Archive for the ‘Clash of the Titans’ tag
Gods and Men no comments
I experienced a 3D film for the first time today. It was a surreal, wonderful experience; but the adverts at the beginning of the film were by far better than the 3D in the film itself. I actually found myself blinking and moving back slightly as objects shot out at me, and that, I think, is a remarkable thing.
It’s like those accounts of the very first motion picture, of a train coming towards the screen. The audience allegedly ran out screaming, because they were not used to the technology, and it looked, to them, like they were about to get hit by the train.
The film of choiceIt was Clash of the Titans, and I was looking forward to it a lot. The first 1981 epic, I have always thought, got by on its effects – so here was a remake that Hollywood couldn’t ruin by favouring effects over story. It felt like the film it should have been all those years ago.
The audience is introduced to Argos, where the people have lost faith in the gods. Statues are hauled down, and men and women are starving their creators of their prayers in protest.
Zeus (Liam Neeson) is obviously not keen on this, and sends his brother Hades, brilliantly depicted by Ralph Fiennes, to wreak havoc; creating a burning hatred in Perseus, our hero, and sparking his quest for vengeance.
And the world that he travels is fairly well done, with its decaying buildings and craggy cliffs. It looks impressive both up close and high above the clouds, from the home of the gods. But it’s probably not worth forking out extra to see it in 3D: the technology is used sparingly, dotted here and there, and feels like an afterthought.
The monsters (and in particular Medusa) are very well done; and the result is a film that ticks most of the blockbuster boxes, and breezes by in flash of thrills. And there was even a charming nod to the original, about halfway through.