Blu-ray/DVD Review: 'Prince of Persia' - A Fun Fantasy Romp

Adapted from the video game series, Disney's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time seemed to come and go at theaters. Many critics drubbed it (way unjustly) and the film also was slammed because Arabic actors were not cast in some of the lead roles. While that outcry was understandable, we're not going to debate that here. And it does not mean the film was bad. Far from it.

This is an engaging romp, a fine fantasy adventure, starring Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain), Sir Ben Kingsley (Gandhi), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, The Da Vinci Code) and Gemma Arterton (Clash of the Titans, Quantum of Solace). It's a tale of princes, brothers and betrayals, with legends, magic, a mystical weapon, time travel and, hey, ostrich races with betting. 

There are those who not only questioned Gyllenhaal as a Persian hero, but as an action hero period. Nonsense. Remember the talk at first of Brendan Fraser in The Mummy? Same thing here. Gyllenhaal and Arterton plumb some bickering chemistry, Kingsley channels Ming the Merciless (from Flash Gordon serials - the great Charles Middleton) a bit and Molina is a delight as a huckster who's not quite a selfish as he seems.  Plus the story takes enough twists and turns to merit a sequel drawing from the other "Prince of Persia" video games.

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, National Treasure series) and stylishy directed with a fast pace by Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" looks dazzling on Blu-ray and mighty solid on DVD as well.  

The Blu-ray bonus features include “Sands of Time," which gives viewers control over the control of the "Dagger of Time" to go behind the scenes in more than 40 different segments, along with various featurettes, including "An Unseen World: Making Prince of Persia," which is also on the DVD. 

Sure, this is a popcorn movie. But there's nothing wrong with that. And Prince of Persia is just right for a family or friends movie night.