‘Clash of the Titans’ Not Worth 28-Year Wait for Remake By Art Byrd

I had seen “Clash of the Titans” in the theater way back when. It was okay, maybe because I didn’t understand the story.  I predicted that down the line someone would do a remake with the ever-evolving special effects technology.

That day has arrived. But if you’re wondering whether the new “Clash of the Titans” was worth the wait, I’d have to say no, not really. It has all the right elements: a good leading man in Sam Worthington (“Avatar,” “Terminator Salvation”), who plays Perseus; a gorgeous goddess named Lo, played by Gemma Arterton (“Casino Royale”), and a drop-dead beautiful princess Andromeda, played by the stunning Alexa Davalos.

There is also the top-god Zeus, played powerfully by Liam Neeson. In a story of good and evil, there has to be a villain. Bad Hades is played by Ralph Fiennes, who also plays the most evil character in the “Harry Potter” films.

The storyline is that Hades convinces Zeus to unleash havoc on mortals. Among the mortals is a demigod – or half-mortal, half-god -- named Perseus, who is Zeus’s son. Once the havoc begins, Perseus and some soldiers embark on a journey before the ultimate evil -- the Kraken - - is unleashed.  They fight giant scorpions and take on Medusa, who turns men into stone by looking into their eyes.

A remake is always a red flag for me. But since I thought the first Titans was so-so, I thought maybe they would improve the film decades later. The director, Louis Leterrier, has a track record of making movies that someone else made before. He was responsible for “Transporter 2,” and the remake of a remake, “The Incredible Hulk.” Those big films didn’t help his cause with “Titans.”


“Clash of the Titans” is a Saturday afternoon popcorn movie. The special effects were okay. Nothing exciting.

 I am not sure what would have helped “Clash of the Titans” succeed with me. I have one idea…the movie should have been extraordinary, especially since we knew the outcome of the film before it started.

edited by Michele Ristich Gatts