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...And it looks like every other Jerry Bruckheimer movie trailer I have ever watched
Normally when I write these, I try my very best not to seem to biased. I am throwing that out the window with this article. You have been warned.
Dear Jerry Bruckheimer, your formula for success is no longer effective.
If you do not already know, Disney has adapted 'The Prince of Persia' into a motion picture with the same title, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,
produced by none other than Jerry Bruckheimer. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Prince Dastan; the lead in the film; Gemma Arterton as Tamina, Alfred Molina, Ben Kingsley, and Toby Kebbell. Does anyone else think that this movie looks a lot like 'The Mummy' or the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchises? Alright, ready for the complaints? First off, I have been watching developments on this project for two years with tremendous hesitation being that the film is based on one of my all time favorite comics and video games. The Prince is supposed to be Persian, that is why we call him the 'Prince of Persia.' When someone is Persian it means that they are from Iran, so can someone please explain to me why Gyllenhaal thought it appropriate to have a British accent? Why couldn't they get a Persian actor to play the role? I would have much rather seen someone like Aishwarya Rai play 'Tamina;' at least the native Indian actress could have been more believably "Persian."
Sorry guys, but I think Disney may just have ruined a concept which once had the potential to be a great film. First, I want you to watch the trailer for the Prince of Persia video game above, courtesy of Giant Bomb. Then, check out the trailer for the upcoming film courtesy of Myspace, below. Compare and contrast and let me know what you think!
"Im a terrible sucker for Bruckheimer films so i will probably go see it, but i have no interest in the game or comic! "
You're going alone :p, I love the games and the comics and as soon as I heard this was being made and saw some early shoots I cringed, The casting is awful and is totally out of character for well the characters XD.
" @Final Arrow: oh well then. "
But since it's you i will go :p
"@.Mistress Redhead. said:
"Im a terrible sucker for Bruckheimer films so i will probably go see it, but i have no interest in the game or comic! "You're going alone :p "
Based on just comments here alone, I doubt that.
It doesn't look all that bad. Plus this is an adaptation of Sands of Time, not the Prince of Persia series in its entirety. And true it departs quite a bit, but then again…I’d assume that required. It doesn’t have the makings for a two hour film. I wouldn't say it's like the modern Mummy franchise either; it's got my class then that from the trailer, though trailers tend to be deceiving these days. Just because it's a desert or Arabic setting doesn't make it akin. I suppose I can see nuances to Pirates, but those were both highly financially successful and critically fairly successful films. Occasionally quite cheesy, but what do you expect? They were based off of a theme park ride; they’re going to be theme-park like. This is (perhaps loosely but nonetheless) based off a video game, it’s going to be video game-like. Expecting Shakespeare from a video game is silly…it’s primarily a superficial medium, the film will be superficial. It’s for fun, not thought or artistry.
As for this movie, I think it looks great. I'm getting a bit tired of hearing comments that the actors don't look Persian...I'm sorry, Jake Gyllenhaal looks just as, if not more, Persian than any of the numerous Ubisoft iterations of the Prince. And at least a British accent is not a smarmy wisecracking North American accent. I just don't think the Prince was ever particularly Persian to begin with.
He was, actually. But that's okay.I just don't think the Prince was ever particularly Persian to begin with. "
He still could have been, oh I don't know, Middle Eastern? And if Gyllenhaal had to have an accent, why couldn't it have been Arabic or Persian? I don't get why everyone has to be British when no one is supposed to be British.
" @MysterioMaximus: doubt what?
"
That you'll be going alone. =]
" @DarkCanuck said:Actually in the sands of time game for playstation 2. The Prince had a british accent. Ive just been watching some vids and it sounds british to me. I believe their basing the movie of that particular game.I just don't think the Prince was ever particularly Persian to begin with. "He was, actually. But that's okay. He still could have been, oh I don't know, Middle Eastern? And if Gyllenhaal had to have an accent, why couldn't it have been Arabic? I don't get why everyone has to be British when no one is supposed to be British. "
" @.Mistress Redhead. said:ohh gotcha!
" @MysterioMaximus: doubt what?That you'll be going alone. =] "
"
@MysterioMaximus said:
"@Final Arrow said:
"@.Mistress Redhead. said:
"Im a terrible sucker for Bruckheimer films so i will probably go see it, but i have no interest in the game or comic! "You're going alone :p "
Based on just comments here alone, I doubt that.
It doesn't look all that bad. Plus this is an adaptation of Sands of Time, not the Prince of Persia series in its entirety. And true it departs quite a bit, but then again…I’d assume that required. It doesn’t have the makings for a two hour film. I wouldn't say it's like the modern Mummy franchise either; it's got my class then that from the trailer, though trailers tend to be deceiving these days. Just because it's a desert or Arabic setting doesn't make it akin. I suppose I can see nuances to Pirates, but those were both highly financially successful and critically fairly successful films. Occasionally quite cheesy, but what do you expect? They were based off of a theme park ride; they’re going to be theme-park like. This is (perhaps loosely but nonetheless) based off a video game, it’s going to be video game-like. Expecting Shakespeare from a video game is silly…it’s primarily a superficial medium, the film will be superficial. It’s for fun, not thought or artistry.
"
No my main thing is the casting not the story!! Now sure where you got that in my post, but casting a western Actor in a role made for another seems redundant, its like making Matt Damon The Black Panther! As I said in my post not the part you quoted (which is a joke for my other half) I don't think you got that ethier! It think the casting is awful, In pirates the casting was great and actually fitted for that time, what I expected was something much more ture to the "story" as in character wise. So expecting someone to play the role of a Persian to be not Persian may come as a shock to people!
it has nothing.to do with the story which I no doubt will be full of fun and frolics but as I said and I think i will quote myself just incase im misquoted again "The casting is awful and is totally out of character for well the characters XD." simly faces useally point out it's a funny remark!
" @Vortex13: its a western thing, we made Jesus who was basically a black man white and hell we will make Prince of Persia white and British as well!!! XD "
I do have to note though, the notion that Jesus was black is every bit as large an assumption as caucasian. You’re mixing your melanin. It’s safely assumed he was tan due to his historical stomping grounds, but not necessarily of any ethnicity. That's up in the air.
@Babs said:
"@DarkCanuck said:
He was, actually. But that's okay. He still could have been, oh I don't know, Middle Eastern? And if Gyllenhaal had to have an accent, why couldn't it have been Arabic or Persian? I don't get why everyone has to be British when no one is supposed to be British. "I just don't think the Prince was ever particularly Persian to begin with. "
From what I understand, the British colonized Persia/Iran in the 1800’s. Perhaps this Prince, I do know in this version he’s adopted, actually is of British decent, merely tanned by the desert atmosphere. And his voice is British in the games, from what I recall.
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on Nov. 3, 2009