Saturday, March 13, 2010

Prince of Persia critiques

Some French journalists were given a 15-minute sneak peek of Jake Gyllenhaal's Prince of Persia. A couple of sites have posted preliminary reactions, which I'll try to sum up based on the bad babelfish translations and my rudimentary French.

Krinein Cinéma makes the familiar criticisms about the casting. Setting that reservation aside, they pronounce the film "spectacular," faithful to the Bruckheimer tradition of sumptuous sets, impressive physical feats and visual effects. It's a refreshing combination of adventure and fantasy, with evil creatures and a tumultuous romance.



Elbakin acknowledged that it's hard to judge the full movie, since it was a compilation of only three scenes:

1. The attack of a city and the discovery by of the dagger by Dastan
2. The Prince and the very pretty princess Tamina
3. An ostrich race (Alfred Molina, the comic foil, was in this scene.)

They say that a "pumped-up" Jake is very close to the video game character, leaping and bounding and doing something with broken ribs that I can't figure out!

The movie is reminiscent of PotC and the Mummy, obviously the intent of the creators. Hard to tell if it will make the same impact. Some scenes strain credulity, but they realize that's the point. Some sets were not covincing but others were successful. The Dagger of Time works particularly well.

Not enough time to judge the movie, but it did leave the reporter wanting to see the whole thing, which is a good sign. The movie made a good impression and seems like one the movie-going public will enjoy. And all of this could change once they see the full film.

So pretty positive buzz. Let's hope the ShoWest full reviews next week are even better!


More Oscar photos from flickr:








In case you didn't get enough of Jake and Atticus, a repeat shot from the last post:



(Oscar photos courtesy of flickr: Pulicciano, Ida&Leo, GotSandInMyPants and Brad_Johnson.)

53 comments:

UltraViolet said...

Another repeat. I think Extra posted this link two posts ago, but it might have gotten lost in the Atticus shuffle. I particularly like Jake's last line:

"Whatever I dreamed and hoped for in my career and life is not how it's gone in a lot of ways and I love that."

Pretty good attitude to have!

Brothers seems to be opening in Australia, but other than another article about Jim Sherican and one about Tobey, I haven't seen a lot of press, which is a shame.

mary said...

im going to disneyland thursday with my sister iill have to check if i can see anything pop related

Paula said...

The French reviews sounds promising, we will get the full blown reviews after Sho West, I hope! I hope he enjoys the Wondercon panel on 4/3, it will be a first for him and they are always fun.

Thanks for adding all the Jake pics from Oscar night, he really looked amazing.

Atticus!! It's good to see him.Glad that daddy has him on the SC set, I especially love the last pic!

From the previous thread: Thanks BS for your SC info! I do have a question: Has Jeffrey Wright started filming yet?

((((Bobbyanna))) My thoughts are with you.

Anonymous said...

Jake apparently went to the Vauvert again last night

http://twitter.com/audreypm/status/10406016540

qui est au Vauvert? Jake Gyllenhall y est apparament!

Monica said...

I loved all these reviews. Thanks, UV!

Awards Daily News:

Oscar Potential? First Look at the Slate
Love and Other Drugs- Edward Zwick ( Legends Of The Fall, Blood Diamond ) directs this true story with Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.

Possible Best actor candidates:

Jake Gyllenhaal- Love and Other Drugs- A role that might just be Jake’s best performance.

Anonymous said...

Monica, for some reason that link isn't working.

Monica said...

To me it's working. Again:

Awards Daily News

Anonymous said...

Monica, no worries, the link works for me know! Thanks for all the updates everyone....love all this Gyllen-news. :)

get real said...

Sorry, that was me as the two anon comments, forgot to put my name in. :p

Thanks again, Monica. I am very excited to hear positive reviews of Jake in LAOD.

Chica said...

Love all the news on the Jake front, I really love that poster!

It really is a shame that Brothers got almost no press whatsoever overseas UV . I like that interview, thanks for the link.

The French reviewers have not seen the entire film, but they seem positive based on what they have seen, thanks for the translation UV!

It's always good seeing photos of Atticus and Jake, they are both looking good.

The studio must feel really good aboud LAOD to be screening it as much as they have. They really love Anne's performance and I'm happy to see that Jake is being mentioned as well.

Tweety said...

Thanks for posting the French Pop reviews/sneek peeks. The comparisons to the Mummy is not new , it sounds like overall they were pleased which is great!

I'm a bit hesitant to get excited about early previews , but i have a good feeling about Pop and with LOAD.


Atticus and Jake are adorable!

Looks like Duncan is in Boston for the weekend:

ManMadeMoonYay! At the hotel in Boston.. going to wander the streets now and look at stuff.
about 1 hours ago via TweetDeck

Anonymous said...

"The Mummy" took place in the desert and am hoping that's the only comparison.

Monica said...

He compared to Indiana Jones too.

I think the comparisons are inevitable. Several films are compared with other films. Always.

Office of Nancy Pelosi said...

The Indiana Jones and Mummy comparisons along with the he isn't Persian stuff will be all a part of the reviews when they come out. Pop looks like a fun popcorn type movie, and it also looks like a faithful adaptation of the video game which is good news for the fanboys and girls.

Thanks for posting the French reviews UV. Love th Jake and Atti pics. Atti is getting on in years so I'm happy to see that Jake is taking him to work with him.

It would be great if Anne got a nom. for LOAD but I do think that it's a bit early for such speculation IMO.

Anonymous said...

Think I rem. reading Jake had said he thought his career in movies would mostly be comedies.
So that didn't quite go the way he thought it would.
I think this "he's not Persian" thing is pretty much a fanboy type thing. And, also, probably constantly stated on sites by the same 2 people - ha.
Don't think the people who actually do reviews for movies will make a big deal of it.

Monica said...

Think I rem. reading Jake had said he thought his career in movies would mostly be comedies.
So that didn't quite go the way he thought it would.


Good. I don't like actors who act in only one genre of film.

FL said...

Well this is certainly interesting.

Jake gyllenhall at #APDC cabane a sucre and desert is good!

Pic of Jake at APDC

And then an hour later by the same twitterer.

Kirsten dunst Now at #APDC cabane a sucre! Celeb night!!

http://twitter.com/cleanEVOLUTiON

Maybe it's just a coincidence they were both there an hour apart?

But then...

I think it would be sweet if Jake G actually was dating Olivia Munn, IMO.

http://twitter.com/vivalaChr/status/10439142030


Which gets a reply of...

@vivalaChr funny you mention him today. my friend spotted him at Forever 21 store. Kirsten Dunst was there too.

http://twitter.com/falcondesign/status/10442911025


Hmmm...curiouser and curiouser.

Anonymous said...

Isn't this the third different location where Jake and Kirsten have been spotted at roughly the same time multiple times?

After all, don't they eat breakfast regularly at the same locale?

I wonder why Jake would go back to Kristen like this?

Anonymous said...

My post above makes no sense. I meant to remove the "multiple times" at the end of the first sentence.

Anyway, good find FL.

Anonymous said...

Were Jake & Kirsten there at the same time tho - and anyone actually see them in what might look like "together"?
Otherwise just might be a coincidence.

FL said...

Yes, it's probably just a coincidence. Montreal isn't that big a city after all. Who knows.

Anonymous said...

Coincidence is one location once or twice, after all they are filming in the same city so being seen at the same place once or twice says nothing either way.

However, this is now three different locations where they've both been spotted at roughly the same time. At one of those locations we know that both have been spotted several times.

That's a pretty big coincidence. Is it definitive? Obviously not. But, as FL wrote, things are getting curiouser and curiouser.

Anonymous said...

Also from that Forever21 store sighting it seems as if the tweet is suggesting that they were in fact there together.

Personally I'm hoping that Jake will give Rachel McAdams a shot, but it does look like that Jake is at least spending time with Kirsten.

Anonymous said...

Not sure how i feel about that. Of course they're both older now and hope she has grown away from her party-girl image.

UltraViolet said...

Veddy interesting, FL. It could all be a coincidence, but that is a lot of chance!

Have fun at Disney, Mary. Definitely let us know if there's any PrOPaganda.

Paula, these Oscar pics are still fun, aren't they. Haven't gotten tired of them yet. I love the candid-y ones, even if they aren't the best shots.

