Braindead

Rating: 5/10 (21 September 2010)

Another loud, brainless CGI summer flick to dull the senses. I realize that people want to shut off their brains during the summer holidays, but this is ridiculous. The fact that Jake Gyllenhal was cast as a 'Persion Prince' makes it obvious from the beginning, that this is nothing to be taken seriously. In fact, ALL the leads were white, in this very Arabic tale. I wonder why.. Strangely enough the the extras standing in the background all looked very Arabic/middle Eastern. They were being used as props it would seem. Anyone who doesn't feel like their intelligence is being insulted needs to pay a bit more attention. The story itself is lame and mind-numbingly repetitive, kind of like a video game. Oh yeah, this WAS based on a video game... and it shows; The whole film deals with people stealing a magical dagger from the other side, just to have it taken back again. The corrupt royal family steals the dagger from the Rogue (White) Prince, who looks like a surfer who wandered onto the set of "The Arabian Nights." Gyllenhal gets angry and he and his Princess, who looks a bit like Xena Warrior Princess, (really mid eastern looking too, huh.. especially with her freckles) take the dagger back. They exchange some witty (by idiot standards) banter before they are set upon again by the evil royals. The whole film goes on like this, and it is as enjoyable as watching someone else play a video game. I find it amazing that the same people who criticized "The Last Airbender" actually like this tripe; 'Airbender' looks like "Lawrence of Arabia" compared to this; it is a much better film, actually. The most unfortunate thing about "Prince of Persia" is that it had real potential. The score was quite beautiful, and the costumes and set design were very good, (although not as great as "The Last Airbender." It seems Disney was afraid that if they cast real Middle Eastern types for the leads then this thing would not have had success. The sad thing is, they might be right. And the film could not be more inaccurate, historically; people swilling wine while two feet away women are wearing veils. Is this before the existence of Islam, or after? How come some women (in the background of course) must wear veils, while other women can walk around half naked, looking like Las Vegas showgirls? In the 30's and 40's, Hollywood would paint white people's skin, to pass them off as Asian, or Negro. It is sad that we haven't come very far, 80 years later. Maybe Hollywood doesn't realize that Asian actors do exist; they aren't all working in kitchen's or dealing drugs. But if you go into this noisy, tacky film, with the knowledge that it is based on a video game, then you shouldn't be too disappointed. set your standards low, just be glad that it isn't in 3-D.