'Prince of Persia' was OK. Not great, but OK.

Just a few days ago, I finally got around to watching 2010’s “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.”

This movie was OK. Not great, but OK.

Based on the popular “Prince of Persia” series of video games, this movie was released in May 2010 and was directed by Mike Newell. It starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton and Alfred Molina.

For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, it’s about a street orphan, who’s adopted by the Persian king, Sharaman. Sharaman raises the boy, Dastan, as one of his own sons, and the boy eventually becomes one of the king’s top military leaders.

Fifteen years after his adoption, Dastan (which means “hero” in ancient Persian) leads a group of soldiers during an assault against the sacred city of Alamut. The leaders of this normally peaceful city are said to be selling weapons to Persia’s enemies.

The Persians topple the city, and Dastan soon finds himself in possession of a magical dagger that can turn back the hands of time. Soon after the assault on Alamut, Dastan’s father, the king, is assassinated before his eyes, and innocent Dastan is blamed for the crime. He spends the rest of the movie, trying to set things right.

If I had to sum up this movie, I’d say it’s “Aladdin” meets Jason Bourne meets “The Scorpion King” meets “The Matrix.” If you’ve seen it, you’ll know what I mean.

This movie was a financial success, bringing in gross revenues of over $335 million against a budget of nearly $200 million.

I found this movie especially interesting because it’s set in ancient Persia. The Persian Empire, also known as the Sassanid Empire, lasted from 224 AD to 651 AD. At its height, this empire encompassed all of modern day Iraq and the Persian Gulf area. The city of Alamut, which plays a central part in the movie, was located about 100 miles from the present day city of Tehran in Iran.

I’ve been to Iraq and Kuwait, and the films scenes of desert vistas and sandstorms brought back more than a few memories.

In the end, I enjoyed this movie and recommend it to anyone in the audience with a taste for action and adventure. If you liked “The Matrix” or “The Bourne Identity,” you’ll probably enjoy this movie.