Producer Jerry Bruckheimer scored a multi-billion dollar hit with the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, a movie franchise based on a theme-park ride. With Prince of Persia he's obviously hoping to work the same magic on a video game title, but it doesn't quite gel. The eponymous hero is Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), a street urchin adopted by a king, who must fight to clear his name when he's framed as a traitor. This leads Dastan to team up with a no-nonsense princess (Gemma Arterton) to protect a magical dagger from the dastardly machinations of the power-mad Nizam (Ben Kingsley). Taking little from the award-winning game series, this coasts by on its Saturday matinée charms and the likeable leads' love/hate chemistry. However, considering the game involves nothing but running and jumping, the action scenes here fall surprisingly flat. It's largely happier following a formula rather than taking any daring leaps into the unknown.

A rogue prince reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time – gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.