Release the Kraken!

My father shared some important things with me growing up: learning how to deal with fractions, several concepts in physics, and the sheer goodness of schlocky movies. I come from a family where we have fond memories of Wrath of Khan, the entire series of the Planet of the Apes movies (we've seen them all), and Clash of the Titans.

I can't really remember the story of the original Clash of the Titans. I know of the important set pieces like the Medusa fight and the whole solve-a-riddle-to-win-the-hand-of-the-princess scenario. The plot is jumbled up in my mind, but I imagine a lot of our favourite childhood memories are like that. We only remember snatches of good things. Anyways, I was fond of the Ray Harryhausen effects (staccato skeletons and that creepy Medusa) and the fact the movie has the immortal line "Release the Kraken!"

So it was with great nostalgia that my sister, Daorcey and I headed to the theatres to see the remake of the movie. Daorcey hadn't seen the original--a shocking knowledge gap--while my sister was young enough to remember the movie but not the finer details.

The movie isn't bad, but not bad enough to become a cult classic. Neither is it good enough to pass as superior action movie. Sam Worthington, an actor who is bland enough to be in two other recent blockbusters (Avatar and Terminator 4), is passable as Perseus. (For some reason, he seems to be doing a weak Jason Statham impression for this film.) It's the others around him that are much better.

There's the guy who played the villian in Casino Royale (Mads Mikkelsen) and, unfortunately, he's much more interesting than Worthington. There's the guy who looks like Bill Bailey, and has a faint copy of his humour, that provides all the decent comic relief. Finally, Liam Neeson steps into Sir Laurence Olivier's shoes as Zeus. Neeson gets to wear a shiny suit of armour (no togas here) and gets to say THE LINE. He does it well and matches my memories enough that my sister and I chuckle out of fond remembrance.

This remake wasn't a Episode I atrocity--although I suspect there won't be another movie in my lifetime that achieves that level of awful... unless they make either a She-Ra or Jem movie (for which I would be first in line to see even though I know it'll be aweful). But, the movie was just good enough to convince me that the original is a movie worth showing to Daorcey. If only for the opportunity to giggle at Olivier slumming it and yelling "Release the Kraken!"