Films like The Scorpion King.

The Scorpion King (2002) reads as Sombre, breathless, extreme action / adventure, inventive in texture. Ambivalent, epic, measured. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) poster
1. The Forbidden Kingdom2008

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Conan the Barbarian (2011) poster
2. Conan the Barbarian2011

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Time Machine (2002) poster
3. The Time Machine2002

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Timeline (2003) poster
4. Timeline2003

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

DragonHeart (1996) poster
5. DragonHeart1996

Keeps the world-sized stakes and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Great Wall (2016) poster
6. The Great Wall2016

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) poster
7. Johnny Mnemonic1995

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) poster
8. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider2001

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010) poster
9. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse2010

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

John Carter (2012) poster
10. John Carter2012

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Clash of the Titans (2010) poster
11. Clash of the Titans2010

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) poster
12. The Chronicles of Riddick2004

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the world-sized stakes; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

These are The Scorpion King’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

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