooled into offering a gift to his father which happened to be poisoned, and kills him. Dastan is seen as the perpetrator of his father's murder, so He escapes the castle with Princess Tamina, and goes on the run. While running from his own brothers with her he realizes the power of the dagger, and surprise falls in love with Tamina who is also the guardian of the dagger.
Prince of Persia was a fun story and an entertaining flick to watch, but not any more mind blowing then any other Jerry Bruckheimer film packed with explosions, CGI, ridiculous fight scenes, and an abundance of male actors wearing eye liner.
What didn’t really work for me was the lack of actual Middle Eastern actors aside from the extras, and the fact that everyone spoke with an English accent as opposed to Persian, go figure. I’m not suggesting they should have spoken Farsi or had subtitles because it would have obviously made the film less accessible to the general audience, but the English accent was definitely out of place and un-needed.
The acting for the most part was good. Not Gylenhaal’s best performance to date, but far from his worst. As far as video game adaption’s go Prince of Persia stands much higher than most. I don’t doubt that Disney would love for this to develop into a franchise much Like Pirates of The Caribbean, but I doubt that will actually happen.
One last thing, the run time came in under two hours, but still felt a little too long. They could have lost at least fifteen minutes without hurting the story, which tended to be repetitive and drag on at times.
I’m giving Prince of Persia an overall 5.5/10
Reader Comments (5)
I thought it was okay in parts, but you're right in that it was way too long. JB is just continuing to use the same formula time and time again. The eyeliner thing I also noticed in pirates, that is weird.
I thought it was really good. I don't see how it gets repetitive. There's non stop action for almost the entire movie. Usually men would be all over that...My husband loved it too.
This was classic Bruckheimer at it's best. The casting of non-middle eastern actors disn't really bother me. It was the quality in casting that was crap. They had Ben Kingsley playing a persian? really? Some Farsi couldn't have hurt either. The english accent was pointless and weird.
I would give this 4/10 at best!
I went to a screening that I won tickets for, and I'm glad. Because I never would have paid to see this. I won't recommend it anyone.
I agree with batmanfan it doesnt desreve even a 4/10
this one was very hit and miss for me it started really cool, but then it went down hill at about the half way point. Everything just seemed to be repeating it self over and over again. not bad I guess, but nothing I'd recommend either.