Russell Crowe, Gladiator, Scorpion King

I changed my mind to go see the Scorpion King after seeing the Rock on the Late Show With David Letterman.  I was so impressed with the Rock’s interview and how well he handled himself next to Letterman that maybe there was some glimmer of hope that I wasn’t going to be wasting my time.

After seeing the Scorpion King, I wasn’t disappointed with The Rock’s and Kelly Hu’s performance.  I expected a lot of fighting scenes, but it got to be a bit much that I actually looked forward to the non-fighting scenes.  I even looked forward to the talking scenes with the bad guy, Memnon.  He had some screen presence and his acting was decent.

After seeing the Scorpion King, I wasn’t disappointed with The Rock’s and Kelly Hu’s performance.  I expected a lot of fighting scenes, but it got to be a bit much that I actually looked forward to the non-fighting scenes.  I even looked forward to the talking scenes with the bad guy, Memnon.  He had some screen presence and his acting was decent.

Maybe Crowe's fighting in Gladiator was enough for me for a decade.  And Scorpion King’s attempt at reliving a little from Gladiator left me saying enough, thank you.

What made me think of Gladiator?

• The dialogue:  The gods favor you.

• The centurions at the palace looked like costume look-alikes from Gladiator.

• The sword fighting.

• The Rock avenging his brother’s death.

• The severed head.

There was a scene that reminded me of The Mummy:

• The ants crawling to the Rock’s face as he is buried in the ground.

I even thought of Harrison Ford and the cobra in Raider’s of the Lost Ark:

• Scene where Kelly Hu places her hand in the clay vessels and holds the cobra at Memnon’s face.  This scene actually left me at the edge of my seat.  Memnon’s acting helped.

There was a scene that reminded me of The English Patient:

• The sand blowing scene where Kelly Hu and the sidekick are buried in the sand after a sand storm.  The English Patient showed the terror that comes with this.  Kelly Hu and the sidekick simply got up and threw off the sand.  This was the feeling I got at the end of the movie.

That is why I look forward to the artistic expression of actors like Crowe.  His expressive face is needed after watching movies like the Scorpion King. 

But I would go back and watch another Rock movie, not because I’m a wrestling fan, which I’m not, but because I’d like to see how the Rock has progressed in his acting.  I’m a celebrities fan and I’m for celebrities improving on their work.

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