Reel Critics

Van Novak

To thoroughly enjoy a movie such as “The Scorpion King,” one has to

approach it like a meal at your hometown diner. If you sit down at the

vinyl-covered booth and grab the menu tucked behind the tabletop jukebox

expecting five-star cuisine, disappointment is inevitable.

“The Scorpion King” doesn’t pretend to be “Casablanca” with sandals.

It is the cinematic equivalent of a cheeseburger and fries. Moviegoers

who enter the theater without inflated expectations will be thoroughly

entertained.

“The Scorpion King” is supposed to be a prequel of sorts to “The

Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns.” The character of the Scorpion King,

played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, was introduced in “The Mummy

Returns” as a nonspeaking part. This slim thread is the only connection

between “The Scorpion King” and these earlier films. This inconsistency

is only momentarily distracting.

“The Scorpion King” starts off at a fast pace and never lets up. The

action is classic sword and sandal fare complete with epic battle scenes,

foreboding fortresses, massive sandstorms, black magic, and endless

desert landscapes. The bigger than life computer-generated special

effects are rampant in the Mummy films are used effectively here also.

The principal characters are all played effectively. Brand’s Memnon is

sadistic, cruel, and easy to hate. The physically imposing Michael Clarke

Duncan play’s Mathayus’ foe turned ally Balthazar. In this warrior chief

role Duncan gets a rare opportunity to display his nearly unbelievable

bulk in action. Grant Heslov ably provides comic relief as Mathayus’

reluctant sidekick.

Whether The Rock becomes the next big action star remains to be seen.

He is perfectly cast here and is at least as effective as a young

Schwarzenegger in the Conan series without the heavy accent. Due to his

professional wrestling experience, The Rock is very capable of the

physical demands of an action part. He is especially good in the numerous

fighting sequences and it is clear he is not doubled by a stuntman in

many key scenes including riding a camel at full gallop. With aging

action stars such as Stallone and Schwarzenegger moving away from this

genre, The Rock may be poised to fill the void.

* VAN NOVACK, 48, is the director of institutional research at Cal

State Long Beach.