Clash of the Titans Review

People often turn their noses up at the thought of a classic movie being remade, immediately dismissing it as a horrible movie and “just another way to make money.” To prove them wrong is beyond satisfying to the filmmaker.

Greek mythology has seen its fair share of movies, both A-list and laughably B-grade quality. This year sees Hollywood’s most recent Greek epic in the form of Clash of the Titans, a remake of the 1981 B-grade movie of the same name. Sam Worthington (Avatar) stars as a Greek fisherman, Perseus, who discovers that he is a demigod (half god, half man) after his family is murdered by the god of the Underworld, Hades. Zeus, the king of the gods, begins to lose faith in mankind, and is tricked by his brother Hades into punishing them. Perseus must embark on an epic journey to save mankind from Hades’ most vile, deadly servant: a massive, city-destroying creature known as the Kraken.

Clash of the Titans, in the short few weeks since its release, has been absolutely destroyed by critics and fans alike. Scathing reviews that never quite specify what was wrong with it swarm the internet, while viewers tell their friends how horrible it was. Never has a movie been so grossly misunderstood.

When viewing a movie on Greek mythology, most people set an extremely high standard in their minds, considering its source. They come to expect an astounding epic, one that will hands down win every cinematic award, blow them away with an unbelievably original story, and be as monumental as the stories from which the movie is based. Should said movie be anything less than cinematic perfection, it is suddenly a “terrible movie.”

Clash of the Titans is not trying to win any awards. It is not trying to break any records. It is certainly not trying to astound people with an original story, considering it is a remake. All Clash of the Titans is trying to do is take an interesting, widely-loved topic (Greek mythology) and make an in-your-face action movie out of it. To this effect, it succeeds.

Sam Worthington is one of Hollywood’s most popular go-to guys for epic, CGI-heavy action, and in Clash of the Titans, he proves why. He plays the fisherman-turned-demigod role impeccably, carving a niche for himself as the strong, silent lead. Backed by Liam Neeson (Taken) and Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List) as Zeus and Hades, respectively, the trio revels in their roles. Cheesy one-liners thrive in the movie, a guilty pleasure to anyone viewing the movie, with the infamous “release the Kraken!” line being just as intense and fun as it is in the trailer.

After the success of Avatar, many movies have adopted the 3D “fusion camera system” employed by James Cameron. Clash of the Titans was not originally filmed in 3D, but was delayed approximately one month from its original release date to be reworked into 3D. The style adds an extra layer of excitement to the film, but since the movie was not originally intended to be in 3D, it works just as well without it, and is not necessary to enjoy it.

Despite boasting a star-studded cast, the real stars of Clash of the Titans are the Titans themselves. The snake-haired Medusa, the jet black, winged Pegasus, and the vaguely Cloverfield­-esque Kraken are just a few of the creatures that grace the screen, creating a visually fascinating and action-packed masterpiece.

Despite being greeted by a less-than-warm welcome, Clash of the Titans made an impressive $61 million in its opening weekend. It knows what it is, it knows what it’s not, and it thrives in the both of those. Simple action movies are treated unfairly in the current day and age, receiving much less credit than they deserve. Clash of the Titans deserves a chance, if not just to be able to quote “release the Kraken!” to everyone.