Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time
Jake Gyllenhaal retains his boyish charm in a muscular role, which is essential to his appeal.
Movies adapted from games tread a dangerous path - ignored by those not interested in the game, and subject to the wrath from those who are. However, Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time is miles apart from the likes of Tomb Raider and Resident Evil, so its origins can be safely ignored.
For what Mike Newell has crafted is a lush, gorgeous and well-paced adventure, very much in the vein of the first Pirates Of The Caribbean. Do not be put off by the trailer, as - unlike the aforementioned Pirates - the attempts at humour seen there feel forced. Luckily, in context these goofy moments sit just right in a fantastical tale of envy, revenge, sacrifice and destiny.
Jake Gyllenhaal retains his boyish charm in a muscular role, which is essential to his appeal. There is a complete lack of vanity to his Prince Dastan, no matter what the bulging biceps and flowing hair might have you believe. His physicality is seen as a consequence of his skills at parkour, the gravity-defying acrobatics that nod to the story's game origins, but are rooted in reality thanks to real-life practioners who have no need for wires. While Gyllenhaal was a remarkable choice for an action hero, he is by no means uncomfortable, and his innate vulnerabilty is essential to his character's story.
Dastan is a street orphan in Ancient Persia, adopted by the kindly King. Growing up in a close-knit family, he adores his new brothers (Toby Kebbell and Richard Coyle) and uncle Nizam (Ben Kingsley). However, when the royal army is persuaded to go to war with a neighbouring kingdom, they come across the fiercely noble and spiritual Princess Tamina. With Dastan getting his hands of what he merely thinks is a pretty knife, only Tamina is aware that he is holding the precious dagger that can release the Sands Of Time, giving its owner the power to turn back time and alter the universe. Tamina, as the dagger's sworn guardian, must do everything she can to stop it falling into the wrong hands.
Gemma Arterton is riding the crest of a wave of spectacular success right now, but she started filming her role as Tamina before Clash Of The Titans, The Disappearance Of Alice Creed and Tamara Drewe. While she was virtually redundant in Clash and outshone in Alice Creed, in Prince Of Persia she is a revelation. It helps that Tamina is no damsel in distress, nor lined up as a love interest early on, with her only ambition to fulfil her destiny as keeper of the dagger. Arterton balances charm, dignity and humour to perfection in a role that is equal in bravery to that of Gyllenhaal's Dastan. While their chemistry won't burn a hole in the screen, there are enough sparks (more like sibling rivalry) to make their onscreen partnership enjoyable.
A pivotal role is that of Sir Ben Kingsley's Nazim. The great actor relishes his part, tinged with pathos and deep with emotion, which helps to elevate the film from an empty blockbuster. Alfred Molina is on hand (with some ostriches) for comic relief, and Kebbell and Coyle are intriguing and worthy choices as princes.
Newell, proving himself as a confident director in many genres, shows a superb eye for thrills and action. With such natural beauty to be found in the filming location of Morocco, there is no reliance on 3D or flashy, over-the-top CGI, and he is happy to allow us to soak in the wonders of the desert. The strongest action sequence is, unfortunately, to be found early on in the film, but the storming of Tamina's kingdom is stunning and inventive, thanks to Dastan's ingenuity.
For all that is good about Prince Of Persia, it does suffer from the disease that blights most huge movies - dialogue that only serves to move plot along, rather than sparkle in its own right. And for all its talk about destiny, despite some nice moments towards the conclusion, the actual ending is pretty unmemorable and messy. However, as family films go, it's a mini-epic in its own right, and a lot of fun.
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