Pretentious, ott, but I loved it!

Rating: 5/10 (21 April 2010)

Once in a while a film comes along that should be avoided at all costs - a film that you know as soon as you pay your money at the box office is going to be a 'leave your brain at the door' type affair, yet you venture into the auditorium and watch it anyway. Such a film is this, full of portentous - and pretentious - lines about the hubris of mankind when they reject their Gods, lots of oh-so predictable daring do, lashing of CGI monsters etc, and yet I loved every single minute of it! Why? Maybe it was the mood I was in, just right for a bit of pure escapism with no great, deep hidden meaning (I had watched the wonderful 'A Prophet' on the Sunday, a film with so many layers my head is still trying to get itself around it!), or maybe it was simply that I got carried away with the daring-do of it all.
To say that this is a film that lacks any originality is like saying Manchester United is a well known football team! Everything you would expect from such a film is here - mainly stuff that will be familiar to any fan of the 1981 version. Persius saved from his watery grave, Zeus and Hades angry with mankind for rejecting them, the prophet begging the citizens of Argos to sacrifice their Princess, Andromina, lots of fighting with big - and I mean BIG! - scorpions, the death of Medusa, and the ultimate battle with the Karken all nicely ticked off. The effects are, as one has come to expect from a big Hollywood movie, are all very good (I saw the 2D version, so in 3D I would imagine them to be even better) - and shows just how far this kind of movie has come from the days of the great Harry Harryhausen etc.
If you should desire to watch this film do not expect much in the way of depth, or even great acting (all pretty wooden if truth be told), but do switch off your brain and just let it happen!