Hey folks, Harry here with a military screening review of THE SCORPION KING last night. And it looks like it entertained our armed forces pretty darn well. So, yet another reason to be thankful to our fighting forces... they also provide advance looks at movies for us AICN readers! WAY TO GO! Here's the review, beware of spoilers!
Harry,
I'm N2DVD, a long time reader, first time reviewer. I saw Scorpion King tonight at a sneak preview at a local military base and thought I'd send my thoughts on the Rock's sophmore effort.
Let me say this right up front -- I do not watch wrestling, and therefore have no real exposure to the Rock outside of his flesh-and-blood and CGI cameos in "The Mummy Returns". That being said, one thing that kept coming to mind as I watched "The Scorpion King" tonight ... "Wow, this is pretty good!"
I remember back in 1982, I was home on leave from the Navy, and spent an evening watching a little film called "Conan the Barbarian", starring someone I had never heard of, Arnold something or other. Now, 20 years later, I've just had a feeling of deja vu. Watching "The Scorpion King" took me back to that night in '82, watching another "athlete" trying to make in the movies, and doing a pretty darn good job.
After a violent, but funny James-Bond style pre-title opening Spoiler: (Rock's character rescuing his brother from certain death at the hands of what I took as a bunch of Vikings) , we get into the main story. The current Scorpion King, who's bent on either wiping out or enslaving everyone who opposes him, is using a "sorcerer" to tell him when and where his victories are going to be. The last vestiges of free people in the region hire the last of the Arkadians - Mathias (Rock), his brother and one other - to assassinate the sorcerer. The assassination attempt does not do well -- Spoiler: Mathias discovers the sorcerer is a woman, the Scorpion King kills the brother and the other Arkadian , and Mathias is left buried to the neck as a fire ant snack, Spoiler: along side a horse thief who eventually becomes the comic relief sidekick .
Of course, they escape, and Mathias is driven to seek revenge against the Scorpion King, while picking up friends and allies along the way [spoilers] including a cute kid, a "scientist" who's trying to figure out black powder, and Michael Duncan Clark. [/spoiler]. Oh, yeah, and there's Mathias' trusty steed -- Spoiler: the most cooperative camel I've ever seen in a movie .
I had a lot of fun at "The Scorpion King". I saw it in a packed house of folks looking for a good-time popcorn flick, and "Scorpion King" delivered. Forget the gripes about "bad" CGI (the fire ant scene was actually a lot funnier because of it). If you're looking for realism, watch the news.
The BIGGEST strengths of the Scorpion King were the Rock and the humor throughout the film. I mean, this movie was very FUNNY, even more so than The Mummy duo. The Rock actually seemed to be enjoying himself a lot, and his fans in the audience cheered everytime he took out a bad guy or smirked. As the end credits came up, most of the audience stood up and applauded.
The violence was Conan-lite, PG-13 style. Lots of arrows, thrown knives, swords, sabers and simtars, but very little blood actually shown. There is a quick glimpse of a severed head. There was some female nudity that's covered by strategically placed long hair -- nothing that wouldn't be shown on TV. Rock's pecs and biceps are on display in a couple of scenes, but not too much.
"The Scorpion King" is not an original movie at all, but borrows bits from some of my favorites. There are gags straight out of Conan, Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone and a dozen other great films. Also, the film is only about 90 minutes long, and it FLIES. There's not a boring moment in the whole thing.
I know there are a lot of folks who are going to knock "Scorpion King" sight unseen, and a few are going to just go into it ready to bash it senseless. But give it a chance. It's fast, it's fun, and I think the Rock could have a future in film if he plays his cards right and makes good role decisions. Out of four stars, I rate it a solid three, and maybe another 1/2 for being so humorous.
Before the film started, there was a message from the Rock thanking those in the Armed Services for serving their country. We were then treated to four trailers, two of which I had not seen before.
First up was the Bourne Identity, the same one that's been out a while. We also saw Undercover Brother, whose trailer is actually online somewhere. We saw Adam Sandler's "Mr. Deeds" trailer for the first time. Looks very funny, and I had no idea Winona Ryder was in it.
The trailer that got most people talking, though, was "Reign of Fire". Wow, I cannot wait to see this one. The dragons are fast and nasty, just like the dragon from "Dragonslayer". We are treated to what practically amounts to hand-to-muzzle battle between the humans and the scaly beasties. My favorite line in the trailer is one of the main characters trying to rally the troops by saying "These are not magical creatures. They are flesh and blood...." Tanks and helicopters against huge, flying fire-breathing dragons -- I am so there.
Post this if you wish.
N2DVD