Not sure about that Awards Daily bit on Jake in LaOD. Seems like just conjecture, not something said by anyone who's seen the movie.

And if nothing else, PoP stories and reviews and now Jake's Montreal shoot have helped me brush up on my French!

UltraViolet said...

Oh, I forgot to say that poor Duncan chose a terrible weekend to visit Boston. Howling winds and drenching rain.

I hope he enjoys himself anyway. Maybe it will appeal to the dramatist in him!

mary said...

just because they were seen together several times doesnt mean they have gotten back together again they happen to be fiming in the same city so maybe just friends but who knows well just have to wait and see very interesting indeed and UV if i see any thing at disney ill let you know

Anonymous said...

I don't think that they are/or will get back together. I think it's possible that they're spending some "quality time" together though.

Anon 8:48 said...

Also don't forget that Kirsten had done an interview only a few months ago where she said how she hadn't spoken to Jake in years and would love to talk to him again.

She also, if some reports were true, went to rehab and was making "ammends" with people she had hurt or wronged. There was a story about her having lunch with Tobey Maguire for that reason.

Given Jake's recent situation I can see that having had a positive effect on him. Also, given how happy Jake has looked lately I'm thinking he's getting at least a little bit of lovin'. ;)

Anonymous said...

I do rem. Kirsten went to rehab and do hope that helped. I saw a bit of an article on her. She had said it would of been nice to see him but they weren't what you'd call friends because they hadn't seen each other in quite a while.
It would be nice if they did spend some time together to talk out things. Would help both of them.

Anonymous said...

Kirsten has a boyfriend.

Shondra said...

Still loving all the post oscar Jake stuff. I can't believe how much I missed red carpet/tux Jake.

Missed pics of Jake and Atticus too, thanks for posting them.

The bits from the French reviews are encouraging but I can't wait for the ShoWest reviews that we will be getting next weekend!

It's none of my business and Jake is a grown man but Jake and Kiki again? I just think it's a coincidence but we were bound to get these stories once it was announced that they would both be filming in Montreal at the same time.

Jake has grown up so much since he was last with Kiki, while I get the feeling Dunst hasn't.

She still is one hot mess.

Tweety said...

Jake at the movies:

TamyEmmaPepin: For all you travelers in Montreal, Jake Gyllenhall is at Scotia Cinema.

Paparazzi Proof here :

http://twitpic.com/18lofn #montrealgossip
38 minutes ago

mary said...

wonder what movie he saw

Sara said...

That link isn't working for me.

UltraViolet said...

Sara, you want to ignore the #montreal gossip at the end of the link. So just:

http://twitpic.com/18lofn

Or click here.

This review of the Brothers Blue Ra DVD doesn't mention deleted scenes in the Extras. I will be really pissed if they don't have deleted scenes.

Sara said...

Thanks!I will be really pissed if they don't have deleted scenes-that made me laugh.I thought they were supposed to have a makinig of kind of thing-maybe i'm wrong?

UltraViolet said...

They didn't mention a "making of" feature, either. More a "Remaking of" the original film. I guess we'll see. Not too much longer to wait.

I forgot to say earlier how funny it is that FL's connect-the-dots post about Jake and Kirsten was somehow posted in a gossip blog and has since taken off to the point where there's a story about how they have been inseparable since arriving in Montreal.

The internets are funny, aren't they?

BTW, Kirsten was seen today at the "SB cinema." Jake was at "cinéma banque scotia." Just, you know, FYI.

Anonymous said...

This is now location number four in two weeks? (Obviously minus Oscar weekend)

Curiouser and curiouser...

Canadian Babbler said...

Just so you know, Banque Scotia is just the francophone version of Scotia Bank, as in The Bank of Nova Scotia (a large national Canadian bank) which is usually referred simply as Scotia Bank. It's where I do my banking.

Again, curiouser and curiouser...

Canadian Babbler said...

If you do a google search you'll discover that "Scotiabank Theatre Montreal" is located at 977 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest.

"Le Cinema Banque Scotia" is located at the exact same location. As I suspected it's the same theatre and just referred to by English and French versions of its name.

There is no other theatre in Montreal which is referred to as SB Cinema other than Le Cinema Banque Scotia, or ScotiaBank Cinema.

