Chris Kavan's Movie Review of Clash of the Titans (2010)

Here's Myth in Your Eye
Chris Kavan - wrote on 04/04/10

Clash of the Titans is very glossy and tries really hard to impress but ultimately the film is hollow and left me dissatisfied in the end.

This isn't really a remake, or even a homage to the original Clash of the Titans. Except for a brief scene of a mechanical owl, and the use of various monsters, it's pretty much its own movie. That's not to say it's better. The original was fun in a cheesy kind of way. This one takes a much more gritty approach. Sam Worthington is the hero, Perseus. He's appeared in some big films, but I still think overall Worthington is a pretty bland actor. He can swing a sword, but when it comes to delivery it falls a little flat.

It is fun to watch Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes duke it out as Zeus and Hades. Out of all the actors, they look like they're having the most fun. Gemma Arterton is the lovely and immortal Io - though she doesn't have much to do than look pretty for most of the film. However, if you came to this film looking for grand characters and development, then you're out of luck. The film would like you to think Perseus goes through some transformation, but there's not much there to think about. It's amazing that this fisherman can suddenly become a warrior in little more than a day or so - but apparently being half-god means you subconsciously know that kind of thing.

The special effects were good - but not enough to rescue the film Also the 3D wasn't that effective. I think in this case it would have been just as good, if not better, in standard mode. I will say that the creature effects were pretty amazing. Medusa, the Kraken, the Stygian witches, giant scorpions - as long as there were monsters on screen the movie was much more fun to watch.

If you're any kind of mythology buff, you might as well just switch that part of your brain off. The characters and locations may be based on myth, but the story for the most part is completely made up. Just treat this like any other action movie and don't worry about the fact that Greek myth has no Krakens.

In the end, this a pre-summer blockbuster that aspires to be more than it wants to be. I expect it to open big, and fade away just as quickly.