A few weeks ago, I wrote a review of the videogame Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and I remarked upon how the game’s cinematic storyline was greatly enhanced by the kind of massive, deep-dish visual detail that you just can’t get in a feature film. Uh, yeah, judging from the new trailer for next May’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – a movie version of, yep, a beloved videogame — it looks like I very well may have been utterly wrong:
The smudgy video quality aside, this flick looks about as close to a live-action version of a modern video-game as I think I may have ever seen this side of Tron: Legacy, and that’s saying something, given that producer Jerry Bruckheimer has made some of the most videogame-y movies of the last 10 years. The trailer even includes shots of star Jake Gyllenhaal quickly leaping between walls, a touchstone of sorts for the videogame series. Less geek-ily exciting: We barely see Gyllenhaal speak, which makes me wonder if perhaps his British accent is indeed as sketchy as it comes across here. More worrying (for some), there’s barely half-a-second of Gyllenhaal shirtlessness, which heretofore felt like practically the entire campaign for the film.
What say you, PopWatchers: Are you ready to press play for this movie Prince, or are you content simply to play the (highly) pixelated version of him at home?
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i just dont see it having the same success as pirates.. Jake’s leading man character is anywhere close to the rascally Jack Sparrow..
anyone else thinks he comes across.. bland? surprising, as he usually impresses me
i disagree. i was surprisingly impressed by the trailer. way better than the campy crap i was expecting. however, i’m not that familiar with the story.. not sure how Persian the prince is supposed to be but Gyllenhaal seems way too “white” for this role.
Me too. I’m usually really critical of trailers and I was especially under-enthused about this one as a fan of the games. But it looks really good. Then again, it is Disney and they can make even trash feel like fun (POC 2)
Wow, special effects aside, this looks pretty bad. Not buying Jake as a macho, catch-phrase spewing action hero at all, and Gemma seems to have about as much charisma and personality as a blank piece of paper. Speaking of, the dialogue is atrocious – seriously, what’s with the so-called “flirty banter” between Jake and Gemma that sounds more like creepy sexual harassment? Really, guys? Really?
like the light skin black chic in R.E5..should have just used a Lauryn hill lookalike.., comes a white boy playing a prince in a desert… they could have used Sydia(whats his name?) from lost or something… i am gonna check it out for the special effects..wish hollywood would wake up.
surprisingly i thought it looked pretty good, definitely has summer movie written all over of it and i would probably go see it.
This looks SO bad. What was Gyllenhaal thinking?! What were the producers thinking?! I agree with Alex — they’re trying to duplicate the success of Pirates. I certainly got some deja vu here, but this trailer suggests that Persia doesn’t have the same humor (or Johnny Depp!) to help it cross the line from camp to genius. Ugh.
The only thing that really impressed me was the british accent Jake seemed to pull off well. Other than that? Having played the game and been a fan for a while? I don’t know why they could not have found a middle eastern actor to play the role? I know it’s about box office security, but honestly I think HW could use a new fresh face. Jake looks like an action hero, but seriously…for Prince of Persia? He’s too famous in that people will automatically be bias due to his other films. How did he go from Bubble Boy to Prince of Persia? From Broke Back to the Sands of Time? lol. Again, an unknown would, in my opinion, get audiences more invested in the story…UNLESS the script is so bad they need someone of Jake’s status to redeem it???
You’ve just exhausted your supply of question marks for the month. Enjoy your new diet of declarative statements!
Looks much better than anticipated. The British accent is silly, but it works in context and sounds fine. Jake looks hot! Never played the game, but this is the movie, not the game. It seems like it will be a whole lotta fun. Isn’t that what a summer blockbuster should be?
I think it looks okay. i agree that the accent is a little silly, but it doesn’t distract me to the point of annoyance, so i’m fine with it. Gyllenhaal does seem a little bland, and they tried for the flirtatious pirates-type humor. Don’t think they pull it off quite as well, but this could be an entertaining movie nonetheless. i think it will be better than a lot of summer crap.
Paw, why do you hate rockets? I don’t want to mine coal! Can’t you see that science is my passion, my love?
I can actually buy Jake in this role.
