1981 versus 2010 - A de-evolution in movie-making

Rating: 1/10 (3 April 2010)

By remaking The Clash Of The Titans the director, actors/actresses and all those involved are opening up opportunity for comparison to the original. There's no denying that, so that's the angle I view it from.
The Original is dated now, in so far as the effects department is concerned, which is hardly surprising given year of release. That aside though, the nineteen eighty one version is a classic, memorable slice of mythological nostalgia, something the remake will not be in twenty nine years time.
For me its flaws are many, but the most notable are the scene choices of the director and the lazy reliance on CGI.
Where are the elements that made the original story so compelling? The riddles of Calibos, delivered to the dreaming Andromeda, Perseus falling in love with her (the REASON for his quest in the first instance), the politics of the gods and their chess-piece-like manipulation of the mortals who worship them.
Instead we have an inaccurate tale, rushed through in small, stuttering scenes, and lacking in any creativity of its own.
The actors/actresses assembled make a fine cast-reading, but are universally wasted in their chosen roles. None of the gravitas of the original is conveyed by any character in this version.
The CGI further reduces the movie's impact. The mythological beasts look cartoonish, and hardly befitting an epic tale of such importance. Look to the original yet again to see how, even stop-motion triumphs over CGI. In particular the scene in Medusa's lair is tense in the nineteen eighty one showing, contrasting greatly with the routine, ridiculous remake.
That's not to say that CGI cannot work. Jurrasic Park is a rare example of effects being used well.
Sam Worthington, quickly becoming a name to avoid movies by, has a character arc that is almost non-existent, such is the hurry to transform him from fisherman to warrior. Notice the fact also that he requires no training to wield a sword skillfully! All things considered, the original will remain a classic for some time, despite the ropey effects, while the remake will be quickly forgotten by a fickle audience looking for the next CGI bonanza.
Just as Avatar before it, Clash Of The Titans 2010 is a simple money-making machine, not concerned for a moment with anything close to an imagination or REAL characters. Or for that matter, with any heart.
It will gross vast sums of money nonetheless, which further proves that the public don't really want creative or intelligent movies (Moon, Pans Labyrinth, Amelie) but are content to settle for 'plastic' and patronising movies that dis-encourage thinking.