Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. 3D

First, a review of the 3D, before we review the film itself.

Some of you may wonder if this is indeed a 3D film. It is. It's even real 3D, not that converted crap Hollywood keeps spewing out. But the 3D is so subtle, it's like it's not even there.

That is of course a safe way to make sure that the stereography is done correctly. As long as it's not eye-straining to watch, then that means it's good stereography.

Is it ever eye-straining to watch this face in 3D?

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

This film both succeeds and fails at the same time.

First, it succeeds as a blockbuster. Now this is what I call a real summer blockbuster: action-packed, filled with swashbuckling, and lots of parkour. Reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean, actually, except for the parkour, of course. And it didn't help that both Pirates and Persia were produced by the man known as Jerry Bruckheimer.

The film also manages to capture the essence of the video game it was based on. I was even momentarily transported back to my childhood, when I would play Prince of Persia in green and black. That's the old PC, by the way, with the floppy disks that really flop.

Second, this film fails technically. There were a lot of lapses, especially in editing. I could forgive one, or maybe two instances. But there were just too much, I'm sorry. Blame it all on director Mike Newell. Some shots were too awkward, some shots involved mismatched eyelines, while some shots were just plain wrong. I'm speaking from a filmmaker's perspective, of course. Regular moviegoers wouldn't probably notice it, but it's as jarring as hearing an orchestra play one note out of tune. Cinematic viewing should be a seamless experience. Oh well. Newell is a newbie, so deal with it.

To end on a lighter note, the cast did just great. Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton's sexual tension was all over the screen. Halfway through the film, I was already shouting, "Come on, have sex already!" But like typical summer blockbusters geared for the younger set, this film saturates you with sexual tension, then ends it with a single kiss. A single kiss, can you imagine that?

I honestly thought the guy who played King Tus was Karl Urban, the guy who played Eomer in Lord of the Rings. Well, turns out he wasn't Karl Urban. His name is Richard Coyle, and he sure can play Karl Urban's stunt double.

Ben Kingsley was great, but not as great as Alfred Molina, who stole every single scene he was in. Every second of Molina's screen time is priceless. And for that, he is disqualified. He is just too damn good.

So for succeeding as a blockbuster, and failing as a technical work, this film gets a passing score.


*some info from IMDb
pic from filmofilia.com


Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. USA. 2010.


Rating: Six out of ten.
Blockbuster elements: Nine out of ten.
Editing errors: Zero out of ten.
Alfred Molina: Disqualified.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Another action-packed holiday family movie from entertainment giants Jerry Bruckheimer and Walt Disney Pictures, this is the second installment in the National Treasure franchise, a weird mix of treasure hunts, conspiracy theories, and American history.

John Bartha is hilarious as Ripley Poole, once again stealing the show from Nicholas Cage and the lovely Dianne Kruger, while Jon Voight too reprises his role as Ben Gates's agitated father. Throw in Helen Mirren as the semi-bitchy mom, and you've got yourself a family reunion.

Of course, us older audiences will know better than to accept the story with no questions asked, but again the line between fact and fiction may not be clear to the kids. These children might develop a false interest in American history, suddenly listening attentively in history class, hoping for a clue to a hidden treasure. But kids, there is no such thing. It's just a movie. But then again, to a child, movies are the bearers of truth, and no one can tell them to believe otherwise.

Rating: Three stars.