What I don’t like about this preview is that the movie doesn’t look “real”. I wish it had a more “gritty” look to it…maybe it would have, if Disney wasn’t behind it.
Also, it seems to have a very simplistic plot.
I just have a feeling that the film will end up being lots of special effect, and very little story.
They get points for British accents, but I’m going to have to mark them down for failing to include a “wailing woman” soundtrack.
The money and effects level of Pirates in the script of the mummy? A rollicking good time? Lots of wall jumping(yawn). A circular tower pan complete with dive off that looks stolen from Assassin’s Creed. Hmmm… Bet its still good just for effects and hopefully has enough creamy goodness and a bit of t-n-a to be as funny as a Mummy if not as good as Pirates.
Seems more Assassin’s Creed than Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.
If I remember correctly, everyone was very doubtful of The Pirates of the Caribbean ride being made into a movie(“Disney’s lost their mind”,”this movie is gonna tank” etc..)BUT, the movie introduced us to one of cinema’s most original characters,our beloved Jack Sparrow. Do I think it will be as good as POTC? I don’t know, but I was very impressed with the trailer & will be going to see it on opening week end.
The name creeps me out, isn’t it the name of a demon in the Bible?
You creep me out.
“it looks like I very well may have been utterly wrong” Adam…of course you are wrong. Anything can be made into a movie…end of story. Now…whether the movie is good or not…that’s the question you should be asking.
Too much yap yap yap in this trailer. Is that Gemma Arterton blabbing on? She has an alluring voice, but it really got on my nerves 60secs in.
Overall the trailer is underwhelming and the SFX are pretty disappointing. This is NOT the type of movie roles Jake Gyllenhaal should be pursuing.
“The only thing that really impressed me was the british accent Jake seemed to pull off well.”
Not Jake, that’s a voiceover.
I think it’s unfair to judge after just a short trailer that focused mostly on the action and not the story line, but I think it looks pretty good. I’d pay money to see it. It will be an entertaining 2-something hours.
Um, the princess was supposed to be an Indian princess. Great job on the white-washing, Disney. *rolls eyes*
Gyllenhaal. Really? I’m not sure I can believe it. P.S. There was way too much princess in that preview.
P.P.S. Is this what a Zelda movie would look like?
A Zelda movie better never look like anything. If they made one, it would be an atrocity, for sure.
I absolutely loathe the “Pirates” movies but I’m crossing my fingers since the game franchise is (largely) so good. That and I still love me some Jake…
I never played Prince of Persia but I do have Assassin’s Creed and can’t help but be reminded of it as he jumps down the ledge, but Prince of Persia came out before Creed,right? Still..the eagle eye view…the pan of the camera..the jump..waay to Assassin’s Creed for me.
Hmm..The film looks stunning but I’m not sure about Gyllenhaal. He does look good(very swoon worthy) but I’m not exactly buying him in this role. And the film looks like a video-game come to life…not sure yet if that’s good or bad.
Seriously, it should have been Oded Fehr playing as the Prince. He’s from Israel, but it’s better than Los Angeles. I love the game series and I do believe that my choice would have been better. Having a real middle eastern playing the “Prince of Persia” would have been a much better choice. Damn I wish I could cast movies for a living.
I love Jake Gyllenhaal, but not as an action hero, he is much better than that, he IS an actors’ actor. As for if I’m going to see this film… I’ll wait for it to be transmitted on HBO.
Um.. Jake Gyllenhaal is a HUGE misfit for this film, I can def see a flop here…Someone else should of played the part. The only thing that looks good is the scenary.
Still wish they’d have a Middle East actor for the lead but otherwise, looks better than I expected. The shot of the Prince on the tower atop the city is straight out of the games and the effects do look cool so this might be the rare video-game to movie translation that works.
*Sigh*….
…And by the way, the dude that sings and plays the piano is, brace yourself for this, PERSIAN. But you would never guess that by looking at him, would you? So why is casting a white guy to play a Persian dude such a problem?
I think it looks pretty darn entertaining, but obviously, no one can compare to Capt. Jack Sparrow. But this isn’t a Pirates movie, so give it a chance. G-Hall is a great actor.
I sure hope Disney hired Stuart Chatwood to do the music for the film. If I remember correctly he did the music for the games, and it was awesome.