Prince of Persia

 

 Production Budget: $200 Million

Director: Mike Newell

Run Time: 1hr 55 minutes

Rating: PG-13

The Bouw-Man.

It must be a holiday weekend, because we have another action-adventure using all the tools that made previous ones turn into box office gold.  The preview shows us a lot of sand, stunts, sweat, yelling, bad accents, sword play, quips, men wearing turbans, men in robes men with facial scars, walking across deserts carrying heavy objects and perceived sexual tension between its male and female lead.  If this sounds familiar, then you probably saw an “Indiana Jones” or “Mummy” film.  Since those are not available this summer, we are given this to determine if we want to see more or less of these type of movies.  Jake Gyllenhaal takes the lead in what I’m sure he hopes will elevate him to superstar status.  Since he has never carried a film by himself before, I’m a little skeptical whether he can pull this off.  Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser had a much better track record when they headlined their franchises, so it remains to be seen whether Jake can follow in their footsteps.  What he has going for him is a genre that seems to spell success.  I don’t know what it is about adventure across a desert in a foreign land, but audiences seem to eat it up.  Let’s hope for the Prince of Persia’s sake that the common theme works.  

Prediction.

I am just not very gung-ho to see another standardized action-adventure film.  However, I’m probably in the minority.  High school kids will probably make up the majority of the audience opening weekend, which will do wonders for its overall success.  For the rest, bring a pillow because it might very well be a snoozer.  It should be able to pull in $45 million opening weekend, but let’s hope not much more than that.  I don’t want to see a preview for “Prince of Persia 2” anytime soon.  

Opening Weekend Gross: $45 Million

Noodles.

Wow. I think that's an appropriate expression once you get finished watching the effects laden trailer for this movie. Wow. 

Remember when those CGI animated movies first started coming out and almost every kids movie with the 3D animation was a good to excellent picture? Think "Toy Story" or "Finding Nemo". Then as the technology to produce these films got cheaper to use, we started getting crappier and crappier fare. Can anyone say "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs"? Anyway, that's what I thought about when I saw this trailer.

Prince of Persia could be a dramatic triumph, filled with twists and turns and action packed sequences...and I hope that's the case. However, I have a feeling in my stomach that says this is going to be another gorgeous flop. A film school exhibition on special effects minus the thought provoking storytelling...That said I soooo hope I'm wrong. I want to love this movie. I want to see it, and then be excited at the prospect of watching it again. If its just a good popcorn flick, I'll be slightly disappointed but I'll take that any day over a Star Wars:The Phantom Menace type experience.

Prediction.

It seems like one in ten of these so called blockbuster movies really blows the back out of the box office on opening weekend, and like I said this one might be great, but in my bones I don't feel it. I think overall it will be a big opening, but I think Sarah Jessica, and her gal pals are going to own this weekend.

Opening Weekend: Gross: $70 Million

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