Scorpion King uses technology, fire ants to dazzle movie audiences

The Scorpion King is a very fun movie. It is almost as clever as its predecessors, The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, and perhaps even a littler more campy than the other two. The film stars The Rock as Mathayus, a highly skilled Akkadian assassin hired to kill the sorcerer who is helping evil Memnon, played by Steven Brand. Kelly Hu plays the sorcerer, who turns out to be an extremely beautiful, and mostly naked, sorceress. The movie also stars Michael Clark Duncan, of The Green Mile. The movie grabs the audience in the first five minutes when Mathayus bursts in to save his brother and single-handedly battle a band of henchman. From then on, the movie never lets go. Mathayus goes to Memnon's camp to kill the sorcerer, but it is a trap. The sorceress warns Mathayus of this, but it is too late to save his brother. The sorceress tells Memnon that no one under his control can kill Mathayus, so Memnon buries him in the sand and sets fire ants on him. Mathayus escapes and goes to find Memnon to avenge his brother's death. When he arrives at Memnon's palace, he finds himself in the sorceress's chamber and kidnaps her. She reveals to Mathayus that she was a prisoner and the two form a friendship that is further solidified when she saves Mathayus's life. Memnon sends men to kill Mathayus, and though he defeats the band of men sent to kill him, one of the men sticks a poisoned arrow in Mathayus' leg. The arrow was poisoned with scorpion venom; thus, The Rock is the scorpion king. As the sorceress says, he now has the blood of the scorpion in him. Blood, venom - back then it was all the same. Eventually, they meet up with a rebel band devoted to defeating Memnon and his evil. After a testosterone infused battle with the leader of the rebel band, Mathayus gains its trust and they head towards the castle to battle with Memnon and his massive, well-trained army. Not to ruin the ending or anything, but after all the movie is called The Scorpion King, and of course, The Rock defeats the evil and marries the beautiful sorceress and everyone lives happily ever after. At least until the Scorpion King is cursed and becomes a huge scorpion with a human torso (as he appears in The Mummy Returns). The film also gives a nod to technology when one of the characters, a rather doddering scientist, alludes to "magic powder" which can destroy, or detonate, a mountain. The movie is a lot of fun to watch. While it may not win an Oscar for its groundbreaking plot, it does have romance, clever dialogue, comic relief and even a couple of kids. It adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience that may leave audiences wanting to see The Rock do a lot more movies. The Scorpion King is now showing at Carmike Cinema 10, Foothills 12, Cinemark's Tinseltown, The Ritz, Halls Cinema 7, West Town Mall and Farragut Towne Square. Rating: A