Editorial
Front Page - Friday, June 11, 2010
The Critic's Corner
David Laprad
Ever since “Pong” appeared in arcades in 1972, Hollywood has been trying to cash in on the video game craze. Yet despite dozens of attempts, no one has made a good movie based on a game. “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” comes close.
The movie is set in Persia, which was located on the same plot of land as modern day Iran. Go back 2,600 years in time and take a stroll through the marketplace of its capital city, and you might see a young street urchin named Dastan defend a boy from being beaten and then escape pursuit by running across rooftops.
As “Prince of Persia” opens, this is the scene the noble ruler of the empire happens upon. Moved with compassion, he adopts Dastan and raises him along with his two sons. The story then jumps ahead 15 years to when Dastan and his brothers are preparing to attack the city of Alamut on the assumption that its people are making weapons for the enemies of Persia. The intelligence came to them by means of Nazim, the king’s brother and advisor. (Hmmm...)
Dastan, who’s grown up to bear a striking resemblance to actor Jake Gyllenhall, disobeys the orders of his brothers and leads a sneak attack on the city the night before the battle, believing it will save Persian lives. During the skirmish that follows, he defeats one of the guards of Tamina, the princess of Alamut, and acquires the Dagger of Time, a mythical blade that allows its owner to rewind time for a brief period, undoing any mistakes.
Dastan’s efforts pave the way for victory for the Persians. However, while celebrating, he’s conned into giving his father a robe tinged with lethal poison. As the king lies dead on the spot, Nazim accuses Dastan of murdering him. (Hmmm...) The princess, seeing an opportunity to reclaim the dagger, helps Dastan escape.
That night, while camping out in the desert, Tamina tries to kill Dastan, who accidentally activates the dagger and rewinds time to before the princess cuts him with her blade. Having learned about the powers of the dagger, Dastan sets out to capture his father’s killer and clear his name, while the princess tags along to keep an eye on the blade.
When Tamina learns that an evil man has designs to use the dagger to turn back decades worth of time in an event she says will actually destroy mankind, she changes her quest to one of getting the blade to the only place on Earth where it can do no harm.
“Prince of Persia” has several things working in its favor, not the least of which is superb production values. From the richly designed palace interiors of Alamut, to the shimmering Persian desert, to the scenes packed with extras dressed in lavish clothing, this is a good-looking film. Its stars are just as pleasing to behold, from the luscious Gemma Arterton, who plays Tamina, to the beefed up and well-oiled Gyllenhall. Plus, the special effects are up to par with what viewers have come to expect from summer blockbusters, although a scene in which an underground temple crumbles into an abyss is a bit of a hodgepodge.
It also appears as though “Prince of Persia” features solid fight and stunt choreography. Dastan generally dispatches foes with a few slick moves and a quick slice of his sword, and executes an array of impressive acrobatics while escaping enemies and scaling buildings.
Unfortunately, director Mike Newell (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) shoots too closely to the action and cuts too quickly from shot to shot, denying the viewer the pleasure of seeing what’s taking place. The nature of the story called for an approach to shooting and editing closer to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” than “The Bourne Identity.”
As frustrating as the muddled action tends to be, I would’ve welcomed a tighter story first. The plot has all of the patience of a hyperactive video game junkie, jumping from point A to point C on a number of occasions and skipping the scenes that would’ve made for smoother transitions.
Also, while the dialogue between Dastan and Tamina is snappy at times and reminded me of the heated exchanges between Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood in “Raiders,” the screenplay is also lazy in places. For example, instead of earning the dramatic tension needed for the finale, the writers simply have Tamina say something that gives viewers one impression, only to have what actually happens nullify her statement.
Because of its stars and first-rate production values, some moviegoers will enjoy “Prince of Persia.” As the credits rolled, my wife voiced quite a bit of enthusiasm for the film. However, its choppy visuals and clunky storyline will disappoint others.
Email David Laprad at dlaprad @hamiltoncountyherald.com.
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