A Delightful Adventure

Rating: 9/10 (21 August 2010)

In Persia, in the Royal City of Nasaf, the fair King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup) rules the empire with his brother Nizan (Ben Kingsley). Sharaman has two sons, but adopts the orphan Dastan that becomes part of his family. Years later, the Holy City of Alamut ruled by Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) is under siege of the troops led by Tus (Richard Coyle), Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) and Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), after their uncle Nizan had intercepted a spy carrying weapons manufactured in Alamut. Dastan invades the city with his men to avoid a massacre and the Persian army conquers the city. Dastan gets a dagger from an enemy and King Sharaman comes to Almut very upset with the invasion of the holy city. Then he arranges the marriage of Dastan with Princess Tamina. When Dastan gives a holy cloak delivered by Tus to his father, the mantle is poisoned and kills Sharaman. Dastan is accused of betrayal but he escapes with Princess Ttamina. Sooner he finds that the dagger is a powerful device to travel and change time and that Tus is not the traitor and he engages with Tamina in a quest for justice.
"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" is a delightful adventure that gives a sensation of nostalgia from the times when movies were just for entertainment without the necessity of sex scenes or graphic violence. The use of CGI is excessive in some moments, but never replace the great performances. The story and the screenplay are excellent, full of action and humor, and the motive for the invasion of Alamut is a clear joke with the invasion of Iraq by USA. The art direction is carefully detailed and set decoration is awesome with locations in Moroco and Pinewwod Studios in England and David Belle that created the Parkour is responsible for the stunning choreography. Gemma Arterton is extremely beautiful in the role of Tamina and Jake Gyllenhall is a great surprise performing a funny hero of an action film. Their chemistry is wonderful and this movie is a magnificent entertainment for the whole family. The music score of Alanis Morissette is awesome. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Príncipe da Pérsia – As Areias do Tempo" ("Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time")