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.
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