The Scorpion King

Eigentlich eine durch und durch einfache Geschichte. Sie hat aber, ähm, einen barbarischen Zauber. Die Arbeit der Filmemacher*innen ist nicht besonders blendend. Der Film möchte wie eine Folge vom TV-Herkules mit einer großen Ausstattung aussehen. Manche Nebenfiguren stören nur, aber auch so ist der Film unterhaltsam. Die Zeit vergeht mit ihm schnell und ich hatte nicht das Gefühl, dass er mir Schaden zugefügt hätte. Interessant war für mich auch die Musik von John Debney, der eine sehr solide und einprägsame Orchestermusik mit einer fast gegenwärtigen elektronischen Musik kombiniert. Warum nicht. (10.05.2020)

Any speculation about whether The Rock would be suitable for this role was completely unwarranted. He fits it like a glove, and he can handle his sword just as quickly as his tongue. He delivers one wisecrack after another while maintaining an unusually likeable detachment. And this is how the whole film is structured. Despite being burdened by a ton of adventure clichés, it is relatively easy to watch. The action is fast-paced and visually impressive, the main villain is not a problem (the scene in the training area is fantastic), and Michael Clarke Duncan is irresistible in disguise. Easygoing entertainment with no ambitions for anything more than a one-off and a solid contribution to the genre. (20.06.2006)

A mediocre action flick laden with a thousand clichés. Surprisingly, I didn’t mind The Rock, but he is very hammy every time he tries to bring some insight to his role. Arnie did much better with that in Conan the Barbarian. (21.07.2002)

Rock with long hair, once good for its time, now terrible digital effects, along with a fairly classic story of revenge, intertwined with a beautiful woman, and on top of that, some familiar face. What more could you ask for? I don't even know. Nowadays, this film seems so horribly ordinary to me... Classic mainstream, which apparently is meant to entertain. And it probably succeeds. It speaks for itself that it is only a short film. In one day, I saw too many similar movies again, and it left a bad taste in my mouth, which manifested in the rating of this piece, but I don't consider it particularly subjective. (09.01.2014)

A solid action-fantasy C-movie, the kind we haven’t had since Conan the Barbarian. No more, no less. (06.02.2007)