The highlight of the tastelessly hilarious ÒForgetting Sarah MarshallÓ was Russell Brand, an Englishman but not a gentleman, whose portrayal of a decadent and dim rock ÕnÕ roll star stole the show.

That character, Aldous Snow, lead singer of the mope-rock group Infant Sorrow, deserved his own movie. Now he has one Ñ ÒGet Him to the GreekÓ Ñ and writer-director Nicholas Stoller doesnÕt always know what to do with him. The movie is like an old vinyl LP; the best cuts are on the first side, thereÕs a bangup finish and a lot of filler material in between.

The irresistible opening catches us up on Aldous since ÒForgetting Sarah MarshallÓ (with a funny cameo by Kristen Bell). He has been sober for seven years, with his career ruined by a racially insensitive song deemed the worst single of the decade.

His latest girlfriend, Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), dumps him for a parade of still-shining stars. Aldous is a relapsed has-been about to be redeemed by a never-was.

Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) is a yes man for music recording mogul Sergio Roma (Sean ÒP. DiddyÓ Combs), who could be the next movie spinoff. Sergio is desperate for a big payday and wants ideas now.

Aaron is a devoted Infant Sorrow fan who suggests a concert at L.A.Õs Greek Theater marking the 10th anniversary of a live album the band recorded there, with all its ancillary sales. Sergio loves it, and Aaron has 72 hours to pry Aldous from London to do the show. (DonÕt worry that such a project would take weeks to produce.)

The result is a series of misadventures too convoluted to explain and too raunchy to describe in a family publication. ÒGet Him to the GreekÓ is a comedy steeped in drugs, sex and rock ÕnÕ roll, in that order of attention to comedy. Drugs provide the most gags but narco jokes get tiresome by the time absinthe, heroin and an adrenaline needle come into play.

And, if youÕre making a comedy about rock ÕnÕ roll, the songs need to be somewhere near Spinal Tap quality. AldousÕ playlist is middling mockery of rock until the very last song, which is a comical callback joke.

In the filmÕs midsection, Aldous becomes a darker character than necessary, taking the comedy level down with him. Brand is a former sex and heroin addict himself, so Aldous becomes a bit too much of a purging of past sins. Aaron gets to be his lumpy punching bag, which is jolting after he has been such a sweet protege in vice.

But the odd coupling works, thanks mostly to Brand throwing himself into AldousÕ hedonism to hilarious effect. ÒGet Him to the GreekÓ is a second-class act with a terrific frontman. Suddenly it feels safer to know that itÕs Brand reviving Dudley MooreÕs role in a remake of ÒArthur.Ó

ÔGet Him to the GreekÕ

3 stars

Starring: Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Rose Byrne, Colm Meaney, Sean ÒP. DiddyÓ Combs, Elisabeth Moss

Rating: R, for harsh profanity, pervasive drug and alcohol abuse, nudity and sexual content

I havenÕt played the ÒPrince of PersiaÓ video games, but IÕm assuming it involves a lot of roof jumping, wall climbing and grunting. Not to mention clattering sabers and stilted chatter about destinies and loyalties.

At least thatÕs the impression left by the movie version, ÒPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time,Ó one of the more tolerable examples of the joystick genre.

Director Mike Newell assembles a CGI cast of thousands to charge across desert sands before fake green-screen skies, waving weapons and generally acting like the Dark Age hordes theyÕre portraying. In the foreground is an unlikely action hero, Dastan, whoÕs unlikely because the actor playing him, Jake Gyllenhaal, looks like he should carry a surfboard rather than a shield.

Dastan apparently borrowed his childhood from Aladdin, growing up orphaned and hanging around bazaars where action stuff happens. The kind-hearted King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup) witnesses the boy (William Foster ) take a daring stand against bullies and adopts him. Jump to 15 years later, and Dastan is a swashbuckling prince of Persia.

Every action hero needs an establishing battle, and DastanÕs is the first and most exciting set piece in ÒPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time.Ó ItÕs also a misguided mission, an assault upon the sacred city of Alamut after spies report sales of WMDs Ñ steel knives and arrows in those days Ñ to PersiaÕs enemies. The reports arenÕt true, concocted by the kingÕs shifty brother, Nizam (Ben Kingsley), whoÕs just Dick Cheney in silk robes and guyliner.

Considering the fact that Persia later became Iran, the screenplayÕs allusions to modern headlines is a nifty, if overused, inside joke. Even more obvious is the introduction of Sheik Amar (Alfred Molina), a bandit who runs ostrich races and apparently founded the tea party movement, with his complaints about taxes and an intrusive government. If everyone else delivered with MolinaÕs gusto, this would be a better movie.

The fall of Alamut concerns the king since he isnÕt a crusading kind of guy. But he thanks Dastan and his brothers (Richard Coyle, Toby Kebbell) and accepts a holy manÕs robe in tribute. Ah, but the robe has been poisoned (huh?) and the king melts into goo, with Dastan framed for murder. He escapes, taking along the Alamut princess (Gemma Arterton) and the supernatural Dagger of Sands.

What does the dagger do? If itÕs loaded with enchanted sand and you push the jewel on the handle, time rewinds. Whatever happened a few seconds ago, didnÕt. It comes in handy, especially at the climax after several key good guys have been killed.

The dagger is what Nizam was after all along, and itÕs DastanÕs only hope of clearing his name.

From there, the dagger keeps changing hands whenever a fight ends, until the time when thereÕs nobody left angry. Dastan gets trapped in the worldÕs largest sinkhole, battles Hassansin assassins with really cool weapons, and comes out safely with GyllenhaalÕs lopsided grin.

None of it is thrilling, but ÒPrince of Persia: The Sands of TimeÓ has a Saturday matinee goofiness thatÕll go well enough with air conditioning.

ÔPrince of Persia: The Sands of TimeÕ

2 stars

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Ronald Pickup, Steve Toussaint, Richard Coyle, Toby Kebbell

Rating: PG-13, for intense action violence