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?
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.