One should always be wary of remakes. So many classics have been ruined for a new generation by pointless reimaginings. The original Clash of the Titans was, maybe not a great movie, but still very good by 1981 standards – and it is certainly a classic. So, naturally, I was very sceptical when the remake was announced. At the same time, though, I could see the point in updating a movie like this, what with the possibilities of CGI.
Let it be said right away: The remake wasn’t a great movie, but it wasn’t as bad as some have made it out to be.
The story of demi-god Perseus and his quest isn’t exactly treated faithfully – but then, that wasn’t the case in the original either. In 1981, Perseus’ quest was brought on by the lesser sea goddess Thetis. In 2010, the main antagonist is none other than Hades himself. Perseus’ has a new love interest this time around. His winged mount Pegasus has been made into the token black guy (well, see for yourself). The main difference, though, is in the role of the gods. In 1981, Zeus was just a dirty old man, literally playing a game with human pawns, for his own enjoyment more than anything. In 2010, the story is much darker: the humans have come to think too highly of themselves, angering the gods, and there is real enmity brewing between the gods as well.
Perseus still fights Medusa, though, and the final showdown is still against the kraken – which makes no sense at all, since the kraken belongs in Norwegian folklore and certainly not in Greek mythology, which has its own gargantuan sea monsters. Kind of ironic that the main element from the original that was kept in the remake is really anything but authentic.
As for the acting: Sam Worthington certainly seems to be the new hot action hero (Terminator Salvation, Avatar, an upcoming Dracula project) and his Perseus is exactly what you would expect. Liam Neeson is suitably imperious as Zeus, and Ralph Fiennes makes a creepy Vold–I mean, Hades – although I did prefer Steve Coogan’s version in Percy Jackson (see my earlier review in this blog). As a Dane, I guess I have to mention Mads Mikkelsen, who plays Draco (a new addition compared to the original) and does what he does best: the drak, brooding anti-hero. My favourite, though, was Liam Cunningham as Solon, the pithy and grizzled veteran of Perseus’ band. His role is partly comic relief, but he fulfils it with a refreshingly deadpan delivery.
The computer-generated special effects are as impressive as one has come to expect these days. Let’s be honest: Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion monsters in the original do look extremely dated in the eyes of today’s CGI-spoiled audience. Don’t get me wrong: I still watch “his” movies (the Sinbad movies, Jason and the Argonauts) with much enjoyment and even more nostalgia, but Harryhausen used the means at his disposal to the absolut best of his abilities, and I’d like to think that if he were still making movies today, he would have embraced the newest technologies – and excelled at them! If Harryhausen has seen the new movie, I hope he likes what they have done with it – and I was glad to see how they put in a nice little nod to him and to the original. Watch out for Bubo the owl…
Clash of the Titans (2010) Starring Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton, Alexa Davalos, Mads Mikkelsen, Liam Cunningham. Written by Travis Beacham, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi. Directed by Louis Leterrier. Rated PG-13. 1 h 46 min.
The Riber Report 