Clash of the Titans - Edit 1
Before modification by The Shrike at 05/04/2010 02:48:37 PM
Please note, for those who don't know Greek mythology, there might be spoilers in here, but I expect everyone to know Greek mythology so I have not indicated spoilers. You have been warned.
Having been too young to watch the original back in 1981, I caught it on repeat while growing up. And I loved it every time I watched it. No matter how much technology progressed, there was always something so magical about the film. Whether it was because I always loved Greek mythology or because it was just a good and fun story, if I saw the film on TV, I would stop and watch it. And it also introduced me to such wonderful actors as Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Maggie Smith. And not so wonderful actors such as Harry Hamlin. Still there was Bobo. There is always Bobo. And he makes a cameo appearance in the new film.
Now they have made a new film with the same title that tells the same story. And I enjoyed it almost as much. Why almost a little below. But first some good back story for those not steeped in Greek mythology.
In the Greek myth, Perseus is the son of Danaë, only daughter of Acrisius, King of Argos. Acrisius was unhappy about not having a son and consulted the Oracle at Delphi. But this led to his demise for she foretold that one day he would be killed by his grandson. And so he locked his one and only daughter away in a tower, but Zeus came to her in a shower of gold and impregnated her. And thus Perseus came to be. Acrisius then had Danaë and Persues put in a woodern chest and set to sea.
I write about this origin myth because the original 1981 film stayed true to it but the 2010 film does not. Was this a problem? No. The myths of ancient Greece are varied. And the 1981 film does not stick to the myth of Perseus exactly either. So don't be too bothered by it. Instead, look to the story to find yourself enmeshed in a wonderful sword and sand flick.
And while the story itself is not too terribly transformed - Perseus, Medusa, Andromeda, RELEASE THE KRAKEN, Zeus, Argos, there are some additions to the story. 2010 is further along in women's liberation and so they introduce a new character, Io, who plays an important part as an advisor and protector to Perseus. Andromeda is also given a bigger part and is involved in one of the biggest surprises of the film. A twist so huge that I still don't know whether I like it or not. I'm still chewing on it. And this is not bad. 2010 is further along in our depreciation of our classical heritage(something I despise since I love our Classical heritage) and exaltation of Gods and demigods. All throughout the film Perseus postmodernly whines about not willing to accept his God heritage and tries to do everything as a man. What a bore. And the Gods themselves are not portrayed as well as they could be. In the 1981 film they were given much bigger and jucier roles. And the female gods even spoke. In this film? Aside from Zeus and Hades and some minor lines from Poseidon and Apollo, there is nothing else. They just stand on their pedestals. Quite boring.
Still, there are visuals. And this is a popcorn movie. This is a sword and sand flick. And here is where I loved it. It didn't try to be an allegory for anything. It didn't try to comment on anything. It just told a timeless tale using beautiful new visuals. And these visuals from beginning scene to final showdown between Perseus and the Kraken were stunning.
Would I recommend this film to you? A resounding yes. If I had to give it some sort of rating, I would give it 8 out of 10 - subtracting two for a bit too much whining on the part of Perseus and the head scratching introduction of Io as a character. And oh yeah, Sam Worthington is way hotter than Harry Hamlin, but I wish they had gayed it up some more and let him take off his damn shirt.
Having been too young to watch the original back in 1981, I caught it on repeat while growing up. And I loved it every time I watched it. No matter how much technology progressed, there was always something so magical about the film. Whether it was because I always loved Greek mythology or because it was just a good and fun story, if I saw the film on TV, I would stop and watch it. And it also introduced me to such wonderful actors as Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Maggie Smith. And not so wonderful actors such as Harry Hamlin. Still there was Bobo. There is always Bobo. And he makes a cameo appearance in the new film.
Now they have made a new film with the same title that tells the same story. And I enjoyed it almost as much. Why almost a little below. But first some good back story for those not steeped in Greek mythology.
In the Greek myth, Perseus is the son of Danaë, only daughter of Acrisius, King of Argos. Acrisius was unhappy about not having a son and consulted the Oracle at Delphi. But this led to his demise for she foretold that one day he would be killed by his grandson. And so he locked his one and only daughter away in a tower, but Zeus came to her in a shower of gold and impregnated her. And thus Perseus came to be. Acrisius then had Danaë and Persues put in a woodern chest and set to sea.
I write about this origin myth because the original 1981 film stayed true to it but the 2010 film does not. Was this a problem? No. The myths of ancient Greece are varied. And the 1981 film does not stick to the myth of Perseus exactly either. So don't be too bothered by it. Instead, look to the story to find yourself enmeshed in a wonderful sword and sand flick.
And while the story itself is not too terribly transformed - Perseus, Medusa, Andromeda, RELEASE THE KRAKEN, Zeus, Argos, there are some additions to the story. 2010 is further along in women's liberation and so they introduce a new character, Io, who plays an important part as an advisor and protector to Perseus. Andromeda is also given a bigger part and is involved in one of the biggest surprises of the film. A twist so huge that I still don't know whether I like it or not. I'm still chewing on it. And this is not bad. 2010 is further along in our depreciation of our classical heritage(something I despise since I love our Classical heritage) and exaltation of Gods and demigods. All throughout the film Perseus postmodernly whines about not willing to accept his God heritage and tries to do everything as a man. What a bore. And the Gods themselves are not portrayed as well as they could be. In the 1981 film they were given much bigger and jucier roles. And the female gods even spoke. In this film? Aside from Zeus and Hades and some minor lines from Poseidon and Apollo, there is nothing else. They just stand on their pedestals. Quite boring.
Still, there are visuals. And this is a popcorn movie. This is a sword and sand flick. And here is where I loved it. It didn't try to be an allegory for anything. It didn't try to comment on anything. It just told a timeless tale using beautiful new visuals. And these visuals from beginning scene to final showdown between Perseus and the Kraken were stunning.
Would I recommend this film to you? A resounding yes. If I had to give it some sort of rating, I would give it 8 out of 10 - subtracting two for a bit too much whining on the part of Perseus and the head scratching introduction of Io as a character. And oh yeah, Sam Worthington is way hotter than Harry Hamlin, but I wish they had gayed it up some more and let him take off his damn shirt.