AGW Entertainment reporter Lynn b. saw a new action/adventure film starring THE ROCK. Here are her thoughts on....

THE SCORPION KING

Universal Pictures

In The Mummy Returns, The Rock played a giant bug that was squashed by Brendan Fraser. Flash back to 3000 b.c. and the "bug" is a mighty human warrior with a kingdom to win. Like Schwarzenegger before him, the buffed up hunk from the world of muscles and mania is going for broke on the big screen but there's a difference, Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) has taken acting lessons from the heavy duty coach who helped a lot of actors win and get nominated for Oscars (including Rock's costar Michael Clarke Duncan) and, unlike the early Arnold, the Rock can speak English (he sings too, but that's another story).

In 3000 b.c., a warlord named Memnon (Steven Brand) ruled scattered desert tribes with the aid of a mercenary army of barbarians and the strategy of Cassandra, a sorceress seer (Kelly Hu). The remaining desert people hire assassin Mathayus (The Rock), the last of his people the Akkadians, to kill the sorcerer and thus make Memnon easier to defeat.

On entering Memnon's stronghold of Gomorrah, Mathayus discovers that the "sorcerer" is a girl and the apple of Memnon's eye. Instead of killing her, he takes her hostage in order to draw Memnon out into the open for a direct confrontation. Even though Cassandra's predictions don't bode well for Mathayus, he believes he controls his own destiny and lives by a creed "Live Free. Die Well". He enlists the help of Balthazar (Michael Clarke Duncan) another desert leader, and the fight for the kingdom is on.

There are definitely shades of Conan the Barbarian in this action flick but unlike the more serious Conan, The Scorpion King follows the personality of The Rock.. strong, stalwart, heck to pay in a fight and all done with tongue firmly in cheek (and eyebrow raised). The film moves right along from combat to combat and never leaves you bored. Action sequences are clever and the few familiar "nods" to other action films are fun gags rather than annoying (Mathayus runs across a room behind a giant shield just like Indiana Jones in Temple of Doom). Later, meaning to grab a weapon, he grabs…. a chicken! Instead of the usual trusty, fire breathing horse, he rides….a cute white camel!

Gorgeous Kelly Hu wears some pretty but skimpy outfits but you don't really see anything more than you do in a swimsuit so they aren't too risque. I was glad to see that Kelly and the other ladies in the film can hold their own in battle with the best of the guys! There is even a sweet Rock/Kelly love scene of sorts that is cuddly and fine for the PG-13 rating that makes it okay for The Rock's younger fans to enjoy the film.

We do have the cliché cute little thief kid and the standard, annoying, comedy relief sidekick who complains regularly about…everything but he's harmless and well-played by Peter Facinelli. It's great seeing giant Michael Clarke Duncan battle with The Rock who, for once, looks tiny next to his adversary. Classically-trained Scottish actor Steven Brand is pretty hot and evil as Memnon.

You do learn why Mathayus is called "The Scorpion King" but, if you saw The Mummy Returns, don't expect to learn how he "sold his soul to Anubis" and got cursed and turned into a giant hybrid scorpion… that's probably gonna happen in a third or fourth movie! If the sequels are as action-filled and just plain fun as this one, I'll stay tuned.

For"Rock-in" Action, I give this one 4 out of 5 stars

Official Website: www.the-scorpion-king.com
Rated PG-13

Directed by Chuck Russell
Screenplay by Stephen Sommers and William Osborne and David Hayter
Starring
The Rock as Mathayus
Kelly Hu as Cassandra
Steven Brand as Memnon
Michael Clarke Duncan as Balthazar