I went to see the remake of the Ray Harryhausen classic tonight.
My expectations were low going in and happily the movie exceeded all of them.
It helps that Sam Worthington is such an alpha male, though he isn't as all around pretty to my mind as Harry Hamlin from the original film.
There are no manimals in the film but the one womanimal, Medusa, is a very impressive naga. And there is a stunning black stallion Pegasus ala Disney's "Fantasia". I also liked the scorpions.
I found some of the rapid fire editing to be a bit confusing but, for the most part, I thought the film was a fun ride as far as action films go.
It is so seldom we get to see big budget fantasy films based on the mythology that I could cut it a lot of slack. As with most of these sorts of movies, the star attractions are production design and special effects not story telling and acting. Still, Ralph Fiennes puts in a bravura performance as Hades and Liam Neeson makes a decent Zeus.
However, my eyes were most captivated by Mr. Worthington, the lone figure in the movie to possess a remarkably out of place buzz cut. I guess they figured he'd be lost in a wig among so many other guys in wigs and weaves. Unlike in his performance in
"Avatar", I could tell he was an Aussie this time. The accent kept creeping in.
Overall, I'd give this film about 3.5 stars out of 5. Not great film making but a lot of fun. Like a decent amusement park ride.
My all-time favourite myth, as a boy growing up. Lookin' forward to this with baited breath. Of course, although this is CGI, nothing will compare to the stop-motion maestro, Ray Harryhausen's last effort, its antecedent. Archaeologist Cornelia Steketee Hulst's "Perseus & the Gorgon", for any intrepid mythographers in the audience keen enough on plumbing the depths to which the myth actually goes, serves as a wonderful reference point. You just might be surprised at what you'll find therein ~ (•8-D
ReplyDeleteIn the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series by Rick Riordan, Perseus Jackson is the son of Poseidon. In this remake, Perseus is the son of Zeus. Who actually sired the original Perseus?
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