Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (PG-13)
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This came out in 2010, but I didn't see it until 2024. It didn't do all that well critically, but it more than made back its budget, and was one of the highest-grossing video game movies of all time. But it was still considered a box office disappointment, which is just one reason it didn't become the start of a franchise for Disney. Personally, I liked it. I mean it wasn't great, but I definitely thought it was good. Actually, parts of the plot reminded me quite a bit of the 2023 film Nimona, which was a much better movie than this. And I suppose those plot points aren't exactly uncommon, so I'm not saying Nimona ripped off this movie (or any of the games it was based on, which I haven't played).

It starts with a young boy named Dastan helping a fellow street urchin who was being harassed by royal guards or whatever. Then the guards start chasing Dastan, and he does some parkour to get away from them, which reminded me of the start of Aladdin. He's eventually caught, but before the guards can punish him, King Sharaman, who witnessed the whole thing, decides to adopt Dastan.

Fifteen years later, Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a prince, along with the king's biological sons, Tus and Garsiv. The holy city of Alamut is accused of forging weapons to sell to Persia's enemies, so the three princes lead an army to invade the city. They capture its ruler, Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton), and Dastan obtains the dagger she had been guarding, while Tus wants to marry her. Later, the king says his sons never should have invaded Alamut, but still celebrates their victory, with the condition that they must search for proof of what the city had been accused of, which Tamina denied. Then, the king is killed by a poisoned robe that Tus had given Dastan to present to their father. Dastan is accused of murder, and he goes on the run, along with Tamina. Dastan believes Tus was the real murderer, and wants to find proof, as well as seeking the help of his uncle, Prince Nizam (Ben Kingsley). But first, Dastan learns that the dagger has the ability to turn back time when sand is released from it. Though there's not much sand in it, and it can't take the wielder back very far in time. But Tamina is desperate to get the dagger back, for reasons I won't get into. Along their journeys, they also meet a sheik named Amar (Alfred Molina), whose people, especially a knife-thrower named Seso, will eventually help Dastan against the real killer.

There are some more twists to the story that I don't want to spoil. But predictably enough, Dastan and Tamina fall in love, and there is a happy ending the nature of which didn't surprise me in the least. But I don't need to be surprised to enjoy a good ending, so... I was glad my prediction wasn't wrong. Anyway, the movie had some decent action scenes, and the story was basically good, even if I don't know that it always made sense. So I'm glad to have finally seen the movie.