The Popkorn Junkie :: The Scorpion King

When I woke up this past Sunday morning, I was overcome with an intense feeling, a feeling that comes over me sometimes, depending on what type of mood I am in--I wanted to see a good popkorn flick. Alas, the only film showing in the local theatre that I hadn't seen was "The Scorpion King". So, I bit the bullet after months of putting the film down, and went to see if The Rock could entertain me successfully. He did.

"The Scorpion King" is one of those films in which the plotline and dialogue are pitiful, but the action and witty one liners are enough to make the movie enjoyable. The Rock stars as Methayus, one of the last remaining members of the Arcadians. He and his brothers are hired to kill the king's sorcerer, only to later discover that the sorcerer is really a sorceress. Alas, The Rock's brothers are killed and he kidnaps the sorceress, all in an elaborate attempt to capture revenge against the evil king Memnon. He picks up a lovable, yet accident prone sidekick, and eventually a kooky mad scientist who was actually the person who invented TNT? Not the television network--go figure. Though most of the acting is pretty ordinary, The Rock is perfect at delivering his lines and he does so with a Schwarzenegger "Conan the Barbarian" flare crossed with a Bruce Willis "Die Hard" humor element. The Rock really does a fantastic job.

This film is a prequel to "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns", though I found it to be much more delightful than the others. The Rock has a better wit than Brendan Fraser and he is not afraid to churn out some of the corniest lines ever uttered in an action/adventure flick. Kelly Hu is beautiful as the sorceress, and the best part of the film comes when The Rock and Michael Clarke Duncan duke it out to show who the toughest barbarian is.

As I stated before, the plotline is recycled and the dialogue is a joke, but it was just what I wanted to see at the time--a good popkorn flick. On any other day, I would have not recommended this film and would have probably lambasted it completely, but it lucked up and caught me on a good day. This is a great 'macho guy' flick and is something that just about anyone will find faultered, but enjoy--though it may be too graphic for the wee ones. You get to see the famous Rock eyebrow and even a body slam, though the peoples elbow doesn't make it into the mix. This was a pretty fun flick.

-- Billy Ray ( 3 out of 4 pops )

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Other Junkie's opinions.....

Matt ( 3 out of 4 pops )

This is everything you would expect in an action spectacle: lots of action, lots of excitement, lots of fun, touches of humor and a very thin storyline. It's a popcorn flick and nothing more. And in that department, it succeeds beautifully. The Rock is good and charming, proving he can be just as effective as any Schwarzenegger or Van Damme. Like those two actors, The Rock is no Lawrence Olivier, but for an action star he's perfect. Plus, this is one guy flick where I don't have to feel guilty about the ladies in the audience. While the guys enjoy the nonstop action and the beautiful Kelly Hu, the girls can ogle The Rock's sexy body for the whole 90 minutes. Grant Heslov, who some may remember from "True Lies," is hilarious as our hero's dim-witted sidekick. And it was great casting, hiring Michael Clarke Duncan as his arch enemy who soon becomes his warrior pal. Duncan is the only actor in the biz with muscles just as enormous as The Rock's. In one scene, they're beating each other to a pulp, but you don't who's going to win because they're both built like horses. If you're an action fan or just in the mood for some mindless fun at the movies, then "The Scorpion King" is the movie for you!