The Scorpion King (2002)
Average Rating: 4.9/10
Reviews Counted: 134
Fresh: 54 | Rotten: 80
Action adventure doesn't get much cheesier than The Scorpion King.
Average Rating: 4.6/10
Critic Reviews: 29
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 20
Action adventure doesn't get much cheesier than The Scorpion King.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 270,614
My Rating
Movie Info
The Rock has his first starring role in this prequel to The Mummy films, which was developed while The Mummy Returns was still in production. The film takes place in ancient times, when a mighty swordsman, Memnon (Steven Brand, making his film debut) ruled over nearly all the known world. Memnon, a brutal tyrant, defeats his enemies in battle with the help of a beautiful sorceress, Cassandra (Kelly Hu), who can predict the future. The last of the "free tribes" form a fragile alliance to fight
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Cast
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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
The Scorpion King/Matha... -
Steven Brand
Memnon -
Michael Clarke Duncan
Balthazar -
Kelly Hu
Cassandra -
Bernard Hill
Philos -
Grant Heslov
Arpid -
Peter Facinelli
Takmet -
Ralph Moeller
Thorak -
Branscombe Richmond
Jesup -
Roger Rees
King Pheron -
Sherri Howard
Queen Isis -
Conrad Roberts
Chieftain -
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All Critics (155) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (59) | Rotten (82) | DVD (43)
Another grandiose, hyperactive crock, full of lame jokes and gorgeous, stupefying images.
Top CriticAll the necessary exposition prevents the picture from rising above your generic sand 'n' sandal adventure.
Russell lacks the visual panache, the comic touch, and perhaps the budget of Sommers's title-bout features.
Wimps out by going for that PG-13 rating, so the more graphic violence is mostly off-screen and the sexuality is muted.
The Scorpion King may look like a movie, but it feels like a food fight.
A fairly by-the-books blend of action and romance with sprinklings of intentional and unintentional comedy.
On the silly popcorn scale, it works pretty well.
Boasting sword-and-sandal action more sluggish than a Ye Olde Renaissance Faire, The Rock putting someone through a table would be a welcome anachronism. "The Scorpion King"? More like "Moron the Barbarian."
A ridiculous though not entirely unpleasant way to while away ninety-two minutes.
Predecessors The Mummy and The Mummy Returns stand as intellectual masterpieces next to The Scorpion King.
The Rock, making his acting debut as the titular top dog (not counting his five digitally enhanced minutes in The Mummy Returns), turns in a slight, if promising, star turn as a reluctant savior of the free world, and leads an encouragingly multi-cultural
There are quite a few slow spots, never more so than when we're asked to believe in The Rock and Kelly Hu falling in love.
Buy some popcorn, check your brain at the door and have fun.
Audience Reviews for The Scorpion King
Super Reviewer
Great title, slightly dull execution, we all knew what to expect here, Johnson running around half naked killing endless enemies with no apparent fighting skills. I will be completely truthful here and say this film isn't too bad, if you squint at it its almost pretty good, the fights are solid along with the stunts, cast does the job for the type of film this is and more importantly it actually looks good without any silly cgi to spoil the broth.
If you took out the historical setting you could quite easily say this was a sequel/prequel to the 'Conan' franchise really, its your basic swords n sorcery fantasy just without any monsters, its better than the recent official Conan effort. So yeah...this is not too bad, Kelly Hu looks lovely and Johnson is clearly learning the ropes showing promise.
Super Reviewer
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- Arpid: So much for not getting killed.
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- Memnon: It seems the gods favor me tonight, Akkadian.
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- The Scorpion King/Mathayus: Catch this!
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- Balthazar: You watch yourself, Akkadian.
- The Scorpion King/Mathayus: No need for concern, Miss.
- Balthazar: [to himself] Oh, he's going to pay for that.
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- The Scorpion King/Mathayus: You! You betrayed your own father?
- Takmet: Yes. He was very shocked. [holds up his father's head]
- Takmet: You could tell by the look on his face.
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- Jesup: Horses are faster.
- The Scorpion King/Mathayus: But camels are smarter.
Discussion Forum
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Latest News on The Scorpion King
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June 15, 2007:
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