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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Alfred Molina, Ben Kingsley, Toby Kebbell Director: Mike Newell Scriptwriters: Boaz Yakim, Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro and Jordan Mechner Walt Disney Pictures Rating: PG 13 for violence and action Running Length: 110 minutes As video games go, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time must be an exciting one. There is a hero, beautiful princess, villains, snakes, escapes and all set in the deserts of long ago Persia. As a movie, we have a hero, Prince Dastan (played by Jake Gyllenhaal with rippling muscles and lots of hair that moves on its own.) The beautiful princess is Gemma Arterton (Clash of the Titans) who must love mythological films, she’s been in two. Villains have scarred faces and carry snakes in their clothing. Escapes can be with horses, acrobatic maneuvers that could be in the Olympics and all this to keep the audience from guessing there really isn’t a story at all. The plot begins with an orphan boy (Jake) being chosen by the King of Persia to be his adopted son. This is so the king won’t worry about this son wanting the throne, no blood line. The king’s other two sons are constantly reminded of how inadequate they are. Ben Kingsley is the uncle, advisor to the king, and Sir Ben knows politics better than the U.N. The Persian princes conquer a city because it had “weapons of mass destruction.” Actually, someone wants a magical dagger with special sand that causes time to stand still. Pretty handy in a knife fight. Dastan is framed for murder, the princess helps him escape, they rush here and there for this and that amid sandstorms, giant snakes and knife throwing warriors. I almost thought I was back in Clash of the Titans for a few minutes. The bright spot is Alfred Molina, a sidekick who steals his scenes. You know the storyline is thin when you notice Jake’s hair rising and falling on top of his head. Gemma Arterton’s prattle goes on way too long and the dagger travels more than an airline pilot. How Jake and the princess survive a sandstorm in a flimsy tent is magical by itself. Even the horse was safe. What does work, though are the stunts and sword fights that go on and on around the city. Gives the term “keeping in shape” new meaning. However, if there is a sequel, it may be titled Prince of Persia: Yawns of Time. Two Tocks Copyright 2010 Marie Asner
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