Film Review: The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (2015)
The direct-to-video sequel landscape of the early 2000s was populated by many franchises that saw their initial theatrical releases ascend to blockbuster status, only to descend rapidly in quality once the budget was slashed and the marquee stars departed. The 2002 original The Scorpion King, starring a young Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, was a significant financial success that successfully blended ancient history lore with contemporary action sensibilities. However, the subsequent instalments predictably failed to reach the cinematic quality of that original, lacking the grand production values and the emerging star power of Johnson. Yet, within this landscape of diminishing returns, there have been exceptions where subsequent films manage to tread water or even improve slightly upon their predecessors. The fourth film in the series, The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power, represents one such slight improvement, offering a competent, if generic, entry that manages to be better than the immediate entries that proceeded it.
Victor Webster steps into the title role of Matthayus, the Akkadian warrior and former king who now earns his living as a mercenary. The narrative opens with Matthayus engaged in a raid on the palace of Skizzura, accompanied by Drazen (Will Kemp), a young warrior who serves as his protege. Matthayus is tasked with obtaining the precious Urn of Kings for Zakkour (Rutger Hauer), the king of Al-Moraad. During the course of the raid, Drazen betrays Matthayus, stealing the Urn and fleeing to the distant northern land of Norvania. There, he intends to present the artefact to his father, King Yannick (Michael Biehn). It is soon revealed that the Urn contains the Golden Key of Lord Alcman, an ancient sorcerer who once controlled the entire world.
King Zakkour sends Matthayus to Norvania to negotiate a treaty. Upon his arrival, Matthayus discovers that Drazen has murdered his father and has framed Matthayus for the crime. He is subsequently imprisoned but escapes with the help of Valina, a young woman he had met while being held in Yannick's dungeon. Together, they flee to the home of Sorrell Raskov (Barry Bostwick), Valina's eccentric father. Raskov is an inventor who rejects the concept of magic, believing that everything in the world can be explained through reason. Despite his skepticism, he manages to decipher the inscription on the Golden Key, revealing the location of a distant destination. The trio sets out to find this location, all the while being hotly pursued by Drazen and his army.
Quest for Power was filmed on location in Romania, a choice that, combined with the film's modest budget, necessitated certain creative decisions that may force viewers to suspend their disbelief more than usual. For history buffs, this is particularly challenging, as the film expects the audience to accept the mythical pre-dynastic ruler of Egypt being reimagined as an Akkadian character and sharing the same universe with figures that appear millennia later. The most glaring example is the depiction of King Yannick’s castle, which is a medieval structure standing proudly in a setting that should be ancient. However, the actual target audience for this film, much like the devoted fans of Xena: The Warrior Princess or Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in their prime, is likely to disregard such anachronisms, focusing instead on the spectacle and adventure on screen.
Apart from these geographical and historical liberties, Quest for Power functions as a generic, slightly more family-friendly blend of action, exotic costumes, and humour. Michael Elliott, a very prolific producer of direct-to-video films, including sequels to mainstream Hollywood blockbusters, does relatively well in the director's chair here. The pacing is brisk, ensuring that the narrative rarely lags, and the CGI effects are more or less acceptable, though certainly not on par with a major theatrical release. The costumes work effectively within the context of this quasi-historical world, and the very generic script allows for some interesting work on character development. The film even incorporates subtle references to other, usually much better films, most notably a clear homage to Raiders of the Lost Ark in the opening sequence.
The cast is solid, although Victor Webster is largely overshadowed by his colleagues, who bring a level of charisma that elevates the material. Barry Bostwick appears to be having a great time playing the eccentric old man, Sorrell Raskov. His performance serves as much more natural comic relief than the equivalents found in the earlier instalments, anchoring the film's lighter moments with genuine enthusiasm. Ellen Hollman is also having a great time playing Valina, a very resourceful leading lady who seems completely at ease appearing in skimpy clothing for the entire runtime—a likely nod to her experiences in the last two seasons of Spartacus, where she was disrobed in the role of Saxa. Will Kemp, on the other hand, is mostly forgettable as Drazen, playing a generic over-the-top villain without leaving a lasting impression.
Another aspect of the film that is surprisingly notable is the cast of veteran actors, many of whom appear in glorified cameos. Rutger Hauer and Michael Biehn, both former action stars, lend gravitas to their roles, as does Lou Ferrigno, famous for being the first incarnation of the Hulk. Prolific character actor M. Emmet Walsh appears in a small role as Gorak, a man who sells maps in exchange for Valina having to participate in a cage fight with his daughter, played by WWE star Eve Torres. Furthermore, fans of Game of Thrones will likely appreciate the appearance of Esme Bianco, who plays the main priestess of a female-centric cult; her fellow priestesses and worshippers all happen to be scantily clad attractive women.
Ultimately, The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power is not a particularly good or memorable film. It is a product of the direct-to-video era that trades on established tropes and recognisable faces rather than original storytelling or visual innovation. However, being accepted for what it is—and with expectations sufficiently lowered—this instalment can provide reasonable levels of guilty pleasure for at least some segments of the audience. It may not live long in the memory, but for a Saturday night's entertainment, it offers a decent, if formulaic, diversion.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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