CLASH OF THE TITANS (2010) **1/2 Very similar to the 1981 classic, mainly in the way that it's different. These special effects lack the charm and vitality and organic character of Harryhausen's, but they're great anyway. Those Greeks really knew how to tell a story (ok, this isn't told quite right, but close enough), but this is mainly about effects. The action just keeps coming, which is good because other than that...because if you're someone who gets all wanting great acting and stuff there isn't any to mention. Tine Stapelfeldt is effective in a very, very brief role but I don't think she even has one line. Polly Walker is great as Cassiopeia but is stoned to death immediately. Liam Cunningham is the closest thing to a brilliant performance, and he's definitely good, but probably more along the lines of a most excellent character for an episode of "The Simpsons" than someone you'd want in, you know, Aeschylus. Alexa Davalos is powerful in some scenes, and totally nondescript in others, which confuses me to the point of wondering whether she's artistically bipolar, or if it was something imposed by the makeup people. Sam Worthington is apparently someone's idea of a heroic actor, but I couldn't cast him as more than a supporting corporal, he does throw off several of the simple good lines without fouling them up. Other than that it's kind of a lot of middle-aged long haired guys standing around waiting for the next monster to show up and see who gets devoured. The monsters are pretty amazing, though, you can't really fault anyone for getting devoured by them.
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