Amanda FooGreece’s grand marbled temples and impossibly life-like statues have been eroded by thousands of years, just as the Greeks’ unquestioned belief in the gods of Mount Olympus. But what colourful folklore they spun in those days…
One of these myths concerns Perseus (played by Sam Worthington), a man born of the King of Gods, Zeus, and a mortal princess. The demi-god wants to get the girl, Princess Andromeda and to fight Hades (Ralph Fiennes), god of the underworld, who is raising a rebellion against daddy Zeus. To prove his worth, and earn your movie ticket, Worthington, fresh from his Avatar turn, must don a Grecian tunic (read: skirt) and face superhuman challenges, killing mythical horrors like giant scorpions, petrifying demons and finally the Kraken, the gods’ monster of choice to wipe out entire human kingdoms. This final one is scarier than the similarly named fictional giant squid-like sea monster found in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie trilogy, but you probably already knew that if you had seen the trailer.
In Clash Of The Titans, director Louis Leterrier, who did a decent job remaking The Incredible Hulk, attempts another remake of the 1981 movie of the colossal infighting of the Greek gods, with hapless humans sandwiched in between.
The word attempt is telling, because he didn’t succeed, even if the updated Clash Of The Titans is stunning in its visual effects.
The creatures of the movie, while not the equal of the original exquisitely crafted stop motion models by the legendary Ray Harryhausen, are splendid. Even though they are hardly easy on the eye, it’s in their grotesque appearances that you notice just how much went into designing these monsters.
The cannibalistic Stygian Witches, who have the answers to Perseus’s questions, are withered and nauseating. The eyeball they share dangles from their palm, red and unblinking. They are just one of the many entities that will cause you to shrink back from your seats.
Another is the infamous Medusa, whose one look can turn flesh into stone, the literal meaning of petrifying, in other words. Concept designer Aaron Sims stated that envisioning Medusa was the biggest challenge. The end product is nevertheless outstanding; Medusa is convincing as part woman and part giant serpent, with hissing reptiles as constantly writhing dreadlocks, she is both alluring and a fanged nightmare.
However, the movie is let down by its script and, oddly enough, its gods.
The dialogue in the movie is an unintended nightmare, predictable and ill fitting to the scenes. In one scene, when the men are about to confront Medusa, Perseus makes a speech that makes you roll your eyes when they should be glued to the screen. In another scene, the ending of the movie, no less, the dialogue again destroys any momentum that may have been built up.
When the spotlight turns to the gods, well, they look more hilarious than awe-inspiring. Hades appears with puffs of smoke that look like black wings. Zeus (Liam Neeson), as well as the rest of the gods on Mount Olympus, is dressed in sparkly armor. The individually mirror-like reflective pieces make for almost a human-shaped disco ball. There are no words to describe the horror.
Had the characters been more captivating, the awful wardrobe would be forgiven, but here again the movie fails to deliver.
Zeus is too insincere in his battle between his wrath and love for man and he seems like nothing more than a booming voice and ego.
Also, Hades is forced into the role of a villain when he is actually the most morally neutral of all the Greek gods. As a result, he loses the evil edge, say as Fiennes’ turn as Lord Voldemort, that would have made him that much more fearful.
In the end, Clash Of The Titans turns out to be a typical action flick: easy and brainless entertainment that you seek during the lull of a long weekend.
Release Details:
Title: Clash Of The Titans
Opens: Apr 1
Duration: 118 mins
Language: English
Rating: PG
Genre: Action
Director: Louis Leterrier
Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes