Some would say the first big film of 2010!
Now after reading quite a few bad reports about the 2d to 3d conversion I decided to steer clear of the 3d film. I think 3d is great, but this sounds like a rushed conversion and not many people have been impressed, well no one actually!
With that in mind, it was old fashioned 2d, and the film turned out to be an old fashioned adventure film, big on CGI, lite on story and even lighter on character development. Whereas the original quest was done for love, this one was revenge. But a revenge story needs some build up, some connection with the characters affected. It's not just them that want revenge it's me as well. I didn't get that connection, it was too rushed, as though sod this we want to show you Gods, we have big monsters, and we have a Kraken! Who needs a story!
Visually in places the film is awesome, well most places really, I liked the scorpion battle, Medusa, the Kraken, Pegasus, the chase between the Pegasus and the harpies. The gods were ok, Perseus was ok, Calibos was ok but underused.
The script is terrible, the acting bar Mads Mikkelsen is pretty poor,he is the best actor in it by a mile, Worthington is ok at the action stuff, but he needs an acting role quick. Neeson and Fiennes ham it up as Zeus and Hades but are nothing special. The direction is fast and furious jumping from action sequence to action sequence without taking a breath, and that in the end spoils it.
Overall, poor script, acting and direction but with great visuals and some great action, it just does enough to entertain but with a little attention to detail it could have been so much better!
Just creeps into a good film(7/10)
Release the Kraken! Last time I heard that it was spoken by Davy Jones. This time though the Kraken was a little bigger! Now I liked the original and have a soft spot for Ray Harryhausen stuff. This was one of the first films I went to see on my own. Years later the remake has the advantage of a lot more special effects trickery but it loses non of it's charm. The story is basically the same with a few changes but overall it's a good yarn. This type of film hasn't been seen in a while and does make a nice change from all the other effects laiden films that lack sustance, at least this one has a decent story worth following. 7/10
ReplyDeleteSorry I have to disagree here. So much is different! All that is the same a couple of set pieces! Medusa, Kraken and the witches, after that nothing else is the same.
ReplyDeleteLet's take a look.
In the original-
1) Zeus protects his son, uses the other gods to also aid him
2) Perseus quest in the original is for love.
3) Calibos is driven to kill Perseus by his mother Thetis.
4) The giant scorpians come to life from the blood of Medusa.
5) Posiedon is the keeper of the kraken.
6) Hades is never even in the story.
7) Persues isn't a fisherman and his mother survives to raise him before Thetis moves him to Joppa. Where he learns to fight.
8) Argos is destroyed by the kraken at the start of the film from the wrath of Zeus.
9) The Pegasus is caught and tamed by Perseus.
In the new version.
1) Zeus abandons his son
2) The quest is for revenge.
3) Hades gets Calibos to kill Persues giving him some special evil powers!
4) The scorpians come from Calibos's blood.
5) The kraken is the son of Hades.
6) Hades is all over this film like a bad after thought.
7) He's a fisherman, his mother is dead, and he can weild a sword after 2 minutes training.
8) Argos takes a battering at the end of the film, but doesn't get destroyed.
9) The pegasus arrives to save the day sent from the gods!
While I don't fully dislike the new version, the original bar the effects has so much more going for it.
The main story of love is much more natural and has much more force than revenge.
With Argos being destroyed by the Kraken at the start of the film, the original as much more tension, you've seen the power of the Kraken. So it makes more sense to sacrifice the princess, and why the quest must succeed.
In the new version the power of the kraken is only mentioned, if you haven't seen the original you could wonder what all the fuss is about.
Calibos's story in the original is better, Thetis wants revenge on Zeus because he can protect his son but abandons her son and turns him into a monster.
Medusa battle is much better in the original, fair enough the stop motion looks dated but it's a much more tense sequence.
I'm not really a fan of the original, along with the new version I can take it or leave it. But if I was a fan than I wouldn't have been happy with this remake!