Skip to content
MovieCove
The Scorpion King

The Scorpion King

Warrior. Legend. King.

200292 minPG-13Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
Director
Chuck Russell
Starring
Dwayne Johnson, Steven Brand, Michael Clarke Duncan, Kelly Hu

In ancient Egypt, peasant Mathayus is hired to exact revenge on the powerful Memnon and the sorceress Cassandra, who are ready to overtake Balthazar's village. Amid betrayals, thieves, abductions and more, Mathayus strives to bring justice to his complicated world.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Scorpion King?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Scorpion King streaming on Peacock and The Roku Channel (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Scorpion King?

The Scorpion King earns 7 badges, led by Overhyped and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Scorpion King worth watching?

The Scorpion King's Midcredits score is the 21st percentile of all films, from 248K ratings across 6 sources. 29% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

21st percentile

Better received than 21% of films

34th percentile among Action21st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)24th
Approval (how many liked it)21st

53 /100

24th percentile of all films

37th percentile among Action24th percentile among 2000s

Critics 45 · Audience 54

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

29% liked it

21st percentile of all films

34th percentile among Action19th percentile among 2000s
29% rated it 7–1071% rated it 1–6

Critics 40% · Audience 38%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 4 noms overall

97th percentile

247K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Action95th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 42% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$60M
Opening weekend$36M
Domestic gross$91M
Worldwide gross$181M

Returned 3.0× its budget — 90th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A silly, low-stakes sword-and-sandals action movie that delivers mindless entertainment but lacks depth or originality.

Fans praised

  • Charismatic, likable debut from The Rock
  • Relentless, fun action and swordplay
  • Entertaining popcorn spectacle that doesn't take itself seriously

Detractors panned

  • Derivative plot ripped from Conan and sword-and-sandal clichés
  • Wooden acting, especially from Johnson and supporting cast
  • Cheesy script with groan-worthy dialogue and awkward tone shifts

What stands out

PacingDivisive60

Brisk 90-minute runtime keeps action moving

ActingDivisive38

Rock shows charisma but limited range; supporting cast mostly stock or poor

Effects and spectacleDivisive35

Low-budget CGI ants and fire balls; practical stunts better received

HumorDivisive30

Unintentionally funny more than intentionally; sidekick grating

CharactersDivisive25

Paper-thin, clichéd archetypes with no depth or development

Plot and story23

Formulaic revenge plot lifted from Conan, full of holes and predictability

DialogueDivisive22

Cheesy, clichéd one-liners and groan-inducing lines

Originality10

Extremely derivative of Conan, Beastmaster, and other sword-and-sandal films

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Scorpion King like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It never lets up, has a few laughs and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingRomantic
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsExuberant · 2% of films: Bursting with energy and joy in its own filmmaking.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its sword-and-sorcery premise with a knowing wink, embracing its own cheesiness without self-mockery, delivering earnest action-adventure.
The rideA steady stream of action, escapes, and battles keeps the tension evenly spread.
StructureThe film is a straightforward linear adventure: setup, journey, and climactic battle, told in chronological order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you entertained and energized, with a light, heroic thrill that doesn't linger.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeMathayus is hired to kill the sorceress but ends up kidnapping her to turn her against the tyrant, leading to a final confrontation that topples Memnon's empire. The story follows the classic pattern of a hero overthrowing an oppressive warlord.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSacrificeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Sacrifice · 4% of filmsFreedom · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Mathayus sacrificing his life and his mission to fight for the freedom of the oppressed tribes.
StanceThe film celebrates sacrifice and the fight for freedom as noble and triumphant.

The world

AncientWildernessDomesticFantasy
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
SettingPre-pyramid Egypt ruled by a warlord with a prophetic sorceress

Content guide

Is The Scorpion King okay for kids?

PG-13

The Scorpion King is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence and some sensuality” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (71/100), sexual content at moderate (55/100), language at mild (19/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (30/100) and frightening material at intense (60/100). Overall it is heavier than 85% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 22 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • FranceU
  • Ireland12
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium14
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Greece13
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • Russia12+
  • Spain16
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan12+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 54% of all filmsHeavier than 85% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 93%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 95%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 7%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 41%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 74%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Scorpion King have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Scorpion King?

Cast

Dwayne Johnson
as Mathayus
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Steven Brand
as Memnon
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Michael Clarke Duncan
as Balthazar
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kelly Hu
as The Sorceress
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bernard Hill
as Philos
Grant Heslov
as Arpid
Peter Facinelli
as Takmet
Ralf Moeller
as Thorak
Branscombe Richmond
as Jesup
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Roger Rees
as King Pheron

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Scorpion King?

Movies like The Scorpion King include The Mummy Returns (2001), Kull: The Conqueror (1997) and The Mummy (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Stephen Sommers, and several are films about royalty and aristocracy.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its world: sword and sorcery. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Scorpion King?

162 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: mercenary. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.