Is it just me, or are special effects taking over recent blockbusters? I tried to watch the new Clash of The Titans a few nights ago, and was so inundated with overwhelming shots of Krakens and other assorted whatsits that I just couldint make it the whole way through.
I'm sure that the thirtysomething bean counters and executives who grew up on the 1981 film thought that this reboot would mint truckloads of cash automatically. And the truth is, it didn't do too bad grossing $163 million against a budget of $125 million. But that's hardly a blockbuster.
And the reason was that, unlike its 1981 predeesscor, this new Clash did not embrace the adventuresome campiness of a clash between Zeus, Perseus, and Hades, playing it absolutely straight, and boring. Playing Zeus and Hades respectively, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes, veterans of Star Wars and Harry Potter greenscreens, look check-cashing bored. And as for Sam Worthington, I don't begrudge the man his success, but he needs to do a period piece or cop drama fast, to flex his acting muscles and prove that he dosen't need to be carried by special effects.
Which reminds me, Ray Harryhausen's 1981 effects were a retro-cool homage to his 60s work like Jason And the Argonauts and the Sinbad films. In that spirit, it would have been nice for director Louis Leterrier and his team to age the effects back a couple of generations, to the early Star Wars/Dragonslayer era. But I know that's wishful thinking, because in 2010, we're all 3-D's bitch. Never mind that it was added later and reportedly looked like a pop-up book.
MTMG
I agree about Clash of the Titans! I sure did get a lot of knitting done that night. Still laughing at 3-D's bitches.
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