Race of the Pharaohs
- Tagline
- In a clash of ages, victory knows no timeline.
- Description
- Set against the backdrop of the smog-filled Industrial Revolution, 'Race of the Pharaohs' juxtaposes ancient strength against modern marvels. When a cynical orphan, played by Jeremy Scones, discovers a dormant automaton clad in pharaonic armor, he becomes entwined in a mythic competition untold. Will Smithereens stars as the brilliant, yet unscrupulous, engineer who propels our orphan and his mechanical partner into a brutal contest of endurance and wits. With the world's elite and the nobility's wager at stake, they must face opponents both human and mechanical, ultimately challenging what it means to be alive and what it takes to win. Under the direction of Terrence Mallardick, this film explores the relentless pursuit of triumph through a lens of antiquity, innovation, and sheer will.
- MpaaRating
- PG-13
- PopularityScore
- 4.40
- ReleaseDate
- 02/02/2023
- Genre
- Sport
- Director(s)
- Cast
Critic Reviews
4.50
Imagine, if you will, a film that endeavors to stitch together the loose threads of a historical tapestry with the frayed wires of steampunk sensibilities—a cinematic Frankenstein's monster that is 'Race of the Pharaohs.' From the get-go, the tagline 'In a clash of ages, victory knows no timeline' promises more than the film delivers, a mishmash of genres that feels more like an aimless stumble through time rather than a calculated race. Jeremy Scones wears the orphan trope as comfortably as one would an ill-fitting suit, playing into the expected cliches with the enthusiasm of a reluctant participant in a school play. Meanwhile, Will Smithereens, though cantankerous and capably conniving, cannot salvage the ennui induced by the film's plodding progression. Director Terrence Mallardick's vision of uniting the gritty Industrial Revolution with pharaonic opulence crumbles under its own weight, lost in a labyrinth of garish CG and metallic monotony. There's an attempt to question the essence of life and the price of victory, but neither theme reaches any satisfying depth. Instead, we're treated to a specter of philosophical fluff, overshadowed by the convoluted spectacle of the race itself—a race the viewer may feel they've lost simply by enduring. The anticipation of ingenuity is squandered, leaving audiences mired in the realization that some timelines, such as the one charted out by this film, are better left untraveled.