Release the Kraken!

Rating: 7/10 (8 May 2010)

When I tell my classes about constellations, I tell the Andromeda myth, since much of the autumn evening sky is filled with constellations from this myth - even the Kraken (the constellation Cetus). So it was amusing that I had just told a class the story before seeing the movie. To say the movie is loosely based on the myth is being generous. Jake Sully, sorry, Sam Worthington, is Perseus, but he's indistinguishable from Jake Sully, even down to the Marine haircut. One character not in the Perseus myth is Io (Gemma Arterton). Io was one of Jupiter's lovers and is commemorated as a satellite of Jupiter. So Gemma Arterton is a heavenly body? No argument here. She's a feast for the eyes in this film. Visuals are impressive and the action is exciting. Andromeda is dignified, brave, and beautiful, even if she doesn't get the hero in the end (unlike the actual myth). As for the 3-D, I avoided Avatar for fear of eyestrain and headaches, but tried it here. I had no problems, but I have a very dominant left eye and, apart from a few exaggerated effects in the trailers, the 3-D had no effect at all on my eyes.