The Scorpion King: The Lost Throne

I couldn't help it, even though I knew what I was getting myself into. Being a teenager in the early 80's, I grew up with the low budget sword and sorcery flicks. Deathstalker, Ator, Barbarian Queen, Amazons and several others. I've always enjoyed those "films", no matter how bad. After watching this one, all of those titles flashed into my head. I would compare this one to those. Just a little more modern day cheese.

Is it a good movie, no. If you like those bad 80's titles, you may be able to make it through this one. If your taste is not those type of movies, don't watch it. It's always good to see name actors in these type of movies. Go through the motions and cash the check. Easy money.

When my friend mentioned to me there was a Scorpion King 4, he said this was a Nanar, which is a french word they use in France, with the equivalent in English that could be "movies there so bad there good" but at the same time, its not exactly that.

First of all the movie is made to be an action adventure comedy, with a huge emphasis on comedy. Its been so long i have not seen the first Scorpion King with Dwayne Johnson, i can't remember exactly but i am sure it was not that "on the comedy aspect" if i can say.

It seem the cast just had fun with this one, its almost like watching a Disney cartoon with real persons. If you can remember Hercules the Legendary Journeys with Kevin Sorbo, well this is close to that.

So could we really call it a "Nanar"? Not really cause it seem they really knew what they wanted to do and they did just that. Honestly i had fun watching it, the characters where cool, and sure at times i was like "oh common really?" but always with a smile. Its just a good family fun time.

Just don't expect anything serious and you should enjoy it.

Credit where credit is due, the Scorpion King franchise was nowhere near as bad as it could have been or by all rights should have been.

In this 4th and likely final instalment we see the return of the titular character once again played by Victor Webster who does a decent enough job.

The plot is brainless but acceptable and the action and laughs come thick and fast and once again the film doesn't take itself seriously at all (Which works in its favour).

Again it's like watching Hercules or Xena, and since fantasy movies are so few and far between I'll take what I can get.

The odd thing is how many stars are in The Scorpion King but how little screen time they get. Rutger Hauer, Eve Torres, M. Emmet Walsh and Lou Ferrigno (Who plays a big part of the cover art) are all in one single scene each which seems like a bizzare waste.

Dumb stuff, but passable this rounds The Scorpion King franchise out for me at 22/40 which isn't all that bad. I would however say that this perhaps should be the last film and it shouldn't be milked any longer.

The Good:

Some oddly good comedy

M. Emmet Walsh & Barry Bostwick

Scorpion King wasn't recast again

The Bad:

No Olaf

Most of the famous names are little more than cameos

Weak CGI

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Watching Scorpion King 4 is like watching an extended episode of Hercules, except the leading man isn't a complete moron

Agents of Shield Grant Ward is the Scorpion King? Who knew!

Rocks are secretly soft and will protect you from large falls

Women always have spare clothes that would neatly fit 6"5 men

Making wrestlers do their finishing moves in movies is still tacky

... the actors are having fun and you could also have some. Kind of of course. I mean you can only shake your head at the "Dragon" of the movie. It's ridiculous beyond any words I could muster to write here. Yes it is low budget (though still under the Universal banner!?), but even Harryhausen made more believable "monsters".

Anyway back to the actors, the female lead known for her role in Spartacus (at least to me) is obviously playing it for laughs and has some funny lines to say. The action sequences are not really good, but I've seen worse. Actually there is a decent stunt scene thrown into the mix here and there. If you are in the right frame of mind (and maybe like the people involved), there is fun you can have

"The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power" is the fourth of five instalments in the series, now direct to DVD, that was spun off from The Rock's cameo in "The Mummy Returns".

Victor Webster, most well-known for his appearances in a handful of Hallmark movies, is the only holdover from the last movie, returning as Mathayus. Ron Pearlman and Billy Zane are nowhere to be seen, which is a good thing, because the third one was not good.

The Scorpion King is betrayed by someone he thought was a friend and following that must team up with a beautiful woman (who, of course, has her own secrets) to stop the bad guy from gaining the ability to unlock a powerful ancient power that could see him rule the world.

Not the most original plot line, I know, but it does the trick in this instance. A lot of fighting, not much blood. Some differing acting: some okay, some horrible.

You get what you expect, more or less.

Passably entertaining.