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The season of the epic blockbuster and big budget, star-driven comedy has begun! Let's hope it only gets better from here.....


Clash of the Titans
Starring: Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Liam Neeson, and Ralph Fiennes
Quick Take: This is a big-budget, effects-driven, sword and sandal epic. It's a re-make of the 1981 original starring Harry Hamlin and Laurence Olivier. The 1981 film is appreciated by its fans for being a camp classic, however this go-around things are much more serious. Worthington ("Avatar," "Terminator Salvation") has become the go-to guy for effects-driven action films of late. It's hard to tell if he's actually a good actor, or just moody. I am actually starting to wonder if there would be more than five spoken lines in a film that starred Worthington and Robert "Twilight" Pattinson. It's possible their combined brooding would create a negative vortex around the screen that would pull us all in. That aside, "Clash of the Titans" is a by-the-numbers epic. Sometimes it works, sometimes the effects aren't that special. The film also fails to afford any of the principal performers much of a chance to show their acting skills. Basically, the film is a prideful tale. The pride of men cause them to believe they are worthy to rule themselves. The pride of Hades leads him to believe he should be the ruler of the Gods. The pride of Zeus leads him to believe he's beloved. And the pride of Perseus leads him to believe he can beat the Gods all on his own. In that way, I think the film speaks to the broken nature of our society and its warped view of God. As a film it's OK, not great.
Rating: PG-13 for fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief sensuality.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

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