This “Clash of the Titans” remake is Greco dreck-o. Based on 1981’s kitsch classic about ancient Hellenic hellions, it attempts to take further commercial advantage of the current popularity of digital 3D and of the technology’s reigning star, “Avatar”‘s Sam Worthington. But it’s a myth-step or, rather, a misstep, to think you can make any old cheesy fantasy work just by adding another dimension and lots of big scary monsters.
“Clash of the Titans”
2 out of 5 stars
Stars: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton
Director: Louis Leterrier
Rated PG-13 for fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief sensuality.
Running time: 106 minutes
Even with memorable icons of drama (Laurence Olivier) and sex (Ursula Andress) in the cast, the first “Clash” is best remembered for brazenly bad stop-motion graphics and that most mystifying of all special effects: Harry Hamlin’s lips.
Today’s update offers no such guilty pleasures.
It’s a straight-up reworking of the story of the demigod Perseus, one that seems awfully familiar. It was only two months ago “Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” was released. If that was the modernized kiddie-flick version of the Perseus legend, this “Clash” employs the fable only as a pretext to pander to the next generation of male adolescent gamers. In other words, it’s about geek appeal — not Greek appeal — and plenty of action.
But I think they’ll be underwhelmed, especially given how inorganically/sloppily the 3D technology has been applied. (When I took off the glasses at brief moments during the screening, it was hard to tell the difference.)
As directed by Louis Leterrier, from a script credited to at least three screenwriters, the plot concerns the eternal hostility and symbiosis between the gods and man. The sibling rivalry between Zeus (Liam Neeson) and Hades (Ralph Fiennes, playing another Voldemort) makes things even more dangerous when the mortal citizenry of Argos decide to defy the authority of the gods.
Hades demands that the city-state’s beautiful Princess Andromeda (Alexa Davalos) be killed as a human sacrifice to prove obedience again. Or, he will unleash his doomsday beastie, the Kraken, to destroy them all. With the help of the bosomy immortal Io (beautiful but boring Gemma Arterton), a mentor soldier Draco (Mads Mikkelsen) and the flying horse Pegasus, Perseus (Worthington) must save the day.
Worthington looks the part though projects little personality as anchorman.
Epic spectacle is on display here — Perseus and company fighting off massive scorpions, a snake-headed Medusa, the Kraken, etc. Otherwise, though, there’s nothing nearly fun or engaging enough about this take on B.C. lore.
