Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

PG-13

2010

1h 56m

Adventure

Action

Fantasy

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Popcornmeter

37%

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227 Reviews

58%

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250,000+ Ratings

In the holy city of Alamut resides the Sands of Time, which gives mortals the power to turn back time. After leading an attack on the city, Dastan, the adopted son of Persia's king, acquires a dagger that gives the one who holds it access to the Sands. Dastan goes on the run with an Alamut princess named Tamina, after being accused of killing his father. The pair must protect the ancient treasure from dark forces and unmask the king's assassin.

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Critics Consensus

It doesn't offer much in the way of substance, but Prince of Persia is a suitably entertaining swashbuckler -- and a substantial improvement over most video game adaptations.

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Keith Uhlich

Time Out

Nov 18, 2011

2/5

A Jerry Bruckheimer-produced video game adaptation-it has to be good, doesn't it? (Ya, sarcasm.)

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Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

Jun 4, 2010

B-

The sheer whoosh of the story line keeps you watching anyway, and, as the prince, Jake Gyllenhaal has a hearty good-naturedness that comes as a relief amid all the turbocharged antics. He wears his heroism lightly.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Jun 2, 2010

Disposable family entertainment.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 23, 2025

2/5

While filled with plenty of action and good-looking people, it's lacks any real bite, unless you count the CGI snakes.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 18, 2023

1/4

When so many summer blockbusters try desperately to achieve a balance between escapism and quality filmmaking, this movie’s lack of effort to be anything but standardized is insulting.

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Stuart McGurk

NME (New Musical Express)

May 19, 2021

2/5

While it doesn't really work as a whole, the set-pieces are diverting enough along the way.

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Rose G

@RT88124792 Sep 30, 2026

classic from when i was a kid

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 16, 2026

This movie only equals a *3* star Movie!

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Frans B

@FransB Aug 27, 2026

Very striking and visceral. Stellar cast all shine in character, Jake Gyllenhaal in particular. Very well written and directed. Amazing cinematography and visually stunning. Set dressing and locations are breathtakingly beautiful. Fast paced, filled with action, innovative fight scenes, magic, enigma, drama, intrigue, emotion, suspense and unique "Persian" ambiance. Entertaining, epic and captivating

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Shelley B

@RT80562264 Aug 15, 2026

This movie is severely underrated. I have never understood the hate this movie gets.

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Paul S

@PManRager Jun 26, 2026

I fondly remember the hype and advertising around this movie in 2010, but unfortunately, it did not live up to it. The story was riddled with plot holes and character cliches, and lacked the shock value I was hoping for. Despite its flaws, it was still really fun to watch, and it was full of incredible action sequences that left me glued to the screen. Action, adventure, and fantasy fans will have a lot of fun with this movie, but there are definitely better ones out there.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom Apr 20, 2026

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a decent adventure film that feels like an early stepping stone toward the more polished modern Disney blockbusters that followed. It blends action, fantasy, and humor in a way that clearly aims for broad appeal, even if it doesn’t always hit the mark. The movie’s biggest strength is its sense of fun. The parkour-style action sequences and the mystical dagger concept keep things moving at a steady pace, and the setting gives it a unique visual flavor. The chemistry between the leads helps carry the film, adding some charm to an otherwise straightforward story. That said, it can feel formulaic, with predictable plot beats and characters that don’t go much deeper than their archetypes. Still, you can see how this kind of production helped shape the tone and style of later Disney adventures. Overall, it’s entertaining but not outstanding—an enjoyable watch with clear limitations. 6/10.

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Mike Newell

Director

Jake Gyllenhaal

Dastan

Gemma Arterton

Tamina

Ben Kingsley

Nizam

Alfred Molina

Sheikh Amar

Steve Toussaint

Seso

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Synopsis

In the holy city of Alamut resides the Sands of Time, which gives mortals the power to turn back time. After leading an attack on the city, Dastan, the adopted son of Persia's king, acquires a dagger that gives the one who holds it access to the Sands. Dastan goes on the run with an Alamut princess named Tamina, after being accused of killing his father. The pair must protect the ancient treasure from dark forces and unmask the king's assassin.

Director: Mike Newell
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer
Screenwriter: Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard
Distributor: Walt Disney
Production Co: Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence|Intense Sequences of Action)
Genre: Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 28, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $90.8M
Runtime: 1h 56m

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