Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Any film that is based on a computer game faces an assortment of obstacles to say the very least.
Fans of the game already have expectations of what they want from the characters and the story and if the director doesn't deliver those expectations, the film's target audience is lost.
Fortunately with this adaptation, Mike Newell manages to stay fairly close to the essence of the characters and also manages to deliver a passable attempt at a tricky subject.
Super Mario Bros, Street Fighter, Hitman, Mortal Combat (in fact, every game I loved as a child come to think of it) are all good examples of bad transitions from game to movie, so credit to Disney for being brave enough to have a go at getting it right ... even if it didn't quite hit the mark.
Prince of Persia revolves around Dastan, the adopted son of King Sharaman, who's ordered to invade the holy city of Alamut, along with his head-strong uncle and his two brothers.
Unfortunately, when a victory celebration goes very wrong, Dastan is accused of murder and is forced to go on the run, but luckily for him, Princess Tamina is along for the ride to keep him company. Sounds a little too good to be true, right?
Since in movies nothing good ever seems to last for very long, he soon discovers that Tamina is only going with him to get her hands on a mysterious time-altering dagger that he acquired after a nasty little fist fight with some of her henchmen.
As tempers flair between the unlikely team (which an experienced movie fan can see is just an affront to something a little more intrinsic) they eventually stop arguing and realise that the dagger holds the key to restoring order and preventing a sinister plot to usurp power by whoever framed Dastan for murder.
Like I said, this film is a passable attempt and credit where it is due, the plot isn't as bad as I thought it would be. With this movie I'm taken on a journey and although I went on that journey willingly, I had the urge to wander off the path towards the end.
The dialogue was a little limited for my liking but it covered the essentials and I guess that's the important part.
The film definitely looks incredible, the camerawork and graphics are right up there with the best I've seen so far. Unfortunately despite the best efforts of the cast, director and the amazing special effects, this movie seems to narrowly miss the sense of urgency and fun one would expect from a Jerry Bruckheimer summer blockbuster.
