very free adaptation of Greek mythology

Rating: 6/10 (7 April 2010)

It is true that many people in Greece were offended by the treatment Greek myths receive in the hands of the movie industry. This movie gave reason to do that again. I am not sure if that is a correct reaction though. Since mythology is not history one can take liberties with mythology since myths have many versions and no canonical corpus exists.
This has happened in the present movie where the Greek elements of myth have been enriched by the sea monster Kracken-which I have first encountered cinematically in the "Pirates of the Caribbean"- although the Kracken in Clash of the Titans is much more impressive. It is also strange that being a sea monster is not under the control of Neptune but of Hades. Also some Beduin/magicians which seem like the magicians Xerxes had with him in the "300" have been added, giving a "Prince of Persia" quality to the the movie. They ride huge scorpions also. The monsters of the film are disgusting enough, especially the fluids oozing from the giant scorpions when killed or mutilated, as well as the former King Acrisius turned in Kalyvous.
Except the crude monsters, the citizens of Argus, that is the humans of the story, have a distinctly middle-eastern flavour and the soldiers are called a legion although this is a Roman and not Greek military term. On the other hand the gods inhabit an ethereal universe and their outfit reminds one of seventies pop groups.
The most inspiring moment of the movie is the bonding that exists between Perseus and the team of warriors that follow him in his quest to defeat the Kracken and save Argos. It reminds one the bonding among Ulysses and his comrades- and the similarity goes further since only he survives.
The interplay of gods, humans and monsters is good and attuned with the Homeric poems, where those entities co-existed and manipulated each other. The relations of the godly family are no better than most human families since sibling rivalry is rife between Zeus and his brother Hades, ever envious for his brother's predominance over Olympus while he has been relegated in the shadowy underworld.
Good moments exist and the film has an actor from "Agora" who from fiery parabolano has became a hunter thus creating a tradition of portraying characters in a semi-civilized state. The film may be crude and sometimes even buffoonish but I will not agree that it is a total failure since it has some sound moral message about comradeship and courage in the face of odds.