Rating: 
Summary: If Action Has a Name, it's "The Scorpion King"
Review: The movie is definitely not a contender for an Oscar (nor a history lesson), but if an action category should ever become a venue on Oscar night, "The Scorpion King" would rule them all. It makes no apologies for its larger-than-life extravagant storytelling--its roots is the oft-maligned action genre, and yet it's the most lucrative and universal Pictures cinematic vehicle for any movie house. The sweeping story is not overwrought and complex, but a simple effective tale of a hired warrior-assassin of a fabled ancient world ("the Rock", Dwayne Johnson) who, in his journey of revenge and self-discovery, collaborates with an alluring and enigmatic sorceress who receives visions of the future (Kelly Hu), a horse thief who becomes an amiable comedy relief and sidekick (Grant Heslov), a witty wise man of science who meddles with contraptions and inventions that prove beneficial (Bernard Hill ), a rival warrior-king whose strongarm and rebellious spirit paves the way for a bittersweet alliance (Michael Clarke Duncan), all to overthrow a ruthless visionary meglomaniac who desires world order from the savage chaos of the past by means of terror and bloodshed (Steve Brand.) Added to the mix of action-heavy swordplay and mayhem, comedy and romance spice up the vivid colorful scenes and sounds and music that ensnare the imagination and make this mythic world seem plausible. All the cast are top-notch and appropiate for their roles in this action yarn, even the Rock whose charisma, presence, and voice surprisingly provide a convincing personality and life to his titular role. All in all, the movie delivers on its promise--a rollicking action rollercoaster! Finally, the widescreen DVD is a gem, with great color transfer and rich Dolby sound, and Universal doesn't scrimp with the extras. Commentaries by the director Chuck Russell provide engrossing insights on the making of the film, with a plethora of thoughts, considerations, and musings. The Rock also takes a stab at commentaries with his personal view and humor. Other features include alternate versions of key deleted scenes, funny and amusing outtakes, preparation and execution of fight sequences, production designing an authentic ancient world, special effect magic of key scenes, the casting of animals in the film, and more. If action has a name, it's "The Scorpion King."
Rating: 
Summary: Better than I expected
Review: I enjoyed this movie. I've read some of the other reviews here, and some people have criticized the movie for being overly cliched and predictable. No doubt some people will say that the movie serves up its hunk of beefcake in all-too-predictable a fashion (don't you hate smart-assed reviewers who take themselves all too seriously?). But come on folks, this sort of action-packed thriller isn't meant to be analyzed or dissected in too much detail--it's meant to be fun, mindless entertainment--and in that regard, it succeeds very well. I was also pleasantly surprised to find The Rock (pro-wrestler Dwayne Johnson) has considerable on-screen presence, as he goes around offing bad guys right and left. Not that The Rock has to carry the whole movie on his own considerable shoulders. The bad-guy king (Steven Brand) who The Rock is sent to assasinate and his sorceress (Kelly Hu) are also good in their roles, as is The Rock's sidekick (unfortunately I don't know the actor's name) who provides some comic relief, much in the same way that R2D2 and C3PO did in the first Star Wars movie (actually Lucas got the idea for the comic pair from one of Kurosawa's movies). The swordplay and fight scenes are top-notch. And speaking of swordplay, big guy Michael Clarke Duncan also has an important role as the Nubian king, and his fight with the Rock is one of the climaxes of the movie, as he almost beats The Rock in a dramatic mano-a-mano sword battle. I'm not sure there were black Nubians, who were well-known in Roman times after the emperor Octavian conquered North Africa, living in Sumeria in 4000 BC, when the Akkadians lived in ancient Sumeria, but as I said, I don't really analyze movies like this too much. It gets in the way of the fun. I don't know what ancient Akkadian or Sumerian sets would look like, either, but these seemed pretty realistic to me and added to the movie's overall ambience. (I'm sure King Sargon of Akkad would have approved even if they weren't--after all, the Akkadians haven't gotten much play in about 4000 years). This sort of action movie plays very well on the Big Screen, and I'm sure I enjoyed seeing it more in a theater as opposed to seeing it on TV. All in all, a fun way to spend a Sat. or Sun. afternoon or evening. Big Steve says goes see it and don't "Bogart" the popcorn.
