Let's All Go To The Movies (the 80s re-mix)
Hey, gang. Decided to trot out some thoughts on the Clash of he Titans re-make and discuss the movie scene in general. Haven't done that in a bit.
Clash of the Titans was decent but really could've used some fleshing out. Action shots that should've amazed wound up just ok due to pacing, but most of them looked good. Put it on the same level as Terminator Salvation (which I didn't hate nearly as much as others but wasn't completely impressed by either). The Schindler's List rematch between Liam Neeson and Ralph Finnes could've been more thrilling but isn't. Hades and Zeus don't really do much to each other here, and the other gods don't do much at all.
Sam Worthington is solid as Perseus, but he needs to get to do more than just yell. I actually like this actor but he hasn't been given enough good material to sink his teeth into. He had some good moments leading Avatar, but not much outside of that (and no, not in Terminator Salvation either.)
The story is vastly different this go around. Really could've been fleshed out more and feels rushed in certain places. Yeah, Perseus is still Zeus's half-human son abandoned to a crazy fate, but here, he's adopted by a fisherman's family who are wiped out as an afterthought by Hades. The lead in to Perseus's pursuit of a way to defeat a monster known as The Kraken is completely different. It's more about his need for revenge against Hades and his hatred of the gods than it is about saving humanity. And no, his affections (or lack thereof) for Andromeda don't play a part in this version.
There are good aspects to this movie. The visuals and scenery are nice. There's a race of people our heroes meet in the desert who are kind of cool. (I can't remember their names but you'll know them when you meet them.) Also, I did like Medusa this go around. Her speed makes her much more menacing. Pegasus's movements are nice to watch, and the Stygian Witches are more frightening too.
But then there's the bad aspects. Much as I liked Calibos's battle prowess in here, his origin story is... weird to get used to. I'll have to read up on Greek mythology to seeif its more accurate but he's given a very different role here (outside of the I-must-kill-Perseus aspect that is). Also, the 3-D isn't all that great. In fact it doesn't really help the battle against the scorpions. I remember the 3-D being announce in a last ditch effort because Avatar did so well, and that aspect looks tacked-on as an afterthought here.
Also, not enough Bubo. (Yes, he makes a cameo.)
Director Louis Leterrier (SP) noted about how he was down to wire working on this effect and it shows. With the script being underwritten and the whole film feeling rushed right through, knowing there's so much more that could've been done with these characters and situations to improve on what was essentially an enjoyable but cheesy 80s fantasy film. I get the impression this movie isn't completely what Leterrier wanted (though I could be wrong). It's a bit disappointing to write this cause I really loved his work on The Incredible Hulk.
Bottom line: I'd honestly recommend seeing it in 2-D and keeping your expectations low. It's decent to check out once at a matinee but not more than that. OTOH I keep hearing really good things about How To Train Your Dragon. Might give a ghost recommendation until I can see it for myself (possibly this weekend).
Score: 2.5 out of 5
Meanwhile, remember back in the 80s when there was such a thing as an imagination? Seriously, how many remakes can there be in one year? This year alone we have the aforementioned Clash, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Karate Kid, Red Dawn, The A-Team, Tron Legacy (ok, that's a sequel, I grant you), combined with sequels for Harry Pottter, Twilight, Toy Story and Iron Man. Thing is, I'm looking forward to some of these but I'd like something new, y'know?
No, The Last Airbender doesn't count. I'd like something true to the original please. Thanks.
Then again, Kick Ass, Jonah Hex and Scott Pilgrim might fit the bill, though I still need to read those.
So I'm just asking right quick, which movies are you lookking forward to the most this year? Yep nothing more substantial. Grumpy as I'm sounding here, I'm actually looking forward to Iron Man, Tron Legacy, Toy Story and The A-Team. Then again, I was looking forward to Clash. Hoping I'm not totally disappointed this year.
I leave you with two things. One is a random recommendation for a collection I just recently learned about: The Life and Times of Martha Washington In The 21st Century. I'm rather pissed I missed out on the hardcover collection but every story I've read by Frank Miller and Dave Gibbons about this character's crazy struggles in the future since "Give Me Liberty" have been wonderfully written with great action and social commentary. I'd honestly kill to see these stories adapted into a live film someday. Read this article to get more of a sense of why the Martha stories are so good.
Finally, here's a trailer for a little known 80s anime entitled Arion which also deals with a half-human boy who faces down Greek gods and monsters. Decent flick if you get a chance to watch it. I'll have a writeup on it soon... wherever it's published. :)
Dosvedonya.
