Prince(ss) of Persia?

The Prince of Persia games have been around for a long time. Longer than I care to remember. But I only became interested in them after the release of "The Two Thrones." The plot is interesting, and the characters even more so, especially in The Two Thrones, with the addition of "Dark Prince," the psychotic alter-ego of the Prince himself. I'm almost positive I'm not the only one who said "HELL YEA" or something to that effect, whilst wielding the "Dagger Tail."

But here is my conundrum.

They are currently making this awesome game into a movie. Granted, most game-come-movie's fail miserably (with the possible exception of Tomb Raider - but that could be something to do with Angelina Jolie), but when I read that the rights to the film were snapped up, I thought "Wow, with the right Actors and a decent writer, this could actually work!" After all, if it is based on the game, why wouldn't it be awesome?

Here's why. They have cast Jake "Brokeback Mountain" Gyllenhaal as the Prince.

Yes, I know some of you girls out there are probably screaming at me, because he is a good looking guy, and he was good in Brokeback Mountain (yes I enjoyed the film), but he just does not appeal to me as this kick-ass hero. 

I give you, The Prince, in all of his animated glory:

Oh, come on, that is just AWESOME.

And here is "The Prince" how he is portrayed in the film:

Yeah, he HAS bulked up, and he DOES have the hair, but he is just not doing it for me. The Prince is a mysterious, rugged stranger, who spends his time battling evil forces that are trying to take over the world (yes, cliche, I know.) It is set in Persia, which is now known as Iran, a third rate country where cleanliness and hygiene are pretty non-existance even to this day. The "pretty boy" look just does not cut it.

Maybe he is trying to rid himself of the reputation as the "gay guy from that cowboy film," or maybe, just maybe, I am the only person in the world who can't see it. But to me, it is all wrong. When I first read they were making this film, I thought about who they would pick as the leading man. I came up with Johnny Depp (yes, I know, I'm female, so I'm prejudiced), Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, the list goes on. But I never even CONSIDERED Jake Gyllenhaal. Not even Orlando Bloom crossed my mind, because he is just too "pretty."

I know the makers have to find some way to appeal to women as well as men, but seriously?? He is not SUPPOSED to be handsome. He is SUPPOSED to be a pissed off, kick-ass hero, NOT a pretty, sculpted, well-groomed sissy.