Prince of  Persia: The Sands of Time

 

Tricky thing, adapting a video game concept into full blown cinema; even trickier if that video game is a long standing franchise spanning over two decades. As we have seen one two many times before, the biggest challenge faced by film makers is not just adapting from console to the big screen, but producing a film that will be enjoyed by the general audience.

Most remembered for yester year’s cult classic Four weddings and a Funeral and recently for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Mike Newell seems to have more done his part here as the lowly director. I say lowly, only because he’s had to live up to some pretty big expectations from producer Jerry Bruckheimer on one hand, and the acclaim, might and magic of Walt Disney Pictures on the other. And that expectation obviously, was to meet or exceed in worth, Bruckheimer’s offspring with Disney, ala the hugely entertaining Pirates of the Caribbean. But given the tried and tested risk in breathing cinematic life into video games, Newell’s slight of hand may have been the employing of Jordan Mechner’s screenplay, who after all, is the creator of the game, Prince of Persia. Needless to say, this may have been the first step in elevating the movie over what could have been an average video game flick, along the lines of say, Doom, Silent Hill or even Tomb Raider. While Mechner’s screenplay is loosely based on the game’s latest incarnation, Sands of Time, elements from the earlier two games, Warrior Within and The Two Thrones also get some deserved screen time. Ultimately, Mechner’s grafting between the game and the movie is almost seamless and is unlikely to have viewers on either side of the fence…gaming fans opposite naïve movie goers. Besides, he has done it without having to get too intimate with the game’s original mythology.

Although simple, the plot is well paced with Jake Gyllenhaal playing Dastan, the titled prince. Adopted by King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup), Dastan’s new life is a far fetch from years of stealing and fending for himself. In due course, Dastan and his step brothers, along with their uncle Nizam (Ben Kingsley) breach a city supposedly aiding Persian enemies with exotic weaponry. In the ensuing battle, Dastan stumbles upon a mysterious dagger with incredible but potentially deadly power. Before he gets to learn its true purpose, Dastan finds himself in a world of trouble when accused of murdering his father, being tracked by ruthless assassins, and keeping the dagger away from his uncle, hell-bent on using its destructive powers. Wanted dead or alive, Dastan can only trust an untrusting Tamina, (Gemma Arterton) Princess of the city he helped sack, and guardian of the dagger. Together, they must do all they can to stay alive, solve the king’s murder and prevent the dagger from falling into the wrong hands. I did say the plot is simple, but not necessarily boring. From kids (actually teenagers) to adults, there’s plenty of fun for everyone. Action is fast paced, intense and heavy with CGI and by the looks of it, quality is chosen over quantity. Humor is present in moments least expected, and thanks to Alfred Molina as Dastan’s mentor, we sometimes get more than expected. On the acting front, Newell scores again. From that weirdo kid in Donnie Darko to his more controversial role in Brokeback Mountain, Gyllenhaal fits snug into the role. In Bruckheimer’s eyes, he may be no Jack Sparrow, but if this is Gyllenhaal in his first real action hero role, then there is a lot to be expected from him in the very near future. Perfectly cast opposite him is Arterton in a role that could reboot Xena: Warrior Princess into a whole new franchise. On-screen chemistry is evident from the moment their eyes meet and works both ways as they start off as enemies while moving closer and closer in every scene. Perhaps the standout role here definitely goes to (Sir) Ben Kingsley as the antagonist; a scheming villain with a lot of dark secrets and equally dark tricks up his sleeve. As always, Kingsley delivers, and watching this diversified yet refined actor is a real treat. Though the casting choice fits the bill, my only question is, what is the need for mostly Caucasian actors with an English accent in a story that is supposed to be set in sixth century Persia? That includes Gyllenhaal in a ‘jolly good’ accent as well.

So here it is folks, the 2010 summer movie season is officially open, and Newell’s Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is the multi-role vehicle to throw the doors open. Yes, there will nose-diggers with a thing or two to point their walking stick at, but at the end of the day, this has to be the best video game movie to date. In the interim, what you can look forward to is a good story, dynamically featuring a whodunit, subtle humor, fantasy and romance. Also included is some spectacular CGI assisted action, epic scaled cinematography, a captivating score and some fine acting, considering the genre. In the long term, this could be Bruckheimer’s new franchise vehicle and is likely to outdo Pirates of the Caribbean in number of sequels.

{pgomakase}