Review: Clash of the Titans

I did not see Clash of the Titans in 3D. This might have made the movie a little less entertaining. If you don’t see it in 3D you are not going to miss a lot, the movie was not originally made for 3D, just converted.

This movie is a remake of the 1981 movie of the same name. The story is that of Perseus, a demi-god and son of Zeus. Perseus, played by Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Avatar) is found as an infant by fisherman Spyros played by Pete Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects). As Perseus grows, his life becomes more difficult and Spyros is questioning of the mercy of the gods. While fruitless fishing trip Spyros and his family are capsized, but Perseus survives. He travels to Argos where the king and queen have angered the gods. Zeus, played by Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List), allows Hades, played by Ralph Fiennes (the Harry Potter series), to punish Argos. When Hades visits the royal chamber to foretell of the release of the Kraken he sees Perseus and identifies him as the son of Zeus. This sets off a chain of events that sends Perseus on an epic journey.

The story stays pretty close to the original movie, but it is not the same as the original mythology. There are lots of great mythological elements in the story. The gods, the monsters, and the characters are interesting and mostly authentic. There are some discrepancies with the mythology, but it’s excusable, rarely are the movie versions 100% authentic.

The most notable part of this movie is the Art Direction. The sets and environments are beautiful. The monsters are intricate and well designed. The Kraken is a departure from the original film, but it is very impressive. The other creatures in the story, notably the Djinn and Stygian Witches, are well designed also. The Witches especially have a Pan’s Labyrinth appearance and tone. The costumes are interesting and colorful; they help to build the mythical environment.

Most of the acting is good. Most of the minor characters seem like they belong in a Greek epic. Liam Neeson is a great Zeus. Ralph Fiennes adds another great performance to his already impressive villain resume as Hades. Sam Worthington is distracting. He is a good lead for action movies, just not period-action movies. He fit in Avatar very well, even though he didn’t give a stellar performance. I liked him in Terminator Salvation. But he just doesn’t suit this role.

This movie is wildly inconsistent. The story has great roots but it falls well short in the end. There are plot holes and awkward dialogue exchanges. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes are on a whole separate level from the rest of the cast. The effects and costumes are interesting, but not entirely unique. It is fun to watch, especially for fans of mythology. Though it is easily forgotten and will not be missed.

Rating: 2/5