“CLASH OF THE TITANS” (2010)

Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton, Alexa Davalos, Tine Stapelfeldt, Mads Mikkelsen , Luke Evans, Izabella Miko & Natalia Vodianova
Written by Travis Beacham, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi & Beverley Cross (1981 screenplay)
Directed by Louis Leterrier

Polly Staffle Rating: ****

I have many fond memories of the original “Clash of the Titans.” I saw it at the drive-in back in 1981 or ’82. I instantly fell in love with Medusa and the film quickly passed “Flash Gordon” as my favorite movie of all time. Of course, I was in second grade and my favorite movie of all time changed just about every time I went to the theater. I think “Krull” and “Megaforce” followed “Clash of the Titans” and by third grade “Return of the Jedi” blew them all away. But still, nearly thirty years after it was made, “Clash of the Tians,” much like all of the other films from the great stop-motion genius Ray Harryhausen, still has a charm to it.

So going in, Louis Leterrier’s remake had a lot to live up to. I didn’t think it could. Sure, Leterrier directed my favorite Jet Li film “Unleashed,” but I just assumed if anybody ever remade “Clash of the Titans” it had to be the wizard Zack Snyder. Thankfully, Leterrier doesn’t disappoint. “Clash of the Titans” is not only amazing, it’s easily the best film I have seen since Snyder’s masterpiece “300.”

Set in the Greek city of Argos, war rages between man and the gods. The gods are upset because the mortals no longer love them. Hades (Ralph Fiennes, looking very much like a balding version of Rob Zombie during the Hellbilly Deluxe years) returns from the underworld and convinces his brother Zeus (Liam Neeson, all like a glittery King Arthur), aka the King of the Gods aka the ruler of Mount Olympus, to let him put the fear of gods into them. How? The Kraken. When the sun is eclipsed it shall be done, they will... bring out the gimp... Ugh, excuse me, I mean release the Kraken... Unless, of course, the mortals sacrifice the daughter of King Acrisius aka Andromeda (Alexa Davalos).

But before the Kraken is let loose, Hades inadvertently killed the family of a fisherman named Perseus (Sam Worthington doing his best King Leonidas crossed with Luke Skywalker). But this was no ordinary bassmaster; Perseus was adopted. Though he never knew it, he just so happens to be the bastard son of Zeus. So in hopes of kicking some Hades ass in the name of revenge and saving the day, Perseus leads a group of soldiers on an epic quest. With Bubo the owl left behind and the ageless-wonder Io (Gemma Arterton) guiding the way instead, Perseus travels to meet the three blind witches, who tell him the only way to defeat Hades and his pet monster the Kraken is with the help of Medusa (Natalia Vodianova). Much sword play ensues and before you can ask “wait a second, Pegasus is black?,” the fun is over and you want to watch it all over again.

Much has been made about the fact “Clash of the Titans” was shot in 2D and then converted to 3D. I’m not really sure why people have made a fuss. Yes, Warner Brothers wants to make as much money as they can and that is why they converted it. It’s the same reason the film is PG-13 as opposed to being rated R. Regardless, this is a great film no matter how it is projected. Even if it was shown on the side of a barn with a flashlight, it would still be good. I saw it in 3D and now I want to see it in 2D before I see it in 3D again and possibly with D-Box motion seats.

But I like 3D movies; always have since seeing the George Lucas-produced, Francis Ford Coppola-directed Michael Jackson extravaganza “Captain EO” back in 1989. Although I am the only person on the planet that stayed away from “Avatar,” I usually even like bad 3D movies and go see films like “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over” and “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.” The way I see it, there are two kinds of 3D films. There are those you watch for the 3D gimmicks and there are those that are good films that you just so happen to be watching in 3D. Thanks to a process that took 10 weeks and cost “Zeus knows” how much, “Clash of the Titans” is a good film you can just so happen can watch in 3D. The 3D, like the plot and characters, enhances the film; it doesn’t highjack it. If you want to have the people on the screen throw stuff at you and make you jump out of your seat, go see something else. Sure that sort of thing in “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is cool, but using 3D as a gag gets old pretty fast when the movie sucks as bad as “My Bloody Valentine.”

Three-dimensional nonsense aside, this movie looks fantastic and one is hell of a ride. I feel “Clash of the Titans” plays tribute to and also improves upon the original, which is exactly what good remakes do (ie: Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead”). There were also moments that seemed to tribute Lucas’ early “Star Wars” episodes, Steven Spielberg’s early “Raiders of the Lost Ark” movies, as well as Guillermo del Toro’s “Hellboy” films and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. The story line and themes of good versus evil and our hero finding his way by believing in himself and using the gifts he was born with goes along with those films as well. And though it is minimal, it even has the same sort of humor as those films.

I admit that once it was over there was nothing groundbreaking like “300” or “Star Wars.” But what “Clash of the Titans” does offer is nonstop fun and excitement along the same lines, making me feel like I’m in elementary school all over again. There are also CGI monsters and creatures that never take away from the movie unlike so many films these days. Not to mention, Medusa is sexier than ever and the flying horses seem so real that I now have to have one because I know Louis Leterrier must have a herd in a barn somewhere. Once I find out where that barn is, I’m there and if his movie is playing on a side wall, even better.

- CCF, April 2010