Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

As we saw the preview at Wondercon, it is only fitting that some time be taken to see the final product and give it a review. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Prince Dastan, an orphan in the streets who was adopted into the royal family. The movie, for a fan of the series, pays solid homage to its origins. While there are hints of other influences, many things drew from the same sources as the games themselves.

The movie opens showing the future Prince and the fateful day when he was taken into the Royal Family. The movie sped up, showing events 15 years later, with our little orphan fully grown. He is one of three brothers, all of whom are en route to carry out orders from their father. We see a very playful Dastan, if somewhat reckless, wrestling with his squad of men, betting with them on contests. We see him and his brothers called to war council. Their Uncle, the King’s Advisor, shows them that the shipment of weapons is being sent from the Holy City of Alumet. He urges them to attack the city in order to ensure the security of the nation of Persia. The attack is successful thanks largely to Dastan’s quick thinking and rash actions, sparing many lives that would have otherwise been lost in the assault. At the end of this battle, Dastan finds himself in possession of an ornate dagger. This dagger, we later learn, is the Dagger of Time. He eventually finds himself on the run with the Princess of Alumet in tow. Their escapades take them across the desert and throughout Persia.

The story itself did not show anything too original but it did give Dastan more than enough of a chance to show what many would expect of the Prince’s personality. It did show more of a supporting cast than the games ever really had (that survived). There were still some things that could have been done better or could have had a great degree of elaboration, but there was a lot put into the movie as it stands.

The scenery itself and music both fit very well to the series as fans would know it. It retains that tight, enclosing feeling when in the city, allowing Dastan to move very easily throughout the city with the Prince’s fabled agility and gymnastics. It had the spiraling heights and depths that the series had been come to be known for. The difference between CGI and reality in the movie proved to be very tricky to notice outside of those that made it obvious. It truly offered a wonderful visual experience on par with what could be found inside the games. The music stayed more in the veins of what one would find in either Sands of Time or The Two Thrones (also knows as The Rival Swords). It kept things lively and fit to the scene very well. Much of it showed the same influences as the games, which fit very well.

The runs around 2 hours from start to finish. It definitely fits with the games, giving a very enjoyable experience. While it can definitely appeal to those who have not played the series, it does offer a lot of little nods to those who understand just how the Prince moves and what the themes of the game generally are. It is very nice that is also stands apart from the games, drawing only from the general mythology used for the universe itself. If you enjoyed the games, you should enjoy the movie. If you are curious what the games are like, give the movie a chance.



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