Thus they were at the same theatre on the same night.

Do we still think this is all coincidence?

Anonymous said...

Pretty sure UV knew that scotia bank and banque scotia are the same or she wouldn't have mentioned it. There is a St Bruno theatre in Montreal also.

Extra said...

I knew the rumors would fly about Jake And Kristen once they started filming in Montreal, but this is curious, especially the movie theater bit.

Bummer about the Brothers DVD if true. There has to be deleted scenes from that movie and it makes no sense for Lionsgate not to add them.

This is the line-up for the Wondercon on April 3rd. The Pop is only scheduled from 12:15 - 12:45, but these things someimes will last a bit longer:

http://disnology.com/2010/03/walt-disney-studios-announces-wondercon-2010-line-up/

Canadian Babbler said...

I'm pretty sure UV knew that as well, she's a smart cookie, but I wanted to let everyone else understand the significance in case they missed it. If you didn't live in Canada, or weren't aware of french/english translation, you may have missed it.

I definitely wasn't knocking UV, it was a great catch on her part. Just like FL's original catch. I think this site may have broken a story that will probably be talked about in the coming days/weeks.

It's time to stop living in denial now, i'm pretty sure they've been seeing each other. I don't know how serious they are or will ultimately be, but they've been spending time together. From the sounds of it, a lot of time.

If the Montreal press are on to it, given that article UV also provided (and BTW, according to that article they've been spotted in six places together now if one includes last nights movie theater sighting, and one of them several times), then it's only a matter of time before the US gossipistas pick up on it as well.

Given the attention Jake has gotten over the past week re: Olivia Nunn and Rachel McAdams then I suspect this will be even bigger news.

BTW, St. Bruno is a non-profit theatre for amateur productions. It's not a cinema at all, it's a theatre. It also wasn't open this weekend.

LHA said...

JFHC on a stick! just when we thought it was all now going to be about the work this happens. Talk about torpedoing things before its gotten off the ground. How can he build good relationships without being able to have privacy?

Jake has some great work coming our way. I wish he was left alone to have some fun not stalked or hunted everywhere he goes. He has just come out to play doing red carpets and interviews. He's going to go to ground again. I did like the twitter sightings after the fact but now they are taking a sinister turn. This is a real shame.

Anonymous said...

Um, what?

Anonymous said...

Twitter is something Jake and his people, hell all actors and their people are going to have to get used to and adjust. Before it was blog sigtings, but twitter is more immediate.

It's no escaping it. True we don't have to post them on here and other Jake blogs but we can't help whats out there in twitterland, others including tabloids now moniter twitter as well.

So the stalking is being done on all levels.

Jake and Kristen being in Montreal at the same time is just the perfect fodder for the tabloids after the break-up. Even if there is nothing to the meet- ups, they are going to run with it.

Anonymous said...

Re: Brothers:

"Thanks!I will be really pissed if they don't have deleted scenes-that made me laugh.I thought they were supposed to have a makinig of kind of thing-maybe i'm wrong?"

Nope, no deleted scenes on the Blu-ray disc and no traditional making-of featurette. (The featurette on re-envisioning the original film to better fit an American perspective does include a bit of that, though.)

Extra said...

Shake and move with Jake/Dastan , Prince of Persia in D-Box!!:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/d-box-signs-theatrical-agreement-with-walt-disney-pictures-for-movie-prince-of-persia-the-sands-of-time-87644987.html

Anonymous said...

Well it seems from this tweet Jake and Kirsten were at that restaurant together, probably as old friends and People mag seems to be on the case, they seem to be contacting people that have tweeted about them, wonder if they have seen the theatre ones yet?.

UltraViolet said...

Extra, I saw that. Not sure if I want that much action! There aren't too many of those theaters, either. But I guess it's a cool gimmick/technology.

Yeah, looks like People's been contacting twitterers. Wonder if FL will get a byline :)

Anonymous said...

How do you guys know PEOPLE have been contacting twitters?

BTW, Perez Hilton is on to the story as well and has been asking around.

It'll break by the end of the week, guaranteed.

UltraViolet said...

Because people are tweeting about it, naturally.

New promo pics, new post :)