"Did you know that ostriches have suicidal tendencies...?"

Rating: 7/10 (29 March 2020)

Jake Gyllenhaal is clearly having a good time as he portrays "Dastan" the adopted street-urchin son of the Shah of Persia. Along with the two true sons of the Emperor, they lay siege to the holy city of Alamut where the beautiful Gemma Arterton is the inviolable princess. Based on some dodgy intelligence, they attack and capture the city. When their furious father (Ronald Pickup) arrives to establish what drove them to this sacrilege, he dons a glittering prayer robe and mysteriously dies. Dastan, who presented it to him, is blamed. He escapes (with the princess) and tries to stay one step ahead of his pursuing former family - and of some ostrich-racing slavers before saving the world and proving his innocence by way of a magical dagger than can alter time itself. It's a great, action-packed little adventure feature with Ben Kingsley adding some theatrical ham as his wicked uncle "Nizam" and Alfred Molina as the man with the ostriches. You don't need to know anything about the game to watch - it's just good family entertainment with a good looking, if somewhat bedraggled, top biller.