Clash of the Titans was decent but really could've used some fleshing out. Action shots that should've amazed wound up just ok due to pacing, but most of them looked good. Put it on the same level as Terminator Salvation (which I didn't hate nearly as much as others but wasn't completely impressed by either). The Schindler's List rematch between Liam Neeson and Ralph Finnes could've been more thrilling but isn't. Hades and Zeus don't really do much to each other here, and the other gods don't do much at all.
Sam Worthington is solid as Perseus, but he needs to get to do more than just yell. I actually like this actor but he hasn't been given enough good material to sink his teeth into. He had some good moments leading Avatar, but not much outside of that (and no, not in Terminator Salvation either.)
The story is vastly different this go around. Really could've been fleshed out more and feels rushed in certain places. Yeah, Perseus is still Zeus's half-human son abandoned to a crazy fate, but here, he's adopted by a fisherman's family who are wiped out as an afterthought by Hades. The lead in to Perseus's pursuit of a way to defeat a monster known as The Kraken is completely different. It's more about his need for revenge against Hades and his hatred of the gods than it is about saving humanity. And no, his affections (or lack thereof) for Andromeda don't play a part in this version.
There are good aspects to this movie. The visuals and scenery are nice. There's a race of people our heroes meet in the desert who are kind of cool. (I can't remember their names but you'll know them when you meet them.) Also, I did like Medusa this go around. Her speed makes her much more menacing. Pegasus's movements are nice to watch, and the Stygian Witches are more frightening too.
But then there's the bad aspects. Much as I liked Calibos's battle prowess in here, his origin story is... weird to get used to. I'll have to read up on Greek mythology to seeif its more accurate but he's given a very different role here (outside of the I-must-kill-Perseus aspect that is). Also, the 3-D isn't all that great. In fact it doesn't really help the battle against the scorpions. I remember the 3-D being announce in a last ditch effort because Avatar did so well, and that aspect looks tacked-on as an afterthought here.
Also, not enough Bubo. (Yes, he makes a cameo.)
Director Louis Leterrier (SP) noted about how he was down to wire working on this effect and it shows. With the script being underwritten and the whole film feeling rushed right through, knowing there's so much more that could've been done with these characters and situations to improve on what was essentially an enjoyable but cheesy 80s fantasy film. I get the impression this movie isn't completely what Leterrier wanted (though I could be wrong). It's a bit disappointing to write this cause I really loved his work on The Incredible Hulk.
Bottom line: I'd honestly recommend seeing it in 2-D and keeping your expectations low. It's decent to check out once at a matinee but not more than that. OTOH I keep hearing really good things about How To Train Your Dragon. Might give a ghost recommendation until I can see it for myself (possibly this weekend).
Score: 2.5 out of 5
Meanwhile, remember back in the 80s when there was such a thing as an imagination? Seriously, how many remakes can there be in one year? This year alone we have the aforementioned Clash, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Karate Kid, Red Dawn, The A-Team, Tron Legacy (ok, that's a sequel, I grant you), combined with sequels for Harry Pottter, Twilight, Toy Story and Iron Man. Thing is, I'm looking forward to some of these but I'd like something new, y'know?
No, The Last Airbender doesn't count. I'd like something true to the original please. Thanks.
Then again, Kick Ass, Jonah Hex and Scott Pilgrim might fit the bill, though I still need to read those.
So I'm just asking right quick, which movies are you lookking forward to the most this year? Yep nothing more substantial. Grumpy as I'm sounding here, I'm actually looking forward to Iron Man, Tron Legacy, Toy Story and The A-Team. Then again, I was looking forward to Clash. Hoping I'm not totally disappointed this year.
I leave you with two things. One is a random recommendation for a collection I just recently learned about: The Life and Times of Martha Washington In The 21st Century. I'm rather pissed I missed out on the hardcover collection but every story I've read by Frank Miller and Dave Gibbons about this character's crazy struggles in the future since "Give Me Liberty" have been wonderfully written with great action and social commentary. I'd honestly kill to see these stories adapted into a live film someday. Read this article to get more of a sense of why the Martha stories are so good.
Finally, here's a trailer for a little known 80s anime entitled Arion which also deals with a half-human boy who faces down Greek gods and monsters. Decent flick if you get a chance to watch it. I'll have a writeup on it soon... wherever it's published. :)
Click to viewDosvedonya.