Another Jewel from Jerry Bruckheimer's Showcase

Rating: 9/10 (30 May 2010)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is another jewel from Jerry Bruckheimer's production company. If you enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, Deja Vu, or the rom-com Confessions of a Shopaholic, you'll love this movie. There is enough action in this movie to satisfy the men, and enough romance to satisfy the women.
The characters are unique and lovable. The quirky business entrepreneur, Sheik Almar(Alfred Molina), adds a comedic addition to Price of Persia. When I saw the movie Saturday night, the entire audience burst in laughter at his witty humor. The knife thrower, Seso(Steve Toussaint) is an interesting addition. Dastan's uncle, Nizam (Ben Kingsley) is powerful and intense in the scenes he is in. The back- flipping champion, Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), isn't a typical prince. The feisty princess, Tamina (Gemma Arterton), is not what she appears to be.
The plot is simple, but the twists are unexpected. Often I thought something was going to happen, but I was wrong in each case. If you've never played the Prince of Persia games like me, you'll love the unexpected events in this movie.
The sets are delicious eye candy. The buildings of Morocco are intricate, and most extras authentic to the region. The animals, flying knives, and objects in the film looked real. Although I knew there were special effects for safety reasons, but I could not tell the difference. Hundreds, if not a thousand, people worked on the special and visual effects.
The action, editing, and camera-work was fast and fantastic. 105 stunt doubles, stunt performers, and coordinators worked on Prince of Persia. There were thousands of different camera shots. Within a single action scene there was a shot on the ground, one above, one on the side, one on the face, all seconds long. Being a novice camera operator, I was in awe. This movie was difficult to create.
There are few cons to Prince of Persia. The plot is simple, but it is entertaining. Not all was authentic, but it is not a documentary. I suggest you add it to your list of movies to watch, as it is well-made and the actors are brilliant. You'll be on the edge of your seat.