The Scorpion King [Blu-ray] | ![The Scorpion King [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51znQuJUmSL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Chuck Russell
Actors: Dwayne Johnson, Steven Brand, Michael Clarke Duncan, Kelly Hu, Bernard Hill
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.98
Buy New: $16.45
You Save: $13.53 (45%)
New (25) Used (6) from $16.19
Avg. Customer Rating:  251 reviews
Sales Rank: 4305
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dts Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Blu-ray
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 92
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 61104867
UPC: 025195039970
EAN: 0025195039970
ASIN: B001A4VH3Y
Theatrical Release Date: April 19, 2002
Release Date: July 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Factory sealed!! Free first class upgrade!! US Version!!
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
There's nothing original in The Scorpion King, but this derivative action franchise gets off to a rousing start by cleverly stealing from a lot of better movies. Capitalizing on his brief cameo in The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. World Wrestling Federation star the Rock) stars as Mathayus, an Akkadian assassin in the age preceding Egyptian pharaohs, who vows to avenge his brother's murder by an undefeated warlord (Steven Brand) prophesied to become the desert-ruling Scorpion King. Their battle for supremacy comprises most of the film's brisk 95-minute running time, punctuated by comic relief from Mathayus's obligatory sidekick (Grant Heslov), romance with a beautiful sorceress (Kelly Hu), and alliance with a massive Nubian (Michael Clarke Duncan) on the eve of their climactic showdown. There's no rhyme or reason to the film's depiction of ancient civilization (the costuming is particularly ludicrous), but the Rock demonstrates adequate action-star potential, and director Chuck Russell (The Mask) wraps it all in a slick, professional package. --Jeff Shannon
Description
Adventure rules! The spectacular Mummy series explodes into a new realm of breathtaking, non-stop action in The Scorpion King! Unleashing WWE superstar The Rock as the most fearsome warrior of the ancient world, The Scorpion King plunges you into a sweeping tale filled with stunning fight sequences, awe-inspiring battles and pulse-pounding thrills. It's the ultimate special effects-powered epic and the must-see-and-see again adventure of the year!
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 246 more reviews...
 NO COMMENT August 24, 2008
AS I LIVE IN EUROPE, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THIS BLU RAY DVD.
THE FORMAT WAS NORMALLY "ALL REGIONS" BUT I GUESS THAT ONLY THE PEOPLE WITH A REGION 1 APPARATUS COULD WATCH IT. SO I SPENT MY MONEY FOR NOTHING. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT. I WANTED TO SEND IT BACK TO AMAZON BUT FINALLY I CHANGED MY MIND BECAUSE I WOULD I HAVE LOST MONEY.
SO I'LL NEVER PURCHASE THIS KIND OF DVD AGAIN.
 This was in theatres, not straight to video July 27, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Please stop saying this is a straight to video movie. It was in the theatres, I saw it in a theater myself.
 Entertaining prequel spin off from "The Mummy Returns" not quite up to that film but still fun July 26, 2008
"The Scorpion King" was the first spin-off from Stephen Sommers' sequel "The Mummy Returns" acting as a prequel. This allowed Sommers to tell us a bit more about the fascinating character of the Scorpion King. Although this origin story tidied up different story strands left unanswered in the first film (and revised how the main character got his name slightly in a way which didn't contradict but complimented the original story but also gave us a character slightly different than what we ended up seeing in "The Mummy Returns"), it manages to stand on its own quite well even without any of the original characters (how could they be in a prequel? Well, perhaps Im-Ho-Tep could have figured in somehow but this does take place BEFORE his time)included in from the first two films. Although it wasn't quite up to the quality of "The Mummy" or "The Mummy Returns" in terms of originality, it's a solid b-movie spin-off of the series and very entertaining in its own right.
By the way, there is a direct-to-video sequel without The Rock. I haven't seen it but was initially a bit confused believing this to have been a direct-to-video release (it wasn't although I recall that now when I first wrote the review I had forgotten about its brief but profitable theatrical run)which acts as a prequel to THIS film according to all descriptions. It comes out on August 19th. Whether or not this was a direct-to-video or theatrical release isn't important what IS important is the quality of the movie. I've seen some direct-to-video sequels that have been good and bad so that doesn't impact the quality of the film itself (unless it's a Sci-Fi Channel original movie--those are mostly bad, cheap looking and is an example of everything that is WRONG with Sci-Fi Channel in contrast to "Doctor Who"(which the BBC produces), "Eureka" and "Battlestar: Galatica"
For those who have seen the movie (and if you're reading this I'm going to assume you have. If not and you want a synposis of the plot that's provided at the end of this review), you probably want to know how this looks on Blu-ray. As with "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns", "The Scorpion King" receives a nice transfer marred only by the over use of Edge Enhancement and Digital Noise Reduction to reduce film grain.
All of the extras from the DVD edition (both the original edition and the reissue) are ported over to this fine release and this does include the U-Control feature(something carried over from Universal's HD-DVD releases) that will allow you to customize the extras including watching picture-in-picture commentary and behind-the-scenes footage.
Written and produced (but not directed)by Stephen Sommers, "The Scorpion King" is an entertaining sword and sand epic that is filled with humor and just enough camp to make the film work. Director Chuck Russell does a great job of setting up the action sequences particularly one that takes place in a cave during a sandstorm as Memnon's men hunt for Mathayus. Russell does a terrific job of setting up the action and creating a suspenseful sequence in what could easily have been a muddled scene.
Russwell does a good job of introducing Sommers' humor and story elements that are unique to this film. The Rock does a solid job in the lead role although its not exactly a stretch for him as an actor (does it matter really? This is an action film with the emphasis on the word ACTION), he makes a believable lead for the film.
A prequel rather than a sequel, this spin-off tells us about Mathayus (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson)who is among the last of a dying breed of mercenary fighters hired to kill a sorceress Cassandra(Kelly Wu) who can see the future. Memnon (Steven Brand)uses Cassandra to predict the outcome of his battles as he takes over kingdoms. The result is that those who would oppose often give in without a fight.
When Memnon kills Mathayus brother and leaves him for dead, Mathayus makes it his mission to exact both revenge and complete his task.
"The Scorpion King" manages to become an enjoyable and fun prequel to Sommers' hit films. It's not "Citizen Kane" (or "The Godfather") but doesn't pretend to be either. "The Scorpion King" may not be as inventive,original or suspsenseful as either of "The Mummy" films but it is strong enough so that it could easily have been released to theaters and done well. Although it does display Sommers' writing moving towards the camp tendancies that hamstrung "Van Helsing", Russell's smooth direction rescues the film from becoming an overbearing campe fest.
 Forgettable Movie. July 8, 2008
It has violence, more than action. The storyline is poor and unoriginal. The acting is generally speaking nominal. Two-Stars does it.
Greatly entertaining. June 9, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I like sword fighting movie. This movie has lots of humour and action. Kelly Hu looks beautiful. Even though the plot is not original but the film greatly entertains me.
I own it.
|
|
|
News 
