After a long and not so grueling day of rehearsal, I decided to treat myself to a guilty pleasure.
I love going to the movies. Always have. Always will. But it was fairly late in life (mid twenties-ish) that I discovered that I really enjoy going to movies alone. Apparently this is something that a significant portion of the people I know don't like to do. Regardless, and for whatever reason, be it ultimate seat selection, or the absolute lack of debate on what film to see, this is something I enjoy. Throw in the fact that my lovely wife hates going to the movies, and our daughter is still too young to form an opinion on the matter, and you have a perfect guilty pleasure.
Tonight's offering was a bit of a disappointment. Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, and Ralph Fienes in Wrath of The Titans. Granted I was aware going in that this film was not going to win any awards of any kind, ever. A sequel to an entertaining summer block buster from a few years back, both are modeled on much older films, one of which was a staple of my youth. I think it's safe to say that everyone of my generation with a television saw Clash of The Titans at least once. I have fond memories of the campy clay-mation monsters, the pseudo Greek mythology, and of course who could forget : "RELEASE THE KRACKEN!" It is still a recognizable catch phrase to many of us.
I will also take a moment to admit that I am a big Greek Mythology Geek. Ever since I picked up a copy of Heroes & Monsters of Greek Myth in Grade 3 and read it cover to cover - all 110 pages (not bad for 7 year old kid) I have been hooked. Hooked enough that while obtaining my University Degree, I also undertook a double minor, one half of which was in History, with a special focus on Classical Studies, with several courses devoted to Mythology. But enough about that!
This latest installment fails on alot of levels for me. The killer for me is the total lack of inspiration. While the original was fun with its depiction of a myth right out of a story book and interesting deoictions of Calabash, Medusa, Pegasus, and the Kracken as plasticene movie monsters, this new movie gives the fantastical creatures very little screen time. To me Mythology is all about making the Fantastical come to life, and this movie misses the point. You have a Chimera, a terrible looking Minotaur, some interesting demons of Tartarus, and Cronus Lord of the Titans - father of Zeus. With the incredible work people are doing with computer graphics these days, most of these just seem tired and un-inspired. Kudos for their work on the Cyclops however, they looked pretty damn good!
Ultimately, I think the real failing of the film was in its depiction of the end of the era of the Gods. The humanization of all of these larger than life mythic personalities was not a route I would have chosen. So much time was spent on the relationships between Perseus and his Father Zeus, and between all of the other featured omnipotent beings, none of which is reflected in the actual mythology, one has to wonder where they got their source material...and who approved the script! LAME!
I could bash the cinematography while I'm at it, but I dont think this film deserves any more of my time. Oh well, bottom line, if you want Greek Mythology done right don't see this movie, instead, go play God of War 3 on the PS3. It looks better, its story is a more accurate to the mythology, and it is guarenteed to keep you entertained, unlike Wrath of the Titans.
