Director Louis Leterrier announced earlier this year that this film would continue as a trilogy

Clash Of The Titans 3-D- Movies Review

Clash Of The Titans 3-D
U/A; Fantasy
Dir: Louis Leterrier
Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton
**1/2

What's it about: Director Louis Leterrier announced earlier this year that this film would continue as a trilogy. A few minutes into this film, you wonder if he spoke too soon. Unlike his Incredible Hulk, you really aren't that kicked about the news of two sequels to Titans.

We've handled one. And while it's been a rollicking, cheesy affair, this remake of the equally cheesy (and equally well cast) 1981 original leaves a helluva lot to be desired. To be fair, Clash Of The Titans isn't all bad.
The story, a textbook journey of discovery for the hero, Perseus (Worthington), a fisherman watches his family die at the hands of Hades (Fiennes), god of the underworld. A disillusioned Perseus washes up on the shores of Argos -- a metropolis where humanity takes its last stand again the gods after Zeus (Neeson) decides to punish them by literally unleashing hell (or rather Hades, his bro aka god of hell) so that fear might drive them to prayer. Incidentally, human prayer is what makes the gods powerful.

Meanwhile, Perseus realises that the big daddy of the gods is his real father. Wants no favours from Zeus despite getting several from him. Along with 'guardian angel' Io (Arterton) and a sullen bunch of warriors (so Lord Of The Rings!) they fight giant scorpions (in an action sequence more reminiscent of Transformers), they journey across deserts and desolate wilderness (a la 10,000 BC), go underground to Medusa's temple with only Perseus surviving the ordeal (does Mummy 2 come to mind?) and using a Pegasus (a flying horse) to return to save the day (fair maiden Andromeda and metro Argos) from a Kraken (a la Pirates of the Caribbean).

What's hot: If Louis Leterrier got one thing right, it's the cast. Liam Neeson brings an understated wiliness to his role as Zeus, he shows the king of Greek gods to be every bit as jealous, conniving, pompous and arrogant as popular myth paints him to be.

Ralph Fiennes, meanwhile, is unrecognisable as he morphs into Hades, god of the underworld and brother of Zeus. All those years playing Lord Voldemort have only made this seem like a cakewalk for him.

What is particularly awesome, though, is the way the beauty of ancient Greece comes alive (300 was the last awe-inspiring CGI-aided outdoor sets). The ladies are gorgeous too (Arterton and Alexa Davalos).

What's not: Worthington's wide-eyed lost boy in a big adventure look (a la Avatar) is more Daniel Radcliffe aka Harry Potter than epic mythic hero aka demigod. More often than not, he seems overawed by the spectacle of it all. This from a guy who has had two blockbusters behind him (the other was Terminator.) Seriously getting old, dude!

The SFX and CGI employed to give the film its edge, surprisingly, feel dated. The 3-D (a last-minute desperate addition) version is simply a conversion from 2-D. Post-Avatar, this one seems so behind the game, it isn't funny.

What to do: It's a crowd-pleaser, make no mistake about it. There will be the occasional oohs and aahs, some inside jokes and plenty of big, bad monsters. If that's something you like, head for this one. Just spare me the sequel, Mr Leterrier!

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