Not the best of the three in the series, but still entertaining for those who like fantasy adventure films. The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption, the third in the series that started with The Scorpion King (2002) seems to have hit the budget crunch with the lack of good CGI, low-grade special effects, a novice director and inferior make-up. Although it has other downfalls, the movie should screen well with male teens.
Since his rise to power as the Scorpion King, Mathayus’ (Victor Webster) kingdom has fallen. Now an assassin for hire, he must defend a kingdom from an evil tyrant and his ghost warriors for the chance to regain the power and glory he once knew. His wife recently buried, Mathayus joins with Olaf (Bostin Christopher) and Silda (Krystal Vee) on a dangerous trek to wipe out Talus (Billy Zane). Along the way they fight Ninja’s, Talus’s army, elephants and other obstacles. Just when they think they have declared victory, Talus brings two vicious assassins, Zulu Kondo (Kevin ‘Kimbo Slice’ Ferguson) and Tsukai (Selina Lo), to life.
Watching the WWE & UFC stars David Bautista and Slice in their fight routines provides some teen fun. Billy Zane as the pompous King Talus however, gets a little over the top and his character becomes more comical than it should have been. The film also features an appearance by Ron Perlman as the wicked Horus the powerful King of Egypt.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIaXKP8yTFg[/youtube]
I did like the aerial stunts that were performed during the Ninja battle, the attack with the eight elephants, and the choreography of the final fight in the film. I am not fond of the direction by novice Roel Reine who seems to let the plot get away from him at times and the actors looked like they were ‘reading’ their lines direct from the script in some scenes.
The bonus features are good. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack includes:
Digital Copy of The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption
Deleted Shots Montage
Gag Reel
Swords and Scorpions: A Making Of
Preparing for Battle- With black belt champion Victor Webster
Feature Commentary with Director Roel Reine
In addition to the regular bonuses the Blu-ray Combo pack exclusive BONUS FEATURES provide access to:
BD-LIVE™: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to watch the latest trailers and more!
pocket BLU™ app: The groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPad®, iPhone®, iPod® touch, Android™, PC and Mac® to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™ player. Plus iPad® and Android™ tablet owners can enjoy a new, enhanced edition of pocket BLU™ made especially to take advantage of the tablets’ larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on the go in a way that’s bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as:
ADVANCED REMOTE CONTROL: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
VIDEO TIMELINE: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.
MOBILE-TO-GO: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
BROWSE TITLES: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
KEYBOARD: Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.
DIGITAL COPY: In addition to redeeming a Digital Copy of the movie through the pocket BLU™ app, Viewers can also download a digital version of the full-length movie from participating digital retailers to enjoy on a choice of popular electronic and portable devices.
The Blu-ray Combo pack specifications:
Layers: Duel, BD-50
Number of Discs: 2
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 1.78:1
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence and action and sexual and crude references
Languages/Subtitles: English/Spanish Subtitles/French Subtitles
Sound: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround
Run Time: 1 Hour 46 Minutes
Release Date: DVD on January 10, 2012. Blu-ray Combo Pack on January 17, 2012
FINAL ANALYSIS: Only average and not the best of The Scorpion King series. Movie (D) Bonus Featurs (B) total experience (C )
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
