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Tag: the scorpion king

  • Best Sword and Sorcery Movies

    Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in Prime Video's 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.'
    Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.’ Photo: Ben Rothstein/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

    Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy stories characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures, with elements of romance, magic, and the supernatural.

    With a prequel to ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘House of the Dragon’ currently airing on HBO, and ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘ debuting on Prime Video, it is clear that the sword and sorcery genre is more popular now than ever.

    In honor of the release of ‘The Rings of Power,’ Moviefone counts down the twenty greatest sword and sorcery movies of all time.

    To be included on this list, the film in question must feature at least one character wielding a sword, and some element of magic introduced in the plot.

    Without further ado, let’s begin!

    King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

    When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Vortigern (Jude Law), Arthur’s uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword Excalibur from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy… whether he likes it or not.

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    DragonHeart (1996)

    In an ancient time when majestic fire-breathers soared through the skies, a knight named Bowen (Dennis Quaid) comes face to face and heart to heart with the last dragon on Earth, Draco (voiced by Sean Connery). Taking up arms to suppress a tyrant king, Bowen soon realizes his task will be harder than he’d imagined: If he kills the king, Draco will die as well.

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    The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

    Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), a hobbit enjoying his quiet life, is swept into an epic quest by Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) and thirteen dwarves who seek to reclaim their mountain home from Smaug, the dragon.

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    Conan the Destroyer (1984)

    Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is commissioned by the evil queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas) to safely escort a teen princess and her powerful bodyguard to a far away castle to retrieve the magic Horn of Dagoth. Unknown to Conan, the queen plans to sacrifice the princess when she returns and inherit her kingdom after the bodyguard kills Conan. The queen’s plans fail to take into consideration Conan’s strength and cunning and the abilities of his sidekicks: the eccentric wizard Akiro (Mako), the warrior woman Zula (Grace Jones), and the inept Malak (Tracey Walter). Together the hero and his allies must defeat both mortal and supernatural foes in this voyage to sword-and-sorcery land.

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    Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

    A rogue prince (Jake Gyllenhaal) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess (Gemma Arterton) 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.

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    Eragon (2006)

    In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy (Ed Speleers) happens upon a dragon’s egg — a discovery that leads him on a predestined journey where he realized he’s the one person who can defend his home against an evil king.
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    Legend (1986)

    Universal Pictures
    Universal Pictures

    Set in a timeless mythical forest inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns and mortals, this fantastic story follows a mystical forest dweller (Tom Cruise), chosen by fate, to undertake a heroic quest. He must save the beautiful Princess Lili (Mia Sara) and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry), or the world will be plunged into a never-ending ice age.

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    Red Sonja (1985)

    The tyrant Gedren (Sandahl Bergman) seeks the total power in a world of barbarism. She raids the city Hablac and kills the keeper of a talisman that gives her great power. Red Sonja (Brigitte Nielsen), sister of the keeper, sets out with her magic sword to overthrow Gedren.

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    Krull (1983)

    A prince (Kenneth Marshall) and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride (Lysette Anthony) from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet.

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    The Scorpion King (2002)

    In ancient Egypt, peasant Mathayus (Dwayne Johnson) is hired to exact revenge on the powerful Memnon and the sorceress Cassandra (Kelly Hu), who are ready to overtake Balthazar’s village. Amid betrayals, thieves, abductions and more, Mathayus strives to bring justice to his complicated world.

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    The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

    Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) are trekking to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power while Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) search for the orc-captured Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd). All along, nefarious wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) awaits the Fellowship members at the Orthanc Tower in Isengard.

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    Highlander (1986)

    He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert). He is immortal.

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    Ladyhawke (1985)

    Warner Bros.
    Warner Bros.

    Captain Etienne Navarre (Rutger Hauer) is a man on whose shoulders lies a cruel curse. Punished for loving each other, Navarre must become a wolf by night whilst his lover, Lady Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer), takes the form of a hawk by day. Together, with the thief Philippe Gaston (Matthew Broderick), they must try to overthrow the corrupt Bishop (John Wood ) and in doing so break the spell.

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    Willow (1988)

    The evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) hunts the newborn princess Elora Danan, a child prophesied to bring about her downfall. When the royal infant is found by Willow (Warwick Davis), a timid farmer and aspiring sorcerer, he’s entrusted with delivering her from evil. Joanne Whalley and Val Kilmer also star.

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    Clash of the Titans (1981)

    To win the right to marry his love, the beautiful princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker), and fulfil his destiny, Perseus (Harry Hamlin) must complete various tasks including taming Pegasus, capturing Medusa’s head, and battling the Kraken monster.

