Film review: Clash of the Titans

Clash of the Titans. 106 minutes. Rated M. Directed by Louis Leterrier. Written by Travis Beacham, Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. Based on the screenplay Clash of the Titans (1981) by Beverley Cross

Today, the original Clash of the Titans (1981) is fondly remembered as a curious romp concerning the Greek Gods of Mount Olympus and their attempts to win back the respect and obedience of the mortals below who have begun to tire of the mistreatment they're receiving from above. Its blue-ribbon cast includes greats of the British stage and screen such as the late Laurence Olivier and the still very much alive Maggie Smith (Nanny McPhee and The Big Bang). Harry Hamlin (who would enjoy international success as lawyer Michael Kuzak in the television series LA Law), plays the toga-clad demigod (half man, half god) Perseus, whose destiny is to take on the gods and win back the right to self-determination for the good people of Argos.

The original also featured the work of legendary stop motion special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen (who retired shortly after it was completed); and it is for this reason that Clash of the Titans remains an inspirational film amongst our generation of filmmakers who appear to be becoming utterly obsessed with the all mighty possibilities of computer-generated special effects. Peter Jackson, for example, refers to his remake of King Kong as "my Harryhausen film", and now self-confessed Harryhausen devotee Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk and an on-set production assistant on Alien: Resurrection), has jumped to the head of the queue and fashioned a high-energy retelling of the story that is as truly fabulous as it is truly awful.

Blissfully unaware that he is, in fact, the son of Zeus (Liam Neeson), Perseus (Sam Worthington) lives a simple and uncomplicated life as a fisherman with his adopted family. When they are killed by Hades (Ralph Fiennes), the spiteful god of the underworld, Perseus has no choice but to depart on an epic journey to discover how he can restore power to Zeus and prevent Hades from unleashing hell on earth.

There is a huge amount to enjoy about this whizz-bang remake – especially if you're looking for a big-budget adventure flick with more computer-generated action sequences than a film (and its audience) should reasonably be expected to endure. The 'acting' is generally terrible, with Neeson and Fiennes, especially, hamming it up as though they're actually in some kind of never-ending Benny Hill skit. Worthington (who, somewhat delightfully, makes no attempt whatsoever to disguise his Australian accent), is a perfect fit for the cavalier Perseus, and, when he's not leaping around all over the place fighting off mythical beasts, his scenes with his spiritual guide 'Io' (the beautiful Gemma Arterton) are among the film's most heartfelt.

But Clash of the Titans is all about the special effects, and they are sensational. The magnificent beasts (including a beautiful Pegasus, some seriously massive and angry scorpions, and an especially slippery Medusa) are all brilliantly realised and flawlessly incorporated into the action. But just when you think you've seen it all, the gigantic Kraken is summoned from the underworld for the film's spectacular climactic sequence. Ultimately though, perhaps we should just take Mr Worthington's advice: go, arm yourself with some popcorn, and just enjoy it for what it is – because what it's not just isn't worth thinking about.

This review was commissioned by the Geraldton Newspapers Group and an edited version of it was published in the print edition of the Midwest Times.