Clash of the Titans

Water Bob · Mar 3, 2012

Scanning around the tube (can we still call 'em "tubes" eventhough they no longer have tubes?), I've come across the remake of Clash of the Titans.

What did you guys think of this film?

As a whole, I liked it OK, but some things in it did some real damage, imo. The Giant Scorpions were pretty cool, but the followed that up with the dumb looking Star Wars rejects in the desert:

Blue eyes that light up like Christmas Lights. They look like what would happen if a Tusken Raider and a Jawa mated.

Medusa is OK, if a bit too "CGI Computer Game Looking", but don't forget the stupid witches who held that silly eyeball in their hands.

Yeah, I'll go watch the upcoming sequel this summer, but I sure hope they cut out the cheese this time.

Your thoughts?

Tonguez · Mar 4, 2012

hated it.

The original Clash was an orgasmic romp that defined fantasy cinema

the sequeal was cool giant scorpions

Stormonu · Mar 4, 2012

The remake is utter crap, compared to the original. Going to it in 3D was one of the worst mistakes I've made in a good long time.

On it's own, its okay, though the witch part was really bad.

However, all said, I'm probably going to see Wrath of the Titans. At least it should have an original storyline.

trancejeremy · Mar 4, 2012

My problem with it was there wasn't much character development. In action movies there has to be a little, so there is tension when there is a fight, and you feel bad when a minor character gets killed off. Even villains, like in say, Die Hard

Water Bob · Mar 4, 2012

Tonguez said:
The original Clash was an orgasmic romp that defined fantasy cinema

Stormonu said:
The remake is utter crap, compared to the original.

While I can't say the new one was anything worth bragging about, in my estimation it was better than the original. I thought the original was crap.

C'mon, that hoaky owl?

The only thing it was good for was the sight gag in the remake.

trancejeremy said:
My problem with it was there wasn't much character development. In action movies there has to be a little, so there is tension when there is a fight, and you feel bad when a minor character gets killed off. Even villains, like in say, Die Hard

Yes. The best character development came at the end, when the players were getting killed.

When Mads Mikklesen's character takes one for them and says, "Tell them a man did this", then smiles as he turns to stone is probably the best piece of character development in the entire film.

The film, for me, was hit and miss. 3 out of five stars. Worth watching if you're in the mood for it (and not in the mood to be too critical).

But, yeah, I did like it much better than the original.

There haven't been a lot of good fantasy films made, like, ever. There are a few. Of course, Lord of the Rings comes to mind. But, there's not a lot of D&D-ish, Swords & Sorcery or Greek mythological films made.

What other fantasy films do you like.

The first, Arnie, Conan film was decent. I liked the recent remake, too, but, like Clash of the Titans, it's really just a step above utter crap. I certainly see why many people trash it.

What else has been made--fantasy films that you liked?

Tonguez · Mar 4, 2012

Okay when the movie came out I was 9 but I have watched it since and imho it remains a classic of 1981 that managed to have better monsters and a more coherent and intricate story than the remake. Moreover the characters had personality and plausible motivations. Calibos was a tortured soul, the stygian witches had purpose and the snake-tailed Medusa remains the most outstanding reimagining of a classic monster.

Bubo, the hoakey owl was comic relief and a R2D2 hommage, and is thus forgivable whereas the cgi rendered flop of 2010 is not (I still have no idea why those wooden sandmen were even in the movie)

Rogue Agent · Mar 4, 2012

Googled up a review I read awhile back that summed it up pretty well:

The Alexandrian said:
It’s very important, when hiring a screenwriter, to make sure that they aren’t suffering from a terminal case of ADHD.

Perseus: I will do this without the help of the gods!
Some Guy: Our comrades are dying because you won’t let the gods help!
Perseus: It’s important that we show that humans can stand on their own!

That’s a paraphrase, but it’s straight from the film. And while one could argue whether or not Perseus is right, it’s certainly an interesting premise to build a film around.

Unfortunately, the screenwriter forgot the film he was writing. Because as soon as all of Perseus’ comrades have died, Perseus decides to start accepting help from the gods. Apparently Perseus is okay with sacrificing other people for his ideals, but if he has to make the sacrifice himself? Forget it.

And it would be one thing if Perseus was forced to make the hard and deliberate choice to abandon his conviction. Or, in fact, if the film had shown him making any kind of choice whatsoever. But that’s not what happens: Instead he just kind of shrugs his shoulders and changes his tune. Heck, even that’s an exageration: He, along with the film, simply forgets that there was ever any sort of “fight the gods” plot happening.
Then, just to make things a little more half-assed, at the end of the film Zeus revives Perseus’ girlfriend so that they can live happily ever after. All of the other poor schmucks who died because Perseus was a dick? Perseus doesn’t care.

Because Perseus is a dick.

The rest of the script is just kind of a fractal variation on this core failure of logic and character arc. On the plus side, the special effects are pretty cool.

You can also add "Perseus' entire family" to the list of people Zeus notably didn't revive at the end of the movie.

The original isn't exactly a classic of cinema, either. But it at least succeeded in being coherent.

Recidivism · Mar 4, 2012

The newer movie was awful in basically every way. Though in particular what bugged me was the silly "I hate gods!" attitude. The writers of this script couldn't figure out what they wanted to do with this movie, so they start injecting modern American atheistic/anti-authoritarianism into a character who is special precisely because of his divine heritage.

ExploderWizard · Mar 4, 2012

The remake was dissapointing. I never felt any reason to sympathize with any of the characters and the film seemed to jump from CGI encounter to encounter without much story element.

Aeolius · Mar 4, 2012

Sam Worthington couldn't act his way out of a paper bag... virtual or not.

I enjoyed the Stygian witches in the first movie far more that then remake but both pale in comparison to the Gray Sisters upon which they were based:

Graeae : "THE GRAIAI (or Graeae) were two, or some say three, ancient sea-daimones (spirits) who personified the white foam of the sea. They were grey from birth, and shared among themselves a single detatchable eye and tooth. Perseus stole these and compelled the sisters to reveal the hidden location of their sister Gorgones. Three of their names suggest rather dire monsters--Deino "the terrible." Enyo "the warlike" and Persis "the destoyer." Another name, Pemphredo, "she who guides the way," simply refers to their role in the Perseus story."