WRATH OF THE TITANS

US, 2012, 99 minutes, Colour.
Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Edgar Ramirez, Toby Kebbell, Rosamund Pike, Bill Nighy, Danny Huston, John Bell.
Directed by Jonathan Liebesman.

Like olden days matinees, this is adventure material without too much worry about making a classic! And they haven’t.

The 2009 Clash of the Titans was not favourably reviewed because it was this same type of matinee movie (and the rather less effective 3D processing was done in post-production). It will be the same here although the 3D is much better – and it is being shown on Imax screens as well which gives it a quite spectacular presentation.

This is quoting a friend/reviewer after the preview. Someone was talking to him about the plot. He was surprised at this development because he thought the plot was simply,’Hey, there’s another monster...’. Actually, there is some basic plot surrounding the fights with the monsters. Perseus, who had defeated the Kracken in the first film, has now settled into life in a fishing village to bring up his son. He has renounced his divine origin and opted for the human part of him – perhaps that is why Sam Worthington’s accent this time is even more pronouncedly Australian, contrasting with the fine elocution of Liam Neeson as Zeus and, especially, the almost Shakespearean delivery of Ralph Fiennes as Hades. Perhaps this is the best moment to mention that Bill Nighy, mugging to more than his heart’s content as Hephaestus, has an accent from Yorkshire or somewhere up there. Edgar Ramirez as the villain, Ares, is from Venezuela and has a Hispanic touch to his accent. Rosamund Pike as Andromeda seems to come from London.

But, then, with its popular audience, who is listening to accents!

This is the twilight of the gods (they are declining in their powers and immortality and people don’t pray any more) – they seem to be an unworthy lot, especially Ares (Mars), Zeus’ son who is jealous of his half brother, Perseus (who does get to ride Pegasus into the air, twice). But this is special effects Gotterdamerung, especially Perseus’ fight with the Titan, Cronos, renewed by energy drained from Zeus and appearing in gigantic flames.

So, plenty (plenty) of fights and action, often impressive sets, a poly-accented cast, with some comedy thanks to Bill Nighy’s antics and Toby Kebbel as Poseidon’s son Agenor who seems to be channelling Russell Brand.

Box office success will rely on word of mouth rather than reviews.

1. A sequel to The Clash of the Titans? The reviews of the former film? The reviews of this film? Changes? Improvement?

2. The production values, the cast, the locations, the sets, the action, the special effects? The musical score?

3. Audience knowledge of the history of the gods? Kronos and the Titans? Zeus, Perseus, Poseidon? Poseidon and Hades? The children of the gods? The battles of the gods? The fading of the gods? Loss of human belief? The attempt of the freedom of the Titans?

4. The focus on Perseus? His role in the defeat of the Kraken? The hero of the first film? Sam Worthington’s Australian accent? With the range of other accents? Having chosen to be human rather than divine? His sense of the presence of Zeus, Zeus’s appearances, calling him to a mission? His declining, wanting to be with his son, help him to grow up? Memories of his dead wife? The attack of the Titans on the village? Perseus and his having to go to war? His mother’s strength of mind, encouraging him? His riding Pegasus? Going to the armies, meeting Andromeda? The strategies? His encounter with Poseidon? His encounter with Ares, the two sons of Poseidon, the mutual antagonism? Ares as villain? In Hades? In Tartarus? His going with the armies? His visit to Hephaestus? Hephaestus and his making the instruments of war? His going with Agenor, his cousin? Freeing Agenor, the trident, going to the island? The struggle with the Cyclops? The battles? Getting the better of the Cyclops? Finding Hephaestus, and the owl? Hephaestus and his taking them to the labyrinth, the pursuit of Ares and the fight? Getting in the door? The labyrinth, its dangers? Finally finding Tartarus? Finding Zeus and his being drained of his energies? Another fight with Ares, the help of Hades, freeing his father? Taking him back to freedom? Getting the powers from his father? The final confrontation with Kronos, the special effects and fire? Peace, the restoration of his son (after seeing him in his dreams and hallucinations)? His bond with Andromeda? The future warrior?

5. The presentation of Zeus, Liam Neeson and his voice, accent, dignity? The fading of the gods? Going to his son? The betrayal by Hades and Hades’ jealousy? The attack by Ares? His being chained, drained of his energy by his father? His defiance, his forgiveness of Hades? Rescued by Perseus? His breathing his powers into Perseus, his collapsing?

6. Hades, exiled by his brother, Ralph Fiennes and the elocution voice? His vengeance against his brother, Poseidon? Ares and support of him? His torture of Zeus, change of heart, forgiveness? His escaping from Ares? His final talk with Perseus, returning – and the loss of his immortality?

7. Ares, son of Zeus, jealous of Perseus? His antagonism, taking Zeus, torturing him? His loss of energy? Hades’ support? Hades’ control, his defiance of Hades? The fights with Perseus, the death of Hephaestus? The final confrontation and his death?

8. Agenor, the comic touch, his attentions to Andromeda, in prison, freed, his promise to take them to Hephaestus? The boat, his love of water? His joining in the quest for Hephaestus, the battles, the happy ending?

9. Andromeda, queen of the Greeks, the warrior, her strategies, going on the quest with Perseus? Korrina and her praying to Ares, his appearance, his killing her? Andromeda and the labyrinth, the final preparations for battle, the kiss?

10. Hephaestus, Bill Nighy’s accent, the comic touches, with the owl, the weapons, leading them to the labyrinth, opening the door, his death?

11. Poseidon, the fall of the gods, his son, his death?

12. Helios, trained by his father, his absence, in his father’s dreams? In the labyrinth? His being restored, the warrior, Perseus passing on the power to him?

13. The world of the gods – credible? For action adventure? Matinee style? Audience interest in and belief that there were Greek gods?