udiences were first introduced to the Scorpion King in last year's action-adventure sequel, The
Mummy Returns. In that film's opening sequence, a warrior king makes a pact with the
Egyptian god Anubis for victory over the ancient world at the price of his immortal soul. The
Scorpion King takes place many years before the events of The Mummy Returns, with
little foreshadowing of the dark destiny that lies ahead for the future king.
Before becoming the Scorpion King, he was Mathayus (The Rock), one of the last survivors of a
clan of assassins called the Akkadians. The tribes of the ancient world have formed a union against a common enemy, a ruthless warlord named Memnon (Brand). Memnon's forces have swept across the land, laying waste to everything in their path, never losing a battle and gaining strength with every conquest. It is said that the secret to his prowess is a sorcerer who can predict the outcome of any campaign before it begins.
The few tribes that still remain unconquered hire Mathayus to assassinate the sorcerer, thus eliminating Memnon's greatest advantage. It turns out, however, that the sorcerer is a beautiful
woman named Cassandra (Hu), who is little more than Memnon's well-treated slave. With the help of a horse thief and an inventive old man imprisoned in the palace, Mathayus extracts Cassandra from the city of Gamorrah, where Memnon's forces are preparing for their next attack.
They ride into the desert and find refuge in a hidden camp headed by a Nubian warrior named
Balthazar (Duncan). Mathayus forges an uneasy alliance with Balthazar and eventually convinces him to return to Gamorrah with him. "You can come with me and fight or stay here and die," he tells him. Together, they prepare to invade the city and destroy Memnon once and for all.
This king has an impressive sting
When Universal announced in 2001 that it would be producing a prequel to The Mummy Returns, in which The Rock would reprise his role as the Scorpion King, it seemed like a huge risk for the studio. After all, it was essentially planning to center a big-budget Hollywood film around an actor-turned-wrestler on the basis of a few minutes of screen time. The filmmakers knew better, however, and set out to prove that The Rock had the kind of star quality that could not only carry a major feature film but appeal to a mass audience as well.
On that level, The Scorpion King certainly succeeds. The film works well as a star vehicle,
showcasing The Rock's abilities in thrilling action sequences and capitalizing on the performer's inherently heroic nature. Audiences unfamiliar with the world of professional wrestling will likely
be surprised at his acting range and screen presence. Even in the more tender moments, he is charming and believable.
Though the fights are well staged—and thankfully devoid of blatantly obvious wrestling
references—the problem is that they serve only to string together a story as skimpy as Kelly Hu's
wardrobe. There isn't even an attempt at believability or historical accuracy here. The Rock runs around looking like a glazed doughnut, taking out an entire armies of men all by himself. At one point, he pulls an arrow out of his own back and shoots it at his foe. It's an over-the-top moment in an over-the-top movie. Entertaining, but mindlessly so.
Another major problem is the casting of the villain. As the power-hungry warlord Memnon, Steven
Brand is no match for The Rock in either strength or charisma, making for an anticlimactic final
battle. Even when brandishing flaming swords, it's difficult to consider Memnon a credible threat
to Mathayus.
Fans of The Mummy Returns expecting to see the same kind of campy action-adventure or a
superhuman villain on par with Imhotep will likely be disappointed. Although there are some funny
moments, this film takes itself considerably more seriously than either of the Mummy films,
and the connection is never addressed. The Scorpion King has more in common with Conan the Barbarian, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's a fun ride if you don't pay too much attention to the scenery.
