Almost everybody involved is half-trying. Wrath of the Titans is a cavalcade of special effects in search of a character. Perseus (Sam Worthington) would prefer to be half-man over the half-god that he is, but he is called into action. He is the good son of Zeus (Liam Neeson, the one actor who rigorously attempts acting), while Ares (Edgar Ramirez, doing a boring villain) is the bad son who wants to unleash hell unto the earth. If all the gods are stripped of their powers by the end, will that spare us another sequel? Bill Nighy, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston are among those who have clocked in for a paycheck.
Here’s a movie that wants to take Greek mythology and turn it into something explosive. The labyrinth with rotating pieces is the one un-explosive but at least truly nifty sequence in the movie. When we see a gigantic dragon of some sort try to kill Perseus and his people in one of the early scenes, we barely get a glimpse of the face of the creature. It hardly gives us enough time to blow our minds. Three one-eyed giants attack Perseus’ crew in the forest, a couple scenes later the giants become allies who guide the heroes on their trek, and then disappear from the story permanently. This just vexes the mind.
On the trek is Queen-Warrior Andromeda played by Rosamund Pike, whom with her porcelain skin, tantalizing eyes, dirty-gold braids and beatific smile, is one of the most beautiful women in the movies. I only wish she starred in some better movies (“Die Another Day” and “Pride & Prejudice” are her only career standouts). She gets a rough kiss by Perseus at the end while he’s covered in dirt and silt. Perseus has just defeated some, err, characters and some, err, monsters, some of it required to sweep down the inferno throat of some mountainous beast. Err, whatever. Let’s get back to the romance. Oh, too late. The movie’s over.
102 Minutes. Rated PG-13.
SCI-FI & FANTASY / MYTHOLOGY / WEEKEND THRILLS
Film Cousins: “Flash Gordon” (1980); “Clash of the Titans” (1981); “300” (2007); “Clash of the Titans” (2010).
