Sam Worthington in "Clash of the Titans"
courtesy of Warner Home Entertainment
“’Clash’ Is Good DVD Fare”

Some movies have to be seen on the big screen to be enjoyed. Clash of the Titans” is not one of them. This action adventure remake is as enjoyable or unenjoyable on DVD as it was in the movie houses, and you will be a lot more comfortable in your homes. As far the movie itself my overall opinion of this remake is it is better than I thought it would be and worse than I hoped it would be. That’s not exactly a rave review but then this is not a film to rave about in many ways. The original movie hit the screen in 1981 and as far as I know there was not a loud clamor for a remake – but remake it they did.

Sam Worthington had the lead role in “Avatar” and was well on his way to becoming a major star. His role as Perseus in this film may set him back a bit. Harry Hamlin’s movie career didn’t exactly take off after he played this part in the original. But then maybe they will remake “L A Law” and Sam can get cast in that retread too.

Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Danny Huston play the three main Greek gods – Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. Neeson sort of ambles through his role while Fiennes attacks his like he is playing the lead in “Macbeth.” Huston has little to do and is totally forgettable. Gemma Arterton plays Io, a protector of Perseus and Alexa Davalos is Andromeda, a potentially sacrificial princess. Both women are stunningly beautiful. Aeterton went on to more success in “The Prince of Persia.”

The plot has demigod Perseus heading up a troop who hope to kill the Kraken, a monster living in the underworld. Along the way to this battle he meets up with a coven of witches, some giant scorpions and Medusa. They all give him a hard time.

The adventure sequences are okay in the movie and the special effects are fairly impressive. The pace of the film is a little draggy but there are key action sequences every fifteen minutes or so. There is only a hint of romance so the potential viewers might be diminished by this omission.

For those who would like to see a remake of “Hercules,” relax, it is probably on its way. It seems the sand and sandal epics are making a comeback. For those of us who would prefer they stay buried in the past, too bad. If there is a buck to be made from this revival then all films of this sort will be revised.

“Clash of the Titans” is an okay movie that didn’t need to be made. For those wanting a mediocre view of this material there is already the mediocre original. Still for a night at home watching a movie this DVD is not the worst choice you could make.

Now to another DVD release this week, here’s my reaction to “Repo Men” as I was watching it. Don’t like it, don’t like it, don’t like it, kinda like it, kinda like it, liking it, liking it, HATE IT! In other words the film started off badly and ended up worse than I had expected. This is a blood and guts, slice them and dice them movie that is too graphic and too extreme for most viewers. Then it ends with one of the most idiotic finales ever.

Remy (Jude Law) is a repo man, and in his case it means he repossesses artificial body parts. Example, if you have an artificial heart and you fall behind in your payments and are delinquent for over ninety days Remy comes to see you and takes the heart back. He makes a decent living doing this but not enough to satisfy his wife (Carice van Houten). She thinks he should be in sales.

His partner Jake (Forest Whitaker) thinks he should stay where he is. They are a team, and he wants them to stay a team. Remy’s boss (Live Schreiber) also thinks he should stay in the repo business end of it. 

When a repossession goes badly and Remy ends up having to have an artificial heart himself things get complicated. It looks like the repo team may be coming after him. They also have his new girlfriend Beth (Alice Braga) on their list.

The plot has some good twists and turns and the movie actually improves in the middle. By that time the audience has gotten a little numb to the slice and dice sequences, plus the dynamics between Remy and Beth as well as Remy and Jake are good. They hold your interest and make you anxious as to what happens next.

Then the ending comes and it is so out in left field that you are repulsed by it. Plus the more you think about it after the movie is over, the worse it gets. This is one time a movie should have been audience tested and they would have gotten a resounding “It doesn’t work!”

Law is an interesting leading man in this film and makes his character strong and vulnerable. Whitaker is only okay as his more aggressive partner. Schreiber plays the greasy head man with panache. He knows no one is going to like this guy so he goes all out to make him just as repulsive as he can.

Braga makes a unique leading lady. She is beautiful, has a good singing voice (maybe it was dubbed), and handles the physical requirements of her role with ease. She and Law are the two main draws for the film.

The movie almost won me over with its building relationships, and quirky plot, but once that ending arrived all bets were off. Viewers who watch the entire DVD will question whether or not it was worth it to end up with that final explanation.

Tom Selleck will return this fall as the lead in a CBS TV series titled “Blue Bloods.” Let’s hope that does not mean the end to the “Jesse Stone” TV dramas. Selleck does some of his best work in that “series” of shows. A prime example is “Jesse Stone: No Remorse” which is out on DVD now.

The character of Jesse Stone was created by famed author Robert B Parker. In his latest adventure Stone is not working as the Police Chief, he has been suspended. So he is doing a private investigation and it is one that could prove deadly for him. That is usually what happens when you tangle with the mob.

Joining Selleck in this movie are Kathy Baker, Stephen McHattie and William Devane. It is a solid cast with Selleck leading the charge. Selleck has played this character Stone so many times that you just accept the fact he is Jesse Stone and that makes the film all the more entertaining.

So get your copy of “Jesse Sto9ne: No Remorse” and have a grand night’s movie viewing. Selleck as Stone is top level entertainment for sure.

Another new movie to DVD is “IP Man.” Donnie Yen is Hong King’s current top action star and has so many fans he can’t count them all. His movies are all hits and so “IP Man” should also follow in that path. When the movie was released critics fell all over themselves calling it a classic while audiences made it one of the biggest martial arts hits of the last decade.

In the film IP (Yen) is a Wing Chu grandmaster. During the 1937 Sino-Japan War he is forced to work in a factory and to participate in gruesome matches for the entertainment of the Japanese people who occupy his town. Eventually his skills inspire the Chinese people to throw off the yokes of the oppressor.

What makes this film so entertaining is the martial arts skills of Donnie Yen. He makes it all look so easy but some of his moves are just breathtaking in their elegance. You have to see them to believe them. So get “IP Man” and watch a master in motion.
 

 

 

 

 

©2010 Jackie K. Cooper

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