Rating: 
Summary: The Moose Hole - 'King' Shows Strength but Faulters
Review: Here's a real brain teaser for you: The Scorpion King is the prequel to the sequel to the remake of The Mummy. Confused yet? Let's hope not but if so then let's break it down for you. The Scorpion King is the new star vehicle for former WWE star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The Rock played a small role in The Mummy Returns, which was a sequel to The Mummy. The Mummy was a remake of the original mummy movie series from the 1950's. Got it? With that cleared up, a new question of why they would make a spin-off to The Rock's character emerges. The Rock has become a very popular "actor" in recent years, coming a far way from his early years in the wrestling ring, and Universal Pictures believe a good mint could be made off that popularity. If Dwayne Johnson plays his cards correctly, he could be the next Bruce Willis, Sly Stallone, or even Arnold Schwarzenegger of action films. The story centers on a leader of a band of assassins, who is hired to kill an important royal figure but gets more in this job then anybody bargained for. Mathayus, the last of a fleeting group of assassins, is hired by the leaders of rebel tribes to kill a sorcerer they believe their enemy is using to help him conquer the lands of Egypt. He accepts the job and arrives in the city of Gomorrah but when he realizes that the sorcerer is a beautiful woman, plans change quickly. He chooses to kidnap her instead of an assassination thus forcing the evil tyrant to bring everything he's got into a final confrontation between the remaining rebel tribes and ruling forces. Stephen Sommer was the director of the previous Mummy films but choose not to direct this spin-off feature and the pacing of this film showcases that. Though critics hammered The Mummy films for being hookie and cheesy, they never said once that they were not consistent. This is a problem that The Scorpion King never seems to solve as moments of romance and hilarity seem forced compared to the non-stop action sequences that work so well. The relatively small cast for The Scorpion King can only be described at meeting some expectations but not exceeding them if they some members even get to that level. This is the first major leading role for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and surely won't be his last, at least based on the action sequences. The role of Mathayus (aka The Scorpion King) seems specifically designed for the former wrestler as he fits extremely well into the character though there aren't many well designed sequences to showcase his true acting chops. But then again, do you really expect those kinds of sequences in action flicks? Kelly Hu, who plays Cassandra, seems, at times, too confined into the typical woman role in action films but does get involved in some of the fight sequences, which is a welcomed change in Hollywood today. The remainder of the cast worked well together but not great. Overall, The Scorpion King, with its flashes of skin and heavy metal music, will no doubt satisfy the hardcore action freaks but will leave others starving. Unlike the previous Mummy films, The Scorpion King suffers in the story department as the story seems too caught up with the action sequences to makes the rest of the film as consistent. The film will no doubt bring out fans of action flicks as well as fans of The Rock and they will get everything they are looking for. But women and those who care more about the story then the action may find it on the bland side of things. If you are looking for a decent feature to start off your summer then hold your money for Spider-Man.
Rating: 
Summary: Action figures on a generic quest
Review: There's no single thing about this movie that ruins it, it's everything put together. One never gets the feeling that they're anywhere but on a Hollywood set - you're not transported back in time to an exotic, lawless time. The characters have no depth at all - instead of a feared assasin, The Rock comes off as a really nice guy, good with children, wouldn't hurt a fly. Forced to do battle, but he certainly wouldn't otherwise. And the whole thing is just so silly and cheesy. There's a comic relief character, but there's absolutely no need for him as there's nothing to "relieve" us from - the whole movie is little more than comic relief. It's just so unrealistic - it's obviously made for "the whole family", but that just points out it's major flaw - making a movie set in a time where people hacked each other up with swords to settle disputes, but do it in a way that the kiddies will be able to watch and think it's fun. It comes off as extremely watered down. As if it's a pilot for a Saturday morning cartoon or something. Needless to say, you don't care about any of these generic Hollywood do-gooders, and there's never any doubt that they'll all come out okay in the end. Even the action sequences leave you with the feeling that that you're watching the World Wrestling Federation, where one guy might lose the fight, but he'll be back in the next episode good as new. It's not like anyone's getting gruesomely dismembered like in a real barbarian movie. Basically, if you want to see an adventure movie, but it has to be something the kids can watch as well, you might get stuck with this. If you're looking for a real, involving adventure, get something else.
Rating:
Summary: Ejoyable offshoot of The Mummy Returns
Review: Really, The Scorpion King is a descendent of the sword and sandal epics of the 50's and early 60's. Everyone else has given a good summary of the story so let's concentrate on 1)what works best 2) doesn't work 3)whether this movie is for you. The Rock isn't any worse than Arnold in his first starring role. Wrestling is all about playing a character and so it's no surprise that he does a pretty good job of playing Mathayas. He isn't required to do much in the way of acting. Most of his performance is physical and, in that regard, he does an outstanding job. He delivers a number of memorable one-liners that work very well. Stephen Sommers doesn't come without a history of stinkers (Deep Rising comes to mind although it was a enjoyable B-Movie and quite clever)and successes (the two Mummy films and the television adaption of Oliver Twist). He's smart--he keeps the plot simple and straight forward. The Rock seeks revenge against a warlord for murdering his brother. Since Mathayas is a skilled assassin (he's the ancient world's version of James Bond sans martini and with considerable less clothes), the film's main set pieces are a little more believable (although they are about as far from reality as The Mummy was). Chuck Russell's direction of the film is brisk and has a number of humorous touches. The cast of supporting players do a great job with limited roles. Steven Brand smirks a lot as THE WARLORD, Kelly Hu is beautiful and quite good as the sorceress and Michael Duncan Clarke is his usual imposing self. Special kudos to the comic relief played by Grant Heslov a talented and under rated character actor finally getting his due. So why is there so much venom spit at this film? Perhaps because it's a throw back to simpler times and the pedigree of the film. Recalling the Italian sandal epics of the 60's (albeit with a sense of irony and humor), The Scorpion King is pure entertainment and makes no bones about it. Sommers and Russell steal from the best and make it seem perfectly natural in this film. Is it Citizen Kane, Vertigo or Schindler's List? No, and it doesn't pretend to be. If you accept this as pure entertainment and enjoy the candy rush of the fighting sequences, you'll enjoy this film and want to watch it more than once. If, on the other hand, you're looking for meaningful popcorn flicks, this is the wrong one for you. The visuals are quite good and the photography full of the sweep one might associate with Lawrence of Arabia or Spielberg's & Lucas' Indiana Jones films. The latter film is the touchstone for this highly entertaining romp. It doesn't require you to think and is a perfect antidote to the stress of freeway traffic and modern life. Enjoy The Scorpion King for what it is and please don't condemn it for what it isn't.
