The Scorpion King

Directed by Chuck Russell
2002, Universal Pictures
1 hour, 32 minutes

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I knew I was in for a ride after from the beginning of The Scorpion King, as men in loincloths sucked the faces of scantily clad women, before being beat up by Dwayne Johnson to hard metal guitar riffs. The movie was making one thing clear: don’t take any of it seriously. It’s just another carnival ride in The Mummy franchise, one which makes little sense, has no stakes, and is driven primarily by toxic male machismo and far too much sex appeal aimed at straight men. The movie’s only redeeming quality is how ridiculous it can be, though you have to ignore a lot of problematic elements and frankly uninteresting details to have a good time.