Clash of the Titans

Published on April 12, 2010

By JENNIFER CHAN
Bulatlat.com

Step aside, Hercules. There’s a new demigod in town.

In Clash of the Titans (2010), Perseus—son of Zeus—steps up to the plate to defeat the mighty Kraken. To do that, he must go to Medusa’s lair, chop her head off and return to Argos before Princess Andromeda meets her doom.

Sounds like the typical hero quest, doesn’t it?

But of course, today’s audience won’t be satisfied with just that. These days, a remake means switching characters around and adding new angles to the plot.The story (always) has to be modified a bit. Unlike in the original 1981 Clash of the Titans, Perseus doesn’t follow the popular mythology to a T. For one, he doesn’t fall in love with Princess Andromeda and therefore, escapes the wrath of Thetis whose son used to be engaged to the princess. And for another, he doesn’t welcome the help of his father as much as the 1981 version of Perseus does.

Instead, he finds himself on a quest to avenge his mortal family. Not entirely his choice, Perseus becomes the champion of men against the gods themselves.

Now this version of Perseus’ life should have been heart wrenching. Perseus should have seemed like someone whose life was suddenly thrown into chaos because of the burgeoning war between the gods and men. Unfortunately, the tragedy part didn’t register as well as it should have due to Sam Worthington’s portrayal of his character. Oh, he is good with the fight scenes (much more believable than Harry Hamlin who was more beauty than brawn) but perhaps he should have invested more emotion during the parts where acting really mattered.

Mortals get more air time in the remake as well. The soldiers definitely have more personality and a new character makes an appearance.

Up in Mount Olympus sit the gods who rule over the mortals. Zeus, played by Liam Neeson, is resplendent in his immortality and feeds off on worship alone. On the other hand, Hades, who is portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, feeds off on fear. They’re brothers who think far too much of themselves and far too little of the bravery of men below. Of the two actors, Fiennes seems to have made more of an effort. Their other sibling Poseidon doesn’t do much here (he’s in that other movie where Perseus is supposedly his son).

Travel back to Ancient Greece

But whether you watch a movie for its acting or for its actors matters not. Movies depicting Ancient Greece are almost always a feast for the eyes. Especially with 3D propelling, watching the impossible (like giant scorpions running after you) become believable is just as entertaining. Those who watched the original Clash of the Titans might have marveled at the then advanced Gumby-like movements of the 1981 graphics but their eyes would roll over the back of their heads at how much has improved since then.

Old school Pegasus used to fly with crudely constructed wings but Pegasus 2.0 is powerful and commands a presence. Plus, the mythical horse trades his white coat for a shiny black finish. It’s one of the ways Director Louis Letterier modernizes the movie.

Mount Olympus makes for a pretty picture. It has the best view of the mortal world. And out of all the gods present, Hades wins best original costume! Dressed in black, he merges brilliantly with the special effects.

The Kraken, although a monster, is one of the most graceful graphics in the movie. Its tentacles and its face are seamless in creation. Despite the relatively short battle scene with Perseus and Pegasus, this new and improved Kraken is ten times better than ye old monster who looked like it was borrowed from an Ultraman episode. Even the Graeae (the sisters who share only one eye) are wonderful to watch on the big screen.

What is a bit disappointing, however, is 3D Medusa. It’s the one part of the movie that feels like a scene from a video game. Although a reliable source did say that skin is one of the hardest to recreate in 3D so perhaps a little slack is in order.

I won’t spoil the ending for you but I would go as far as to say that Clash of the Titans ends too abruptly for my taste. However, its ending also seems to hint at a sequel in the making. After all, the story of Perseus is gaining more popularity.

Audiences will no doubt be entertained by Clash of the Titans. Fans of the original Clash of the Titans should also check this movie out. If only to see the mechanical owl Bubo from the 1981 film make a cameo! (Bulatlat.com)