With $493m in box office takings, Cash of the Titans might be a more appropriate title.

Rating: 5/10 (31 July 2012)

Based on the 1981 film of the same name, Clash of the Titans is a big budget CGI-fest that aims to dazzle the senses with it's busy action sequences and sprawling scopes. With a heavyweight cast and a dizzying $125m budget, director Louis Letterier has created what is essentially a rushed looking collection of overblown set pieces assembled around chunks of dull exposition. This is the story of demigod Perseus, played by Sam Worthington, and his quest to fight as a man, for man against the vengeful Gods of Olympus who are royally 'cheesed off' because some soldiers took it upon themselves to knock down a big statue of Zeus – Liam Neeson no less. So, fresh from the 'underworld', up pops big bad God Hades (Ralph Fiennes), embracing his inner Voldermort, to teach mankind a lesson. Frankly, why Zeus would ever set a God with blatant mental health issues loose on a species he claims to love is never fleshed out, but then again, this isn't a film that invests much time fleshing much of anything out. Instead, it's far more concerned with getting some of that $125m budget and shoving it in your face. And so it does. Along the ahem, 'epic' quest (presented via a series of sweeping CG exteriors), we encounter all manner of CG behemoths, none of which are animated with any convincing real world heft. The Medusa part of the story, the chapter i always found to be the most riveting and frightening as a child, sacrifices any genuine creepiness by being a noisy and action heavy overload of computer generated disappointment, which all but sums up the film. Sam Worthington fails to inject any personality into Perseus, Gemma Arterton looks pale faced and pretty while Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes most likely pick up a decent payday in exchange for a bit of hammy overdoing it. When the inevitable conclusion finally comes, it's a welcome relief. With it's swordplay and excitable action, the film may function satisfactorily for an early teen audience, but for most it's sorely lacking in many areas, most crucially character and script. Despite much derision aimed at it's eleventh hour retro-fitted 3D release, the film turned over an almighty $493.2m in global box office although if you've seen the spoiler heavy trailer first, you've pretty much seen the whole thing. Cash of the Titans might have been a more appropriate title.