Why Hollywood, Why?

Rating: 3/10 (16 September 2010)

Once upon a time, when I was a little bugger, and my parents just bought me a PS2, a magical game came into my hands thanks to a friend. This game was Price Of Persia: Sands Of Time. It had everything a game should have. Good action gameplay, great entertaining plot, confusing yet ultimately solvable puzzles and decent characters to go with all of it. But you know what that amazing video game didn't have? Stale, tired Hollywood clichés.
So now we come to this movie. Does it follow the (amazing) storyline? Nope. Does it follow it loosely? Nope. Are there one or 2 elements in the movie that come from the game just so they can claim that it's Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time? Yes, it is. You know what this is? Just a pretty cheesy adventure film. Let's see what's common between the source and this derivative. The fact that there's a dagger that can turn back time. A few action moves. And the twist ending (I'm being VERY generous with this one).
What does this movie mainly have? Just about every Hollywood cliché in the book. The quirky protagonist with the sappy back story and humble beginnings, the love interest who doesn't like our hero initially but later falls in love with him, the evil uncle who kills the hero's father (Lion King anyone?), a comedic relief character, pointless chase and action scenes etc etc. And what's with evil uncle anyways? He's bald, has a goatee, has a dark shade under his eye. Why did they have to make the villain so friggin obvious? I've seen more subtle Disney bad guys. Sheesh! Oh yeah, and the movie has a typical happy happy ending.
I can just imagine the scenario of the producers coming up with the idea for this film.
Producer1: 'Hey got any ideas for a new film?' Producer2: 'Hmmm... well I saw nephew playing this game called Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time. It would make for another great lazy video game adaptation!' Producer1: 'Cool. What's it about?' Producer2: 'I don't know. Some dagger with sands in Persia or something. Who cares? We'll just get some rookie story writer to slap together a lazy plot and we'll market it to the unsuspecting video game fans and the other people who don't know anything about this Price Of Persia' Producer1: 'Brilliant! Money will fall on our laps like snowflakes.'
To be fair, the movie is a bit entertaining. But that doesn't cover up for all the plot holes, lazy writing and general predictability. Hollywood can do better. They just don't because everyone pays for stuff that's generic and therefore easier to make. If you want to watch a cheesy adventure film, go ahead. If you're like me and are expecting the complex, layered and dark plot of the game, you better avoid this.