The Facts:
Synopsis: Perseus braves the treacherous underworld to rescue his father, Zeus, captured by his son, Ares, and brother Hades who unleash the ancient Titans upon the world.
Stars: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Finnes, Édgar Ramírez, Toby Kebbell, Rosamund Pike
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Rated: PG-13
Running Length: 99 minutes
Random Crew Highlight: Local Crowd Assistant: Canary Islands – María Sanz Estevez
TMMM Score: (4/10)
Review: With the modest success of 2010’s remake of Clash of the Titans, it wasn’t a huge shock to hear that a sequel was put on the fast track. At the time it was released Clash was trounced largely because it’s quickie 3D conversion was such an obvious ploy to bleed more money from audiences. I saw it in the cheap-o theaters in the traditional 2D format and found it fun, silly, and worth the $2. While not necessarily excited for a sequel, I was interested to see where it would go and how they would handle a better conversion to 3D. Well…I don’t think even a viewing in 2D would do much to change my mind about the huge yawner Wrath of the Titans is.
Who knew Titans could be so boring? I mean…from frame one actors are leaning up against rocks and buildings seemingly exhausted by their heavy beards, wigs, and acting. No one seems to be having any fun…and neither will you.
Picking up about a decade after the original, Worthington’s Perseus is a widower with a young son that doesn’t know of his dad’s god-ly ties. Soon enough Zeus (Neeson) comes a-callin’ on his half human/half god son to help him out of a jam. Neeson looks to be wearing Hagrid’s old wig/beard from the Harry Potter films and does most of his acting peering out of the hedgehog on his face. Curly locked Worthington finally gets to use his native British accent…wait…he’s Australian? Oh well…doesn’t really matter because his performance is largely reacting to the mediocre special effects around him
This being a sequel we have to have more characters and they nearly fall out of the mountainsides in their quest to get screen time. Kebbell probably fares the best…though as the comic relief he is a one trick pony. Fiennes was an interesting casting choice in the first film but a hindrance here. Never deciding if he wants to be really bad or kinda good he falls flat in the middle and doesn’t try to get up. Pike is replacing Alexa Davalos as Andromeda…and given the She-Ra nature the role has taken on Pike is the better choice. I’ve always found her interesting and while she does her best Ripley-in-sandals impersonation she too fades from memory quickly.
The effects are modestly successful though it’s entirely unnecessary to catch this in 3D unless you are in a theater with terrific sound as well. I saw it on a 3D IMAX screen and was partially deaf and cross-eyed for several hours after.
Director Liebesman adds a bit of style to the mix but like his previous effort (Battle Los Angeles) it’s a lot of movement without any real action. The movie hurtles toward its ending so fast and furious that it sorta forgets to be about anything or leave room for another sequel though I don’t think the Titans have one more in them…they were limping to the finish line on this one.