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    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

    Young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo (Ian Holm), must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
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    The Princess Bride (1987)

    In this enchantingly cracked fairy tale, the beautiful Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) and the dashing Westley (Cary Elwes) must overcome staggering odds to find happiness amid six-fingered swordsmen (Christopher Guest), murderous princes (Chris Sarandon), Sicilians (Wallace Shawn), a giant (André Roussimoff), a swordsman with a personal vendetta (Mandy Patinkin),  a wizard (Billy Crystal) and his wife (Carol Kane), and rodents of unusual size. But even death can’t stop these true lovebirds from triumphing.

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    Conan the Barbarian (1982)

    A horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), the man responsible for killing his family. In the wilderness, Conan takes up with the thieves Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai (Gerry Lopez). The group comes upon King Osric (Max von Sydow), who wants the trio of warriors to help rescue his daughter who has joined Doom in the hills.

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    Excalibur (1981)

    A surreal adaptation of Sir Thomas Malory’s “Le Morte d’Arthur,’ chronicling Arthur’s (Nigel Terry) discovery of excalibur, his rise to the throne, the Knights of the Round Table’s search for the Holy Grail, and ultimately his death. Also starring Helen Mirren as Morgana Le Fay, Nicol Williamson as Merlin, Patrick Stewart as King Leodegrance, Liam Neeson as Sir Gawain, Gabriel Byrne as King Uther Pendragon, and Ciarán Hinds as King Lot.

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    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

    New Line Cinema
    New Line Cinema

    Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is revealed as the heir to the ancient kings as he, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the other members of the broken fellowship struggle to save Gondor from Sauron’s (Christopher Lee) forces. Meanwhile, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) take the ring closer to the heart of Mordor, the dark lord’s realm.

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  • 15 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Mummy’ on its 20th Anniversary

    15 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Mummy’ on its 20th Anniversary

    Universal Pictures

    It’s been 20 years since Universal delivered one of the best movie reboots of all time in “The Mummy.” No amount of lackluster sequels, direct-to-video spinoffs or re-reboots will dull the appeal of this modern-day classic. Celebrate that anniversary with some fun facts you might not know about the making of “The Mummy.”

    1. Universal originally planned on rebooting “The Mummy” as a low-budget horror film in the early 1990’s. Clive Barker was attached to direct, and the film would have focused on a modern-day museum curator attempting to raise an army of undead mummies.

    2. Tom Cruise was originally offered the lead role but turned it down. Cruise would go on to star in the 2017 reboot instead.

    Universal Pictures

    3. Because of the dangerous political situation in Egypt, most of the filming had to be done in Morocco instead.

    4. Even Morocco had its significant dangers. All the main cast members had to have kidnapping insurance. Director Stephen Sommers opted not to inform his cast of this detail until after production wrapped.

    Universal Pictures

    5. Brendan Fraser nearly lost his life while filming the hanging scene. According to Rachel Weisz, he stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated.

    6. Fraser’s colleagues didn’t fare much better. Everyone on set was required to drink a specially created beverage every two hours in order to stay hydrated, and numerous crew members were hospitalized after being bitten or stung by poisonous animals.

    Universal Pictures

    7. The collapsing library stunt was achieved in a single take. That’s fortunate for the crew, as rebuilding the set would have taken a full day’s work.

    8. The character Ardeth Bay was originally supposed to have been killed off in the film’s climax, but Sommers rewrote that part after realizing he liked Oded Fehr too much. Fehr would instead reprise his role in “The Mummy Returns.”

    Universal Pictures

    9. Bay is also intended as an homage to the 1932 film. In that version, Imhotep himself takes up the cover identity of Ardeth Bay (an anagram for “Death by Ra”) when he tries to pass himself off as a modern Egyptian.

    10. One of the background extras can be seen wearing a cloak that was originally worn by Sir Alec Guinness during the filming of “Star Wars.” This was only discovered after filming was completed.

    Lucasfilm

    11. That cloak wasn’t the only classic Hollywood prop o be re-purposed during production. Many of the plastic dummies used to depict Imhotep’s victims were previously featured in 1985’s “Lifeforce.”

    12. Sommers originally planned on paying tribute to the classic Universal logo during the opening of the film. While he abandoned the idea, he re-purposed it in 2004’s “Van Helsing” instead.

    Universal Pictures

    13. If you’re wondering how scarabs could survive so long in Imhotep’s tomb without a food source, an earlier draft of the screenplay revealed that the scarabs themselves were affected by Imhotep’s curse after biting him.

    14. There are technically eight films in this incarnation of the “Mummy” franchise. The original film spawned two direct sequels and the 2003 spinoff “The Scorpion King,” which itself currently has three sequels and one prequel.

