In 1981, my middle sister fell in love with a stop motion adventure film called "Clash of the Titans." Two full months ago she called to tell me that she wanted to go and to be first in line for the remake. The Lido Theater in Newport Beach (3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach, CA 92663 949.673.8350) had two showings on April 1st at 8:00pm and 10:30pm ahead of the announced April 2nd opening.
We were first in line for the first showing.
My sister was thrilled. And actually, so was I - well maybe thrilled is a bit strong.
Despite having my doubts about the remake(remembering the original cheesy 1981 version) I was won over by the no-nonsense acting, the fun and spectacular special effects, and the realization that all I really had to do was sit back and enjoy this well-constructed popcorn movie.
Clash loosely follows the Greek myth of demi-God Perseus (Zeus (Liam Neeson) was his father.) Australian actor Sam Worthinton ("Avatar") plays Perseus. At the time of Perseus' young adulthood (after being found as a baby by a fisherman,) man is intent on throwing off the yolk of the gods and their often capricious and damaging nature. Perseus, like all good heroes, has a larger-than-life journey that involves strange creatures, heroic sacrifices and a never-ending supply of human frustration with the gods until he reaches his final destination. He has to find a way to defeat Hades' (Ralph Fiennes) child, the monstrous Kraken, in order to save the city of Argos and the beautiful princess who will be sacrificed to said Kraken if Perseus doesn't make it back in time.
I chewed through a bag of corn in nothing flat.
Some of the effects in "Clash of the Titans" were as exciting and well-presented as
"Avatar." There were only a few times, like in Avatar, where you felt that you weren't seeing the real thing. A sequence involving Medusa (another hapless victim of the gods) was as good as anything I've seen.
SIDENOTE: There was the most cheesy mechanical owl in the original - you'd have to see the 1981 version to understand how stupid and irrelevant it was. The filmmakers give that piece of film cheddar a sly and funny nod. Look for it
If I had one major criticism of Clash it was that they spent too little time making you feel close to the main character and his journey. His quest was epic and just, but lacked heart. They (everyone) said all the right things to him ("This is your destiny, Perseus" "You were born to defeat the Gods" "If I had your gifts...," etc.) but there was no real impact in those concepts. Scenes with Perseus as a child should have set up a strong internal need but it never felt real.
Even with another demi-god (Io) serving as a love interest (Bond girl, stunner Gemma Arterton) I couldn't get close to Perseus. A few more in-depth talking scenes could have helped because the pacing of this film is oddly frenetic; parts felt like they were missing - the only thing stitching it together was the clear goal of the quest. But then again, Worthington doesn't seem to have a tremendous range so maybe that was purposeful - but he is a damned believeable action star and in a film like this that's all that matters anyway.
SIDENOTE 2: The Lido was a perfect place to see Clash. Built in 1938, this is a most special theater. With a new digital 3D projector (the only one in Newport Beach,) a new, actual silver screen, and a sound system that was insanely thunderous but perfectly clean, it was a total film experience. Practically everything in the Lido has been restored and rebuilt. It's also one of the few theaters that still has a balcony which is just nuts in today's stadium seating world. If you really want an old school theater experience (with a state-of-the-art presentation and 622 seats) there is no better place than the Lido. The Lido is recognized by Newport Beach as historical architecture. You can read more about it here if you're interested.
"Clash of the Titans" is rated PG-13 and I'm thinking that some of the creatures and moments would be challenging for kids so make sure your little ones are prepared.
This isn't brilliant filmmaking but it is good enough to recommend with enthusiasm. If you're a fan of this type of mindless action, grab a hot bag of corn, a sugary carbonated drink of your choice and sit back and be vastly entertained.
You'll probably see my sister there in line - again and again.
