Watch The Scorpion King
- PG-13
- 2002
- 1 hr 32 min
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5.5 (145,934)
The Scorpion King is a 2002 action-adventure film directed by Chuck Russell and starring Dwayne Johnson, Steven Brand, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Kelly Hu. The movie serves as a prequel to The Mummy franchise, with Dwayne Johnson playing the titular character who was introduced in The Mummy Returns. The story takes place in ancient Egypt, where a merciless warlord named Memnon (Steven Brand) conquers more and more territories with the help of a sorceress, Cassandra (Kelly Hu), who has the power to see the future. The people of the city of Gomorrah, Memnon's next target, decide to hire Mathayus (Dwayne Johnson), a skilled and fearsome assassin known as the Scorpion King, to kill the sorceress and stop Memnon's reign of terror.
Mathayus teams up with a tribe of desert warriors, including Balthazar (Michael Clarke Duncan), and sets out to fulfill his mission. Along the way, he has to face various obstacles and enemies, including a fierce fighter named Thorak (Ralf Moeller), who is Memnon's champion, and the sorceress herself, who turns out to be not quite what she seems.
The movie features a lot of action and adventure, with Mathayus fighting his way through hordes of soldiers and using his wits to outsmart his enemies. He also develops a romantic interest in the sorceress, which complicates his mission and adds some tension to the plot.
The Scorpion King is notable for being Dwayne Johnson's first leading role in a feature film, and he delivers a charismatic and engaging performance as Mathayus. The movie also showcases his physical prowess and action skills, with several impressive fight scenes and stunts.
The supporting cast is also strong, with Steven Brand bringing a menacing presence to his role as Memnon, and Michael Clarke Duncan providing some comic relief as Balthazar, who has a penchant for quoting philosophical sayings. Kelly Hu is also excellent as Cassandra, who is torn between her loyalty to Memnon and her growing feelings for Mathayus.
The movie's production values are impressive, with elaborate sets and costumes that evoke the ancient Egyptian setting. The special effects are also well done, with the sorceress's magical powers and various monsters adding some fantasy elements to the story.
Overall, The Scorpion King is a fun and entertaining action-adventure movie that showcases Dwayne Johnson's star power and sets the stage for a new franchise. It may not be the most original or thought-provoking movie, but it delivers a lot of thrills and excitement for fans of the genre.
The Scorpion King is a 2002 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.5 and a MetaScore of 45.