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Shakes its wrath at other films - or a titanic ruin?
Other | Thursday 7th June 2012 | Osh
(Wrath Of the Titans)
“Shakes its wrath at other films – or a titanic ruin?”
Usually when a film decimates the box office, a sequel is almost always inevitable. If it garners enough attention, the next events of the story are bound to be showcased to the public. In the case of the predecessor, Clash of the Titans, the fact of the matter is that it really was a financial triumph. On a worldwide scale, the film grossed $300 million and then some. The plight of Perseus against that 200ft mythical creature called the Kraken provided more than enough visual entertainment to be provided with a follow-up. However, does the latest offering by Sam Worthington (of Avatar fame) as the legendary Greek hero follow too similar a formula to the previous chapter?
So what is the latest tale in Perseus’ life? Well, it has been a decade since we saw him crucify the Kraken and place himself on that noble winged steed, Pegasus. But a lot has occurred during this time. His son, Heleus, has grown into a young boy and Perseus himself has resorted to being a humble fisherman. But all it takes is a slight kick up the backside from the king of the gods, Zeus, and an attack on his village from a two-headed fire-and-ice-breathing Chimaera-esque dog to get our hero on another journey of gods, giants and good looking people.
Meanwhile, Zeus is at present engaged after being ambushed by Hades and Ares who are plotting to unleash the lord of the Titans, everyone’s favourite hot-head, Kronos. But don’t be fooled. This Kronos is not just another god. He’s a badass dude made entirely out of lava, who, after being imprisoned, has some rage that’s been kept in for several thousand years. During Perseus’ journey, we encounter Queen Andromeda, a dangerously sexy warrior queen, who is gathering her troops to engage in battle against the armies of Hades and Ares. We also meet Poseidon’s demigod son, who plays an important role in providing comic humour as well as telling us to root for the good guys.
The set pieces are exhilarating to be fair; you can’t help but be awestruck at the detail of Kronos. Every swivel of his fiery texture is obvious. The sheer physical and spiritual dominance of Zeus, Hades and Ares is evident; their supernatural hand-to-hand combat is fast-paced and unpredictable. Liam Neeson’s portrayal of the Greek king of the gods is majestic and great; it is a joy to see him wreak his holy wrath. But the film is flawed. There are incoherent parts throughout the film, which actually contradict what many of the main characters say, which decreases the quality of the film. Furthermore, the romance between Perseus and Andromeda could have been developed more extensively, with the two potentially building up a connection.
Anyone looking for a man-versus-monster mash-up will be blown away from start to finish. But if you’re looking for an Oscar-tipped pensive epic, well…you might have to look elsewhere. Packing a weak script with an even weaker character development, it’s safe to say this film will not be studied in a media or film-related degree lecture, one hundred years from now.
