Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

In sixth-century Persia, the fate of the world lies in the hands of the feisty Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal), who possesses a powerful dagger which gives its holder the ability to rewind time using the mystical sands contained within its hilt. Dark forces descend upon the kingdom, under the command of a corrupt Vizier (Kingsley) who plots to abuse the powers of the sands to change history and ultimately rule the earth. With his trusty time-travelling blade and a little help from the foxy Princess Tamina (Arterton), the Prince must fight tooth and nail to prevent the dagger from falling into the wrong hands…

Video game adaptations have a notorious history of flopping when taken out of their arcade comfort zones to be emulated on the silver screen (Tomb Raider springs to mind). But what better man to rise to the challenge than executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who proved his salt for adventure epics with the hugely successful swashbuckling Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, which was, after all, based on a theme park ride! Implementing his benchmark blend of authentic sets, stylised stunt work, and seamless CGI (all topped off with a healthy dose of slow-mo), Jerry may well have generated an exception to the rule here.

Prince of Persia stands up as one of the best blockbusters of the summer, boasting action, adventure, and adept acting talent. Gyllenhaal excels as the slick titular rogue, giving both his buffed-up physique and cheeky charm a thorough work out with smooth moves and one-liners. He also creates a bubbling chemistry with Arterton’s sassy sidekick, and sneering rivalries with baddies Kingsley and Molina.

Fans of the gaming franchise will revel in this adaptation’s simulation of the series’ entertainment value, and newbies will have no difficulty in getting swept up in the fun!

Owen Rye