The (p)reviews are in.

Jerry Bruckheimer screened the Prince of Persia trailer for game and movie sites this week. Today, we get the reaction: mostly positive, so far. Even better is the news that the trailer for the Jake Gyllenhaal movie will appear online November 3, making the wait only four Days after Tomorrow. (The trailer will premiere in theaters on Friday the 13th with the movie 2012.)

Update: IGN:

IGN will premiere the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time trailer on Monday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m. PST. Stay tuned.



IGN: "The trailer is definitely a winner"

...no detail has been spared to create a very realistic portrayal of ancient Persia, as seen in the sweeping shots of the expansive city, the beautifully costumed characters and the eye-popping special effects that surround the presentation. ...

We're big fans of the Prince of Persia videogames and were naturally skeptical of the franchise's translation to the silver screen, but based on what little we've seen of the movie in the trailer, we're excited. Gyllenhaal works as the Prince, despite our initial reservations. There's plenty of well-choreographed action sequences complemented by spectacular special effects. The chemistry between the characters is already apparent. And there's enough fan service in the trailer alone to satisfy most naysayers. We're left with the impression that the Prince of Persia series is getting the full Pirates of the Caribbean treatment -- and we suppose the trailer works because we're looking forward to sitting down in the theatre, popcorn in lap, and escaping.


Movie Web: A film that could easily spawn a blockbuster franchise

"The film really feels like a revamped version of an Indiana Jones film, only this is set centuries before and also has the benefit of the amazing special effects and cutting-edge technology. ...

...despite the numerous misgivings many had about the casting of Jake Gylennhaal - it truly does look like he pulls off this Dastan character in wonderful fashion, and they did a nice job in the trailer teasing the chemistry between Dastan and white-hot newcomer Gemma Arterton's Tamina."

Destructoid: "Does everything a good action movie trailer should"

... it features fantastic locations, impossible stunts, a brief overview of an interesting story, and a hint of romance. ...

As expected, the action is heavy on the CG, but as a result the free running in the trailer is as unbelievable as in the games, if not more so. Some specific moves shown off in the trailer will be familiar to fans of the games, while others are so fantastic that a game would be hard pressed to replicate them outside of a cut-scene or quick time event.



Joystiq: The good, the bad and the ugly

The Good: There is plenty of "platforming" in here, where The Prince leaps, jumps, chimneys down walls, and narrowly escapes nefarious traps. That's a nice nod to the game, which first appeared on home computers back in 1989. You'll also hear a couple of familiar sound effects, like the psssshwt! of an arrow as it narrowly misses The Prince. The trailer was filled with heroic action featuring a very ripped Jake Gyllenhaal, performing everything you'd expect from the franchise's protagonist: sword fighting; wooing Princess Tamina, sweeping back his emo hair and ... err, more jumping. Lots of jumping. There's also a some witty repartee between Dastan and Tamina, a la Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood. What better movie to emulate?

UGO: "Looks to be a loose rather than literal adaptation of [the] original story"

No stranger to making movies of the swashbucking variety, Mr. Jerry Bruckheimer produced, and what the trailer lacked in traditional 'splosions — 9th century technology, and all that — it made up for in massive sandstorms, collapsing temples, and an awful lot of fancy CGI. The camera jumped from dreamlike vistas of Arabian cityscapes, to the microscopic innards of an hourglass, to a close-up of a lunging serpent's tonsils. Those of you who are fans of the "less-is-more" approach to cinematography will probably experience FX-induced nausea upon viewing this trailer, but you oughtta know by now that Bruckheimer doesn’t make movies for weaklings like you.



Coming Soon: "The mythical land of Persia... looks stunning"

Although the footage we saw was brief, which made it difficult to see where the story is going, the rivalry and tension between the prince and princess was very clear. Their witty banter was entertaining and well-written.

"You really enjoy telling me what to do don't you?" Gyllenhaal's character sarcastically asks.

"Only because you're so good at following orders," the princess quickly snaps back.

"Don't press your luck. The Sands of Saint, they strike terror into the heart of all they cross," he replies.

"Such a noble prince - leaping to assist the fallen beauty," she says.

"Who said you were a beauty," he laughs.

"There must be some reason why you can't take your eyes off me," she says.

He then tries to say something but begins to stutter, not knowing how to respond to the princess' feisty comebacks.

Fandango: "Telltale signs of a 2010 blockbuster: big stars and a fun, fantasy-action storyline"

The scenes where Jake uses the dagger to release the Sands of Time look well-polished, although Bruckheimer says they're still working to perfect it. The first time Jake uses the dagger, the sand and an electric-like current course through him, and he sees himself being brought back in time to a moment where he and Gemma are lip locked. He's floating above himself and suddenly morphs back into his own body. "Only the holder of the dagger is aware of what's happening," says a man's ominous voice. I'm guessing that's Alfred Molina, the prince's mentor.

One clip has Jake showing off his physical strength by scaling up a wall, while arrows whiz by all around him. Jake and Gemma have a few comical, flirtatious moments, trying to one-up each other in zippy comebacks, and in the trailer's last few cuts, we see a scene of the two of them in a temple that's falling apart. The sand around them starts to sink in, more arrows whiz by and a destructive whirlwind finishes it off. While most movies adapted from video games don't translate to the screen too well, so far, Prince of Persia looks like a fun PG adventure.

Collider: "Two minutes of awesome"

... based on the trailer, it looks like they spent a small fortune making “Prince of Persia”. It’s easily the most expensive video game-based movie ever made and this could be the film that shows Hollywood what they need to do to make an adaptation that works.

As I watched, I felt like they’ve mixed a “Lord of the Rings” type quest with the fun atmosphere of a “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.

ETA more trailer reviews:

Cinematical:
As a bona fide tentpole movie, Prince of Persia possesses all of the same qualities that made Bruckheimer's previous fantasy franchise, The Pirates of the Caribbean, a success: breathtaking action, international intrigue, a roguish hero, and an attractive heroine.

GirlGamer: But I’ll be the first to admit that after seeing the trailer, I found myself eating a bit of the proverbial crow as Jake Gyllenhaal turns out to be quite engaging as the Prince.

The trailer itself is lush, loud, and beautiful.

Crave Online: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has set his sights high for this one, and if the trailer's any indication, by the looks of things (as well as the price tag) Prince of Persia makes a strong case to break the mold.

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A funny account of some fans waiting around for a look at Jake and Anne on the set of LaOD:



My wife tells me she and our two daughters are going to walk around the corner to Shannon's house because Shannon had called to say Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway were talking in the vacant lot outside her bathroom window.

...

They never got inside Shannon's. There was no need. While they were still on the stoop, Gyllenhaal ran right past them for the corner coffee shop, Hoi Polloi, evidently to use the bathroom. (Pennsylvania's film tax credit buys a lot of coffee.)

...

It was our daughter Clare, celebrating her 10th birthday that night, who provided the best reporting of the evening. When I asked what she thought of seeing a famous actor on her birthday, she said, "It looked like he really had to go because he ran into Hoi Polloi."

When you gotta go...