Rating:
Summary: The Legend?
Review: This was a B movie with some interesting references. I remember the TV adcvertisements when the movie was first released -- The LEGEND of The Scorpion King. Well, there were quite a few legends that rated mention through the characters of the movie. We have Mnemnon of the Greeks, Mattithias of the Hebrews, Seth of both Hebrew and Egyptian legend, Isis of the Egyptians, Acadians and a ziggurat of the city of Ur, and a few others. If you have some background in ancient legend, the first mention of one name and you start listening for others. Also deserving of mention is that the city that the Scorpion King takes is Gamorrah of Hebrew legend -- with the mention of Sodom as a rival city. I can't say much more about the plot.
Rating:
Summary: So-so
Review: If you're a fan of The Rock, you'll like this movie. Otherwise, it doesn't have a lot to recommend it. I put this DVD in on a rainy, cold Saturday because there was nothing on TV and I was curious to see if it was any good. I will admit it held my interest until the end; mainly because it isn't that long, thank goodness. As I expected, it is a very violent, blood-and-guts movie but it does have its humorous side as well. The Rock stars as Mathayus, a warrior of ancient times who is hired, along with his brother, to kill a sorceress (Kelly Hu). His brother is captured and murdered and Mathayus swears revenge against his brother's killer, Balthazar. Mathayus sneaks into Balthazar's camp to kill him, the attempt is thwarted and Mathayus escapes with the beautiful sorceress as his hostage. Along the way the warrior manages to acquire some comic relief in the form of Grant Heslov and later enlists the aid of a supposed enemy, Michael Clark Duncan. The movie is pretty predictable at this point as you just know Mathayus and the sorceress are falling in love. What held my interest was how the story was going to end as far as who would live and who would die. I won't ruin it by telling you. I wasn't sure about The Rock's acting ability but he is talented and he does have pretty good comic timing. He also is very easy on the eyes - that helps. This was a mildly entertaining movie and I am glad I watched it but it's not a film that I would watch a second time. Once is enough. The other actors are good in this film and I couldn't find fault with Kelly Hu's performance as some others did. I would suggest renting the movie before buying it or you may end up like me - giving it away.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific!
Review: At the beginning of the movie, we go back 5000 years to the city of Gomorrah, where Memnon (Steven Brand) is determined to wipe out any sort of freedom in the desert. The psychic abilities of a beautiful sorceress, Cassandra (Kelly Hu) and victory are his until Mathayus (WWF's the Rock, a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson) comes in to the picture. Cassandra escapes from Memnon with Mathayus to have freedom and slowly, they fall in love. The Scorpion King is an action packed adventure and with Mathayus' little sidekick (Grant Heslov) along for the ride, it also provides a few good laughs. Plus, the visual effects during the sandstorm and the fight sequences are outstanding. I wasn't so sure if I would enjoy it or not, due to the fact that I'm not a big fan of action movies, but it soared past my expectations. The best news of all is that the Rock is an amazing actor and can handle the lead role in a film. For those reasons, that is why I am giving it five stars and if it were possible, I'd definitely give it more. If you go see this movie, you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Sword - Action movie.
Review: Waste of time?! Not! That was the opinion of one reviewer and I disagree. This is a fun ancient-times action - sword movie. Born of the MUMMY duology, the Rock delivers a strong performance in his fight against a powerful, well crafted opponent. This movie is to much fun to be a waste of time. As my 8 year old son always, there are two things that make a movie great: Swords. Sword Fighting. there you go! This movie is also reasonably family friendly, as we don't recall any Spurting blood, nudity or simulated sex.
Rating:
Summary: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Review: Dwayne Johnson also credited as "The Rock" has become a very entertaining actor. Myself, I love all of his movies, there is no one better to play "I'll kick your ass and feel good about it" other than The Rock. Then you think about other muscular actors, for example Arnold Shwarzenegger, he was Mr. Universe but does it show in his movies? No he's all about guns, he doesn't put his strength to his advantage in his movies besides hauling around a coffin full of what? GUNS in T3. The Rock makes each movie memerable, somthing you can always keep and enjoy. There IS NO ONE BETTER than The Rock to play such a role as The Scorpian King. He is the top of the line and I hope he makes a lot more movies, he will be the next kick ass major actor bigger than Stallone, bigger than Shwarzenegger he's a star. The Scorpian King is sucha movie that you can keep and watch over and over, The Rock hits this over the fence out of the park and right into your DVD collection believe me he's deffinately worth the price.
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