Know how you see a preview for a movie and it causes you to stare in both surprise and disbelief that this is really going to happen, and makes your soft palate raise while you exhale and hope to God that they don't screw the whole thing up? Ok now imagine(I'm sure this is the hard part) that you play video games and that all of a sudden someone wants to make a movie out of one of the most confounding adventure/puzzle/strategy you've experienced.....like that one game that you can't manage to even finish because it frustrates you and you can't find that stupid ActionReplay code thingy so you can just cheat instead of dying over and over in that lame spot where no actual people are attacking you(I mean seriously, how is anyone supposed to safely get down from that ledge???)......and then you snap out of it and really hope it doesn't suck?
I tried pretty hard to not expect anything concerning the release of the movie Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Mostly because in most cases, movies modeled after video games tend to suck.....Super Mario Brothers....Doom.....Dead or Alive(though that one did have lots of scantlily clad hotties, which was totally bearable). It is, incidentaly, the same on the reverse....I dare someone to call the Iron Man video game, playable. This time, though, I hoped it would just be decent. The game series has a few installments which provide a fair amount of storyline to play with as well as a consistent main character who possesses a certain nobility that almost inspires the player to believe that running along walls and jumping across rooftops is really going to change the world. After the Percy Jackson and the Olympians - disaster, I resigned myself to not even bother vocalizing my hopes as to avoid the public disappointment stacked on to the private, and planned to see it as soon as it was out.
I was relieved that it didn't suck......in fact, I liked it. The storyline was pretty solid, minus the ultimate aim of the antagonist.....I felt like that plan was just a bit of overkill. The action was considerate of both people who have played the games, and people who just like movies where things are happening quickly. I especially liked a part near the beginning where the prince's small war party is preparing their attack. The initial camera shots are built like those of the game: the character speaks while the camera zooms out and over to pan across the obstacles between the he and the target area, in quick frames allowing the viewer(that'd be you) to lightly grasp the bigger picture and see what needs to be done to accomplish it. Fortunately this concept doesn't carry into the entire move......as that would get old real quick, but definitely does a great job of including the video game audience right from the start. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the most awesome film of the summer or anything, but it was at least pleasant enough to be mentioning. For the life of me, I can't quite grasp why you would stop a near-perfect knive throwing marksman from launching a knife at his target for fear he might hit one of the ostriches? Especially after you just went on and on about his accuracy.....
The actors were, in my opinion, a very good choice for their roles. Most everyone I overheard, felt their doubts about Jake Gyllenhaal playing the prince. I feel that his look and personality fit the character quite well. It needed to be someone not too manley but masculine enough to look mean with a sword, and I feel like they certainly found someone worth that aim. Gemma Arterton is just really pretty and looks quite intriguing when she says witty, spicy things(I drooled a little bit there). The biggest sell, for me, was the way it sold the emotions. What I mean with that is that the story had twists and turns within it that were all close to home for the main character. The conflicts that were of the greatest trouble, were the ones concerning the heart. I felt a little swept away with the romanitc connection between Jake and Gemma, but not as strongly as I felt concerning the plots and betrayal within the royal family. His outrage at being wrongfully accused and his grief at the loss of his family, felt like my own....it felt personal.......I liked that. On the lighter side of that, It impressed me that they placed so much importance on those family ties and brotherhood and loyalty. Its things like that, that make me determined to have the kind of family I want, the kind that takes care of and cherishes each of its members, placing their value above self and wealth and position, the kind that pours out the kindness within them on just regular people everywhere, ya know? Yeah yeah blah blah mushy stuff, but it was nice to see that kind of thing. I like the way the brothers regarded each other and even in the face of betrayal, chose to think with their hearts and not with their minds and what they had seen and heard. I only wish I had been able to see it with my own brother....
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