Wrath of the Titans - Review

Imagine a quiet Sunday afternoon in October.  It's raining and because of a midweek friendly fixture there's no football, but ITV have a film on called Wrath of the Titans.  At that point in time, and at no other, it would be ok to watch.

Once again we're left wondering whether directors understand 3D or get so caught up trying to make the 3D exciting they forget that films are supposed to have stories.  3D as a selling point for a film just doesn't cut it, it should be a part of the experience not something that jars you out of it.  Hugo is a great example of that, immersive, full of depth but an equally stunning experience in 2D.  Wrath of the Titans?  Yikes.

Forgetting the 3D for a moment it's hard to decide whether this is better or worse than 2010's Clash of the Titans.  At times, especially in the last twenty minutes it comes together for a great final battle with a mountainous Kronos but the dialogue is awkward and all over the place throughout.  Action sequences have more pace than the previous title but close up camera work makes things hard to follow.  At one point Perseus' son appears to have been burnt to a crispy mess only for him to pop up seconds later.

The story, or lack there of, is the biggest failing.  A pity really as there's a wealth of material from Greek mythology to draw on, instead so much feels shoe horned in.  Cyclopes?  Check.  Minotaur?  Check.  Bill Nighy?  Check.  Wait...

The story, for what it's worth, focuses on Hades and Zeus eternal battle and their father Kronos, who's been locked up in Tartarus for like a really long time.  Inevitably he gets loose and Perseus and friends have to save the day.  The climax is well done, but even that feels far too like it's predecessor's ending and then BANG out of nowhere there's some romance.  Weird.

The best moment of the whole film comes from a flying horse.  There was minor chuckling in the half empty cinema.

Sam Worthington's hair is probably worth the admission price, sadly his acting (wooden and almost completely expressionless) is not.

There are moments when the movie rises above it's predecessor but they are brief and fleeting and the 3D, whilst fun in places, 'Ohhhh rocks are falling on me!' doesn't add anything.

Wait until that Sunday in October in about four years time.
★★☆☆☆