SWORDS and sandals combine with magical adventure this week in the videogame big screen adaptation Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time.
Set in ancient Persia, the daring Prince Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) finds himself accidentally in possession of a mysterious knife - the Dagger Of Time - which allows it's holder to return to the immediate past, after he helps lay siege to a suspected rebel city.
But when he is accused of murder, he is forced on the run with the dagger and its feisty keeper Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) in tow.
As Dastan unravels the mysteries of the blade and tries to find the true killer; he soon discovers betrayal and the end of the world lie in wait, where only harnessing the power of the knife can put things right.
Lame game
As a rule of thumb, movies adapted from computer games are never good.
While the lucrative Resident Evil franchise may show you can still have good returns (even if the output is questionable), films like Max Payne, Super Mario Bros, Doom and many, many more confirm the theory.
Enter Prince Of Persia: The Sand Of Time - Mike Newell's take on the sand and magic button-bashing classic.
Aiming for something between The Mummy and The Matrix with its sweeping cinematic landscapes and gravity-defying action sequences; the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire director flexes his effects muscles while grounding the film in characters.
Surprising
Despite fluctuating between a well-spoken Brit and an Estuary English accent, Gyllenhaal is surprisingly amiable in the lead role.
More than capable in the fight sequences and showing off plenty of wall-running acrobatics, he fills the 'action man' status while bringing enough quirky comic moments.
Even the often criticised Arterton shines, balancing mystical guardian with fiery femme and keeping the chemistry alive with the leading man.
While the leads carry the film, it is the eclectic support who add much needed weight, made up of a host of established and rising stars including Sir Ben Kingsley, a rib-tickling Alfred Molina and 'next big thing' Tony Kebbell; who all retain interest throughout the 166 minute runtime.
Where the film struggles is with the script. While the narrative oozes with potential, clunky dialogue and missed opportunities hinder the pace, leaving it up to the director and cast to pull the viewer through.
Nevertheless, with an impressive combination of special effects, parkour, sinister villains and sandy adventure, Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time meets the quota for no-brainer popcorn fun.
6/10 - Time twisting treat