With the majesty of swords and shields and the power of gods, Greek epics have always grabbed the imagination of the modern world. Jonathan Liebesman's latest film makes an attempt to bridge the modern world with that of Greek mythology in Wrath of the Titans. The film went nationwide on March 30th, but was overshadowed by the blockbuster The Hunger Games.
Set ten years after the first movie, Clash of the Titans, Perseus has given up the sword to be a fisherman with his son. This dream is cut short when Zeus comes to him asking for his assistance with a matter that he is not powerful enough to handle. Perseus refuses until a dream sends him to the temple of the gods to find Poseidon. Poseidon informs him that his father is trapped in the underworld and now only Perseus can save the universe and Zeus.
The first Titans film was a huge disappointment with me. I never finished the film because I fell asleep halfway through. I came into this film with low expectations, but I was somewhat surprised. I saw the movie on a normal screen, which made some of the effects look ridiculous, as it was designed as a 3-D movie. The acting was on par with how that of similarly vapid action flicks, though Liam Neeson had some emotional scenes with his counterparts. John Bell, who played Perseus’ son, was a major killjoy in the acting department. He didn’t seem to act as much as he seemed to just repeat his lines.
Some plot holes, though, were too big to ignore. For example, Perseus is told by his father, Zeus, that he needs Perseus’ help to save the universe. Perseus tells him no because he wants to protect his son. Instead of saving the universe, he decides it would make more sense to stay with his son. Along with this obvious bad choice, Perseus puts his son in harm’s way when he is in a fight with Ares.
I did enjoy the main idea the movie presents. In the beginning of the movie, Zeus reveals that the gods lose their powers if they are not prayed to, and eventually die. This brought other holes into the plot when the soldiers told him that they pray to Ares constantly, proving that the gods are still worshipped by many. However, this concept bring a philosophical element to the normally thoughtless action film Although a deep morale is not necessary to make a movie great, it certainly helps here. The writing was also a major plus. Besides the Jack Sparrow rip off and unnecessary comedic breaks, it was exceptional for an action movie.
Jonathan Liebesman improves on the last film, adding philosophical bents and legitimate titans to the series. Where the first one lacked, this one improved. It still isn’t a great movie though. It won’t win an Oscar for anything beyond costuming or special effects, but it will be in the top thirty films this year. Overall, it’s a dumb, fun film that’s worth renting for a late night.
That other 'Titan' movie isn't quite as impressive
