What we flagged
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Our take
This is a low-budget fantasy adventure, the fourth in the Scorpion King line, built around swordfights, double-crosses, and a quest for a magic urn. The tone is comic-book heroic, with constant talk of killing but almost no blood on screen. A fire-breathing dragon and a hideous desert creature bring the monster thrills, and there is mild swearing and a little flirting. Nothing lands heavily. Older primary and early high-school kids who already enjoy this kind of fantasy action will handle it fine.
Uplifting themes
Loyalty, courage and standing up to a tyrant drive the hero's journey. The friends-turned-enemies thread gives a little weight to trust and betrayal. It is simple stuff, but the right side wins for the right reasons Mathayus is a steady, principled lead who protects the weak and keeps his word. Allies and villains are drawn in broad strokes, so there is not much depth. Still, the hero models grit and fair play
Story (may spoil tone)
When he is betrayed by a trusted friend, Mathayus must marshal all his strength and cunning to outwit a formidable opponent who will stop at nothing to unlock a supreme ancient power.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Sword and fist fights run through the whole quest, and characters threa…
Sword and fist fights run through the whole quest, and characters threaten to kill each other again and again. It plays as comic-book action, so hits land hard but blood barely shows. The body count is more talk than gore
Language Swearing is very light. The strongest moment is a frustrated 'hell' aft…
Swearing is very light. The strongest moment is a frustrated 'hell' after a dragon encounter, with a few other mild words slipping through. Nothing a child this age will not have heard already
Sex / nudity Romance stays mild. There is some flirting and a femme-fatale type in t…
Romance stays mild. There is some flirting and a femme-fatale type in the mix, but no sex scene and no nudity. A kiss and a bit of banter is as far as it goes
Drugs / alcohol Tavern drinking sits in the background of a few scenes, in keeping with…
Tavern drinking sits in the background of a few scenes, in keeping with the sword-and-sandal setting. It is not dwelt on and no one is played as drunk for laughs. Easy to miss
Frightening A fire-breathing dragon and a hideous, deformed desert creature supply…
A fire-breathing dragon and a hideous, deformed desert creature supply the scary set-pieces. The menace is fantasy-flavoured and broken up by jokes, so it stays on the lighter side. Younger viewers may still jump at the big moments
Gore / death / weapons Swords, blades and fantasy weapons are everywhere, and people die in th…
Swords, blades and fantasy weapons are everywhere, and people die in the fighting. The camera keeps things clean though, with no real wounds or blood to speak of. Deaths read as action-movie knockouts
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- Mathayus is betrayed by someone he trusted. How do you tell the difference between a true friend and a false one?
- The whole plot turns on chasing a source of great power. What do the heroes and villains each want to do with it?
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The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
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