Based on the popular video game series, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" is a swashbuckling good ride. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Prince Dastan, a lowly peasant who, as a young boy, catches the eye of the king and is brought to the palace to be raised as royalty. There he is brought up alongside two brothers and a watchful uncle under the loving care of the king, and Dastan grows up to be a reckless and fun-loving warrior. However, when Dastan stumbles upon a mystical dagger that gives its holder powers over the sands of time, it's up to him - aided by the fiery and beautiful Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) - to make sure the dagger doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Needless to say, movies based on video games don't have the best track record. While there isn't much to the plot here, the story does at least stay true to the game and the special effects are high-def worthy. Casting a star such as Gyllenhaal in the lead role was a smart move to lend some credibility to the cast - in addition to Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley as Dastan's uncle - and while Dastan is a pretty 2-D character, Gyllenhaal does a great job of bringing the mischievous, acrobatic prince to life. It is also worth mentioning the intense physical labor that Gyllenhaal put into the role, which is quite apparent in every shirtless scene that shows off his impressively toned and gorgeous physique. As for Arterton (who I praised recently in my "Clash of the Titans" review), she shows off more of that spunky fire in this role. My prediction is that you'll be seeing a lot more of this elegant beauty in the future, and hopefully not just in films that fall into the mythological fantasy/action genre. For now, you can follow this great cast on a fun adventure through sumptuous desert lands and exciting action scenes that will have you jonesing for your game controller.
3 out of 5 stars
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