    Universal Pictures

    15. “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns” also inspired an animated series that ran for two seasons between 2001 and 2003.

  • More Than Muscle: 9 Essential Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Performances

    More Than Muscle: 9 Essential Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Performances

    Universal

    Dwayne Johnson has been a larger-than-life presence in moviegoers’ lives for so long it’s hard to remember a time before we could collectively smell what The Rock is cooking. But the professional wrestler-turned-actor’s career started in earnest only a little over 15 years ago, and with the exception of a few projects, it feels a bit like he only really came into his own – combining charisma, physicality and sensitivity – in the last decade. Johnson turns 47 on May 2, so to commemorate his birthday, Moviefone is taking a look back through his remarkably diverse filmography to find nine roles that marked notable achievements, highlighted turning points in his career, or otherwise showcased his expanding skill set as an actor.

    Universal

    “The Scorpion King” (2002) – While still working as a successful full-time wrestler, Johnson contributed a cameo to 2001’s “The Mummy Returns,” a heel turn that introduced him to moviegoers really for the first time. Two years later he reprised the role of Mathayus in a prequel where he tapped into the undeniable presence that would later catapult him to superstardom.

    Universal

    “The Rundown” (2003) – Especially in his early acting days, few filmmakers utilized Johnson better than Peter Berg in this funny, fast-paced action adventure about Beck, a mob enforcer-turned-aspiring chef forced to chase his boss’ estranged son (Seann William Scott) through the jungles of Brazil and across the path of a wild-eyed crime lord (Christopher Walken). A blink-and-you’ll-miss it, symbolic passing of the action-hero torch from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Johnson feels especially prescient now.

    MGM

    “Be Cool” (2005) – F. Gary Gray’s attempt to recapture the magic of Barry Sonnenfeld’s “Get Shorty” mostly failed, but one of its bright spots was Johnson’s turn as Elliot Wilhelm, a gay bodyguard with dreams of movie stardom. Johnson gets to show a few different shades of his personality in the film but if nothing else the performance marks his sadly only appearance in a pair of chaps, a sartorial choice he should definitely revisit.

    Columbia Pictures

    “Gridiron Gang” (2006) – Johnson started taking some risks during this early period of his career, but this sports drama established his bona fides as a role model on screen and off, playing Sean Porter, the head of a correctional facility for teens who decides to start a football team to inspire them to work together and feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.

    Universal

    “Fast Five” (2010) – In spite of a number of career false starts and choices that even he would admit didn’t work out well (“Race to Witch Mountain”), Johnson rebounded in 2010, becoming “franchise Viagra” as he stepped into the “Fast and Furious” franchise as Luke Hobbs, a character whose physicality rivaled that of star Vin Diesel, but as he eventually would prove, whose charisma and leadership reshaped the ensemble from a group of outlaws into an unconventional but uniquely gifted group of globe-trotting adventurers.

    Paramount

    “Pain & Gain” (2013) – Michael Bay’s adaptation of this incredible true story about a feckless group of bodybuilders trying to stage a kidnapping is, like a few other films on this list, not particularly successful as a whole, but Johnson’s Paul Doyle is an insane train wreck of energy whose fall from redemption is both perfect for Bay’s brand of bombast and exemplary of Johnson’s fearlessness to take on new kinds of characters.

    HBO

    “Ballers” (2015-present) – Somehow in the middle of making all of these tremendously demanding blockbusters, Johnson took on the challenge of starring in and producing four seasons (and counting) of this sports agency dramedy, where he plays former athlete Spencer Strasmore, now trying to help young talents find their feet professionally and receive the kind of financial guidance they never had.

    Walt Disney Studios Animation

    “Moana” (2016) – In Walt Disney Studios Animation’s wonderful adventure about a young woman who befriends a disgraced god in order to save her people’s land, Johnson beautifully plays the self-aggrandizing Maui, not only lampooning his own irrepressible charm but contributing to some of the singing. By then a massive worldwide star, Johnson had found a lane for himself that was not just popular or comfortable but one that encouraged him, as much as he encouraged himself, to challenge fan perceptions and the limits of his own talent.

    Sony Pictures

    “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” (2017) – In what could easily have been a mindless, money-grubbing reboot of an iconic property, Johnson plays Dr. Smolder Bravestone, a predictably swole super-soldier with the insecurities and neuroses of a teenage boy. As fun as the film is, it underscores Johnson’s sweetest spot as an actor, relying on his enormous presence on screen but undercutting that as a character who is anxious, nervous, or a little goofy. It’s a winning combination that he explored in “Central Intelligence” but absolutely perfects here.