Today’s quick review: The Scorpion King. Mathayus (Dwayne Johnson), an Akkadian warrior, is hired to assassinate a sorceress (Kelly Hu) in the service of Memnon (Steven Brand), a seemingly unstoppable conquerer. Mathayus has almost completed his mission when he is betrayed and left for dead. Now out for revenge, Mathayus kidnaps the sorceress in an attempt to draw Memnon out into the open.
The Scorpion King is a fantasy action movie set in ancient Mesopotamia. A loose spinoff of The Mummy Returns, The Scorpion King fits neatly into the sword and sorcery mold, with mighty warriors, forgotten empires, and scantily-clad men and women. While not a particularly high-budget or polished film, The Scorpion King covers its bases when it comes to the action genre, with serviceable characters, plot, and combat.
The cast is formulaic but satisfying. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as Mathayus, a skilled and cunning fighter driven by honor and revenge. Kelly Hu plays opposite him as the sorceress, the reluctant servant of Memnon and the source of his victories. Grant Heslov fills the role of comic relief as Arpid, a loud-mouthed horse thief who joins Mathayus on his quest, while Michael Clarke Duncan plays Balthazar, a warrior king and Mathayus’s rival. The only real weakness is Steven Brand as Memnon, a generic and forgettable villain.
Watch The Scorpion King if you are in the mood for fun, shlocky action that does not take itself too seriously. Though not outstanding in terms of plot, budget, or stunts, The Scorpion King makes an enjoyable watch for fans of the action genre. Skip it if you are looking for a more substantive movie.
5.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for popcorn action and excitement.