Clash of The Titans - Movie Review

It’s been grossly evident to me in the last decade or so that the entertainment industry is running out of ideas, and the evidence is only growing more surmountable every year. With an increasing amount of mainstream movies and television shows being thrust into the public eye as a “fresh” version of a “classic” original or an unnecessary sequel, I had barely raised a curious eyebrow when I heard the 1981 campy cult fave Clash of the Titans would be remade and released as a precursor to the 2010 summer blockbuster season. Why wouldn’t studio moguls jump at the chance to make this movie again? Besides the fact the plot is already in place (one less idea to think of), the passage of time has markedly increased the technological opportunities to make the now-archaic stop-motion “special effects” in the original Clash a bankrolling certainty aimed at target audiences on either side of the YouTube crowd’s demographic.

While members of Generation X and their seniors will surely get a kick out of comparing the new version to the one they remember from nearly 30 years ago, they also have the added bonus of now being able to take their kids. I have no doubt in my mind those responsible for this cinematic behemoth had visions of Zeus and Hades action figures lining the aisles of Toys R Us, and perhaps a stuffed Kraken grinning mischievously from underneath a Christmas tree. The fact the movie was shamelessly slapped with 3-D capabilities just prior to its release (it wasn’t actually filmed for 3-D consumption) only confirms the producers’ desire to jump on any gravy train pulling out of the station.

This cynical skepticism noted, once I actually saw the preview for Clash – complete with a staggering view of the re-imagined Kraken and the noteworthy presence of acclaimed actors Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes as Zeus and Hades, respectively – I could actually feel my disparaging attitude crumble into a whirling dust of childlike excitement. This looks cool! This looks fun! My brain immediately began forming such monosyllabic thoughts as these, containing no real depth or subtext, seemingly in preparation for the experience of actually seeing the film in its entirety. I highly recommend you tell your brain to do the same.

Save for a brief Mythology 101 narration through the cosmos and an exposition-heavy background story on main character Perseus’ (Sam Worthington) upbringing as a fisherman’s adoptive son, Clash briskly moves from one spastic action sequence to another, with a reminder of said sequences’ relation to the middling plot when deemed necessary. The basics? Zeus has tricked his brother Hades into ruling the underworld while he and his fellow dudes of deity bask in the clouds of Olympus, enjoying the worship of humans. The proverbial monkey wrench is thrown into the mix when humans come to realize their prayers aren’t always answered and their piety to the gods begins to wane. Conflicted, Zeus succumbs to Hades’ suggested tactic of attempting to inflict fear among the masses to insure their devotion. Princess Andromeda (Alexa Davalos) is up for sacrifice to the Kraken (underworld sea beast if ever there were one) if Perseus can’t slay it with a gaze from the head of Medusa. Oh, and Perseus is actually the illegitimate son of Zeus and a mortal queen. Got all that?

Frankly, with an effects-laden festival for the eyes like Clash, the effectiveness of the story isn’t as important as the effectiveness of the accompanying scenery. There are a few visual zingers – Superdome-sized scorpions and the marvelously hideous Stygian witches among them – but the climax with Zeus ordering Hades to “unleash the Kraken!” merely contains an extended version of what’s already been seen in the preview. This slight disappointment aside, the rollicking pace of the movie and its cheeky, self-aware nature nearly render the hilariously awful dialogue and melodramatic acting (Neeson and Fiennes are either having a ball or firing their agents) as assets. I wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun if it hadn’t seemed like the cast and crew did.

With the general critical response for Clash of the Titans hovering somewhere between mildly amused and mildly revolted (with an outlier or two for good measure), I’ll rate my opinion enthusiastically higher. I had a genuinely good time rooting for Worthington’s Perseus – Greek mythology’s most angst-ridden demigod – but my determination to rid the viewing of my usual penchant for smugness at such cinematic offerings as these was an absolute must. By turning off the inclination to snub Clash of the Titans as gratuitous drivel by which to mindlessly munch popcorn, I gave myself the opportunity to enjoy the movie for exulting in this precise identity. Don’t expect me to do the same if a sequel is made.
BuggyMovies.com