Sidewalks On The Corner

Loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus, Sam Worthington leads the cast in a new remake of 1981 classic, “Clash of the Titans,” directed by Louis Leterrier.

Follow up:

CLASH OF THE TITANS
New Line Cinema / Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Date: Friday, April 2, 2010 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief sensuality.
Running Time: 117 minutes (approximate)
URL: www.clash-of-the-titans.com

Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Jason Flemyng, Alexa Davalos
Directed by: Louis Leterrier
Screenplay by: Travis Beacham and Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi
Produced by: Basil Iwanyk, Kevin De La Noy
Executive Produced by: Richard D. Zanuck, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and William Fay

Studio Synopsis:
In “Clash of the Titans,” the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

“Clash of the Titans” is being directed by Louis Leterrier (“The Incredible Hulk”). Leading the international cast is Australian actor Sam Worthington (“Terminator Salvation,” “Avatar”) as Perseus, the mortal son of Zeus, king of the gods. Academy Award® nominee Liam Neeson (“Taken,” “Schindler’s List”) takes on the role of the mighty Zeus, and Academy Award® nominee Ralph Fiennes (the “Harry Potter” films, “The English Patient”) plays the role of Hades, god of the underworld, who feeds on human fear. Rounding out the cast is Gemma Arterton (“Quantum of Solace”) as Io, Perseus’ mysterious spiritual guide throughout his journey; Mads Mikkelsen (“Casino Royale”) as Draco, who takes up his sword to join Perseus’ quest; Jason Flemyng (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) as Acrisius, a one-time king turned hideous beast; and Alexa Davalos (“Defiance”) as Andromeda, a princess doomed to lose her life if Perseus does not succeed.

“Clash of the Titans” is directed by Louis Leterrier from a screenplay by Travis Beacham (“Dog Days of Summer”) and Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi (“Aeon Flux”), and based on the motion picture “Clash of the Titans,” directed by Desmond Davis and written by Beverley Cross. The film is produced by Basil Iwanyk (“We Are Marshall”) and Kevin De La Noy (“The Dark Knight”). The executive producers are Academy Award® winner Richard D. Zanuck and Legendary Pictures’ Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and William Fay.

The behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Peter Menzies, Jr. (“The Incredible Hulk”); production designer Martin Laing (“Terminator Salvation”); editor Vincent Tabaillon (“The Incredible Hulk”); editor David Freeman (“The Full Monty”); Academy Award®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (“Topsy-Turvy,” “The Dark Knight”); Oscar®-nominated visual effects supervisor Nick Davis (“The Dark Knight”); Oscar®-nominated prosthetics supervisor Conor O’Sullivan (“The Dark Knight,” “Saving Private Ryan”); Academy Award®-winning special effects and animatronics supervisor Neil Corbould (“Gladiator”); Academy Award®-winning makeup and hair designer Jenny Shircore (“Elizabeth”); and composer Craig Armstrong (“Moulin Rouge!”).

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Thunder Road Film/Zanuck Company Production, a Louis Leterrier Film, “Clash of the Titans,” opening April 2, 2010. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

(L-r) JASON FLEMYNG as Calibos and RALPH FIENNES as Hades in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "Clash of the Titans," distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo by Jay Maidment

J.P.'s Take:
Many revere the original “Clash of The Titans” and, to this day, it is still considered a cult classic. The original featured technological advances in stop motion animation pioneered by Ray Harryhausen, and it told an in depth story written by Beverly Cross. It was also one the highest grossing films of 1981. By today's standards, however, the fantasy film that was once a silver screen gem seems tame, if a bit clunky compared to the 2010 version.

30 years later, what you'll find is a refreshed epic adventure, with even bigger; better special effects in 3D to enhance the experience. In comparison to the recent movie, “Percy Jackson and The Olympians,” the mythology was given a modern spin, placing Perseus or “Percy” in the 21st century. Although I enjoyed “Percy Jackson,” I still felt the filmmakers should have gone further in depth with explaining the characters. It conveyed just enough info about the main character to launch him into the spot light. For the new “Clash” on the other hand, the back story was there; however, it went a step further in borrowing bits and pieces from 1981 version, placing yet another spin on the story of Perseus. Again, what the audience will find is another multi-layered plot to stop the Gods from destroying civilization and the demigod who bridges the gap between the two worlds. I won’t go into detail about the story itself, nor will I battle anyone who knows it well. What I will suggest is that if you want the full truth about the fairytale, start by doing your homework on the original stories that were studied by countless scholars.

So, all I really have left to explain to my readers is this: “Clash of The Titans” is yet another vehicle to push forward 3D. You’re going to get pretty tired of me talking about how cool this technology is and why you should go see this film for the experience. So instead, I’ll cut to the chase and say that while viewing this movie I found it less jarring to the eyes. A much subtler approach is taken this time, whereas the visual effect is used to give the environments more depth and clarity. Purists will be delighted to know that some artifacts have made their way over from the original “Titans.” Bubo the mechanical owl who was the eyes and ear for Perseus made his way into scene with Perseus (Sam Worthington) again. Those who remember Bubo knows he was used in the search for Pegasus, a mythical winged horse.

Some of my favorite scenes of the remake would be the battle between the Kraken and Perseus. The massive beast rose from the ocean to destroy the city of Argos and claim princess Andromeda. In the history of movie creatures, I found the Kraken to be the most frightening creature around. Neither King Kong nor Godzilla have anything on this monster. I also enjoyed the battle scenes with the giant scorpions, which felt like a scene in “Transformers,” where Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox were running from Scorponok in the desert. The reemergence of these elements pays homage to the one that started it all. Other classic moments are where Perseus and the remainder of his crew hunt down Medusa. That scene is still just as creepy and sneaky as in it's predecessor.

GEMMA ARTERTON as Io in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "Clash of the Titans," distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

Many of the same characters are there and so are most of the creepy disgusting creatures as well. The actors involved Worthington, Liam Neeson (Zeus), Gemma Arterton (Io), Ralph Fiennes (Hades), Alexa Davalos (Andromeda), Jason Flemyng (Acrisius/Calibos) among countless other cast members all gave energetic, if a bit cheesy performances. However, the cast was playful, which give this film the boost it needed to keep eyes glued to the screen.

Did I enjoy watching 2010 “Clash of The Titans” just as much as the 1981 version? Yes, I did. Would I buy a ticket to see it in theaters? I would, but only for the “Real D” 3D experience. All in all I can wait to rent it from Netflix. But let me remind everyone that the first film is still in existence, so by all means revisit the original 1981 film as well.

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J.P. Langston is a member of "Sidewalks Entertainment" team primarily as a videographer. He loves movies, especially sci-fi horror and action comedies. Some of his favorite films include "Blade Runner" "The Matrix Trilogy," The (original) "Star Wars," "Equilibrium," "Serenity," "Kill Bill Vols 1 and 2," "Appleseed," "Unbreakable" and "Sin City." He has a large DVD collection, which is still growing. Since reviewing films for "Sidewalks," he has been expanding his palette for all types of films.