My nine-year-old son knows he can get away with almost any request on his birthday…and that’s how our family ended up watching ‘Clash of the Titans’ the past Tuesday. Of course, the discounted ticket price did help play a part in the decision…even though I was skeptical, having read some unflattering reviews. Sam Worthington (Perseus), was cast yet again in the role of the outsider trying to fit in with the ‘good-guys’(?)… part human/part E.T 🙂 à la avatar. Gemma Arterton, poorly scripted as the ageless female lead Io, flirted aimlessly with screen time, albeit playing a pivotal part in the plot. She did manage to stay impeccably coiffed through all the action. Liam Neeson’s Zeus looked like a cross between a goth, a hippy (maybe the hair stylist’s budget was blown on Gemma) and a white knight from a child’s fairytale B-flick. Hades, with a bad case of dry scalp, was well played by the psyche-menacing abilities of Ralph Fiennes. Perhaps the character role of the movie was Mads Mikkelsens Draco, which really…isn’t saying much. Draco and the rest of the warrior dudes sported well-braided hairdo’s, perhaps as compensation for the failings of the character development process. The hair stylist was definitely anti-god.
I guess the script was focused on showing off the special effects, which did not disappoint. The non-stop action sequences anchored by effects on steroids did its part in keeping it all together and interesting. A perfect example of how digital wizardry can sometimes compensate for shallow characters and script, making for some very decent entertainment.
Plan to give the DVD a pass. If you can, watch it on the big screen…preferably on a Tuesday.