I do like video games, though I haven't played a lot of them since I have a bad habit of getting stuck and then getting really frustrated.  I've heard of the Prince of Persia games, but I've never played them.  I thought the trailer for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time looked interesting, so I decided to go see it when I had the chance.

While still a child, Dastan is adopted by the King of Persia after showing courage.  Fifteen years later, Dastan and his two brothers, Tus and Garsiv are leading the Persian army.  After Nizam, the King's brother, shows information that indicates that the holy city of Alamut is making weapons for enemies of Persia, Tus decides to invade.  The King arrives after the battle is over and decides that Dastan and Princess Tamina should get married.  Things quickly go wrong with the King dying and Dastan being blamed.  

Dastan and Tamina flee the city. Tamina is just focused on getting back a dagger that Dastan got during the battle.  He discovers by accident that the dagger is very special and has the ability to turn back time.  Dastan wants to use the dagger to prove that he didn't kill his father while Tamina, who is a guardian of the dagger, just wants to keep it safe and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.  While the two of them struggle with what to do, they have to deal with Sheik Amar and his thieves as well as a group of Hassansins sent to kill them.

Since I haven't played any of the Prince of Persia games, I don't know how much of the story is pulled from the games and how much has been created just for the movie.  Wherever the plot came from, I think it works overall to make an entertaining movie, though a few aspects of it could have been handled better.  Movies based on video games have a reputation for being horrible, though I have seen a few that I've enjoyed and I've also seen a few that weren't that great.  I think this movie is a decent example of this type of movie.  It isn't going to appeal to everyone though.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time starts off by showing Dastan as a child and how the King decided to adopt him.  That is covered in just a few minutes and then the movie jumps forward fifteen years to when Tus, as the oldest son, is trying to decide what to do about Alamut.  It doesn't take long for Dastan and Tamina to end up on the run.  The rest of the movie is focused on them trying to reach their goals while dealing with each other.  Things move along at a fairly fast pace, but I never felt like things were rushed.  

When things go wrong and Dastan is blamed for the death of his father, it isn't clear at that point what is going on.  That adds a bit of mystery to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and helps to keep the story interesting.  It isn't that hard to figure out what is going on and who is behind it though, which is a bit disappointing.  It would have been nice if the mystery would have been stronger.  The movie ends up being rather predictable overall, which may disappoint some people.  I still think the movie is entertaining and worth watching even though it is predictable.

There is a lot of action throughout Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.  Some of the attack on Alamut is shown, mostly focused on Dastan's part of the battle.  He gets into various fights throughout the movie, sometimes using swords.  The fight scenes are done well.  Dastan also does a lot of running and leaping from building to building.  I know that people actually do things like that, though I think some of his acrobatic activities are at least somewhat enhanced with CGI.  Special effects are used for different things throughout the movie and I think they look good.  Several things just wouldn't have worked right without the effects.  

Some scenes do have violence, though I don't think the violence is that extreme or graphic for the most part.   Some characters are injured or killed though.  Snakes turn up way more than I liked.  I knew from the preview that one scene has a snake attacking, but unfortunately, snakes turn up more than that.  One of the Hassansins uses them to fight and seems to be able to control them in some weird way.  I really could have done without all the snakes.  The movie is rated PG-13, so parents will probably want to check the movie out before letting kids see it.  For the movie part, the movie has a more serious tone, though some humor does turn up every so often.  Much of the humor is provided by Sheik Amar.  

Dastan and Tamina don't get along that well at first, though Dastan does seem attracted to her when he first sees her.  Part of the problem is that they are each trying to accomplish different things and they aren't interested in what the other wants.  Their relationship does improve as things progress.  There really isn't romance to the movie, though there are hints of feelings developing between them.  The movie doesn't have any sex scenes, though Dastan and Tamina both show off a bit of skin once or twice.  Dastan is shirtless once or twice.  He looks really good that way, so it is disappointing that he isn't shirtless in more of the movie.

There is more emphasis on the action in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, so there really isn't a lot of character development.  Since Dastan is the main character, he receives the most.  The fact that he was living in the streets before the King adopted him does play a part in the type of person he is.  Dastan wants to do the right thing, though there are times when he doesn't for some reason.  He is a decent main character and Jake Gyllenhaal does well with the part, though he does seem more serious than is needed at times.  This part is very different from the others I've seen him play.

King Sharaman isn't in much of the movie, though he seems like a decent character.  Nizam is Sharaman's brother and he also serves as some kind of advisor.  Nizam does have influence over Tus.  Ben Kingsley does really well with the part.  Tus is the oldest son and the next in line to become King.  Garsiv seems a bit more aggressive than his older brother.  Richard Coyle and Toby Kebbell are fine in the parts.  

Tamina is the princess of Alamut and she is also the guardian of the dagger.  Her main focus is protecting the dagger and keeping it from falling into the wrong hands.  She is a bit stubborn at times and not always truthful, though she is likable enough overall.  Gemma Atherton does well with the part.  Sheik Amar is a kind of shady character.  He runs fixed ostrich races and is almost always complaining about taxes.  Alfred Molina makes him the most entertaining character in the movie.

Main Cast
    
Gemma Atherton - Tamina
Richard Coyle - Tus
Jake Gyllenhaal - Dastan
Toby Kebbell - Garsiv
Ben Kingsley - Nizam
Alfred Molina - Sheik Amar

Mike Newell - Director

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has a few issues with the plot and predictability, but the movie is very entertaining overall.  It works well as a fun type of action movie, though some people just won't care for it. 

*This review was orignally posted after I saw the movie in the theater.  It is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

This review is part of CaptainD's Good Movies EpiGuide 3 Write Off.

Jake Gyllenhaal Movies
The Day After Tomorrow ~ Rendition ~ Zodiac ~

Recommended: Yes