Clash of the Titans Review

By Ryan Hamelin

Movie Grade: C

I think I can start by getting out of the way the main question everyone wants to know. How does the 3D look? The answer, as has already been reported sporadically around the internet, is absolutely terrible. Hairlines will routinely exist several feet behind the head of the person they are meant to be attached to, as the shape they used to extrapolate the 3D was unable to separate their hair from the darker background. Composites of digital backgrounds look like painted murals, as the town below is in 3D, but the entire vista in the distance has been left painfully 2D. The computer generated elements, as they existed as 3D files to begin with, look the best in the transfer, but since they are given depth to such a degree, they stick out as effects even worse than they normally would.

What you have is a film that was shot as a 2D movie, edited as a 2D movie, and should have been released simply as a 2D movie. Alice in Wonderland proved that post-processed 3D can work rather well when given the production time to achieve it correctly, and when you create a film with 3D in mind. The human eye is unable to process 3D images shorter than 2 seconds in length, the reason why neither Alice nor Avatar utilized high intensity cutting to create their sequences. Clash of the Titans was cut without such physical considerations in mind, and even when the 3D works, it becomes disorienting and headache inducing. Not to mention that none of the cinematography or blocking was staged from a 3D perspective, causing the shots themselves to be rather unremarkable in multiple dimensions.

So should you see it in 3D? I certainly wouldn’t recommend it. It doesn’t add anything to the fairly blasé summer popcorn flick, and at its worst makes the film nearly impossible to watch. Several people in the audience removed their glasses altogether, willing to watch a blurry image, or only one eye of it, in an effort to preserve the film as a movie-going experience. The combination of bad post-processed 3D and the recent price gouging of such screens is building an avalanche of backlash against the format that even James Cameron will not be able to quell. If this is any indicator of Warnerbros new policy to present all of their tent-pole pictures in post-processed 3D, I won’t be paying the extra money to catch another 3D screening anytime soon.

But say you do go see the film in 2D. What should you expect? Well at just under 2 hours, this is a pretty short epic. Everything about the film is fighting tooth and claw to convince you of its pre-eminent right to the scale and majesty of not only its source material but a slew of grand successors to the throne it once held. You will find yourself thinking liberally of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean as the adventure unfolds, and there’s plenty of stuff which works.

For one thing, the production design is extraordinary. The sets, costumes, and weapons are all beautifully crafted. The world is almost more impressive than the camerawork which is trying to capture it, and you will find yourself concentrating on the surrounding space far more than any of the actors or their dialogue. Speaking of dialogue, the script reeks of studio intervention. It alternates wildly between verbose and almost overbearingly dull exposition about the nature of the relationships between different characters and the gods, to Sam Worthington’s advice of, “Don’t look the bitch in the eye” before the group of warriors moves to enter Medusa’s lair. I can almost hear the notes asking them to “punch up” the lines, and make the sequences more exciting, at the detriment of story, character, and a cohesive world. The film largely fails to stick to even its own rules, and you never feel like Perseus is actually succeeding at defeating anything, more that he happened to be the only one lucky enough to live to the end. We can’t root for the character if we don’t understand when he’s in danger or not, and apparently he is susceptible to a few drops of venom but can survive a 500+ foot drop into the depths of the ocean. I’m not going to go so far as to say there’s a bit of a Terminator Salvation issue at work here, but there are elements of it to be sure.

I guess in the end, the buck has to stop somewhere, and I feel like it may be with Louis Leterrier. The director has consistently and systematically underwhelmed in every project he’s taken on, and I can point back to his work on The Incredible Hulk for reference. He can handle action, to a certain extent, but he can’t create a world that holds its own weight. Everything is just slightly below par, and it is clear that the standards have risen exponentially in a post-Avatar world. Even the CGI here looks dated and tacky, as we’ve been privy to such a higher standard of computerized excellence in past few months. I’m a little worried that Iron Man 2 might suffer the same fate, but at least Jon Favreau was smart enough to eschew a post-processed 3D transfer which could help it feel less dated.

The true crime of this particular adaptation is its brilliant casting, as Sam Worthington is a far better actor than he appears to be here. We also can’t forget Liam Neeson, the only actor alive I would ever believe as Zeus, who does splendidly despite the script’s shortcomings and plays off of Ralph Fiennes’ Hades in a handful of the film’s brightest sequences. I want to see him playing Zeus again in the future, and it’s such a shame that this will probably be his last chance to do so. I predict a big opening and a steep falloff as word of mouth spreads to destroy the early hype. Will it recover enough to result in a profitable investment? Only time will tell. If you still want to see it, save your money and do 2D, while going heavy on the popcorn. Munch it loud enough, and you may just drown out the film’s major flaws enough to enjoy yourself.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief Review

By Ryan Hamelin

Movie Grade: B

I know I’m probably going to get a lot of flack from friends and critics for this review. Why did I enjoy Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief despite it taking 5 minutes to say the entire title? Because it’s one word that seldom enters the vocabulary of those who analytically contemplate the merits of modern cinema. FUN. It’s entertainment, and it revels in its buttery popcorness. It’s a kids fantasy film that doesn’t start with “Harry” or “Chronicles” and yet manages to remain fast paced and enjoyable throughout. It may not end up being the better of the Greek God films released in the next few months, but it could very well be the start of another major franchise. Christopher Columbus did, after all, direct the first two films about a certain boy wizard, so if anybody can start a children’s fantasy saga off on a strong foundation, he’s certainly the man for the job.

I’d have to say that the biggest early success of the film was in the casting department. The film’s star, Logan Lerman, could very well be the next young actor to break into the big-time. His first film role was in The Butterfly Effect, but if you recognize the face, it’s from his great work as Christian Bale’s son in 3:10 to Yuma. He makes the hero likable but also avoids the pitfalls of the annoying/whiny variety that plague so many of his contemporaries. Kevin McKidd, one time television lead on the late, great Journeyman, plays Percy’s father Poseidon and is probably the most convincing of all the gods. Sean Bean isn’t quite as believable as Zeus (maybe because he’s played so many bad guys during his career) but he’s certainly not the worst choice. I’m of the opinion that the only living actor who could truly play the king of Olympus is Liam Neeson, and that is more than enough to ensure that I go and see Clash of the Titans. Pierce Brosnan also puts in some wonderful work here, and I’d love to see him do more non-tuxedo acting.

It’s a shame that the film will inevitably and extensively be compared to the Warnerbros. epic starring Sam Worthington. That film had a far larger budget, and has the benefit of a PG-13 rating to improve the battle sequences and general epic nature of its canvas. For a film directed at children, Percy Jackson does go out of its way to provide reasons to watch for the older crowd, but it still can’t have bloody fight scenes or realistic language (if a hydra was about to breathe fire at you, I don’t care who you are, you’d probably utter a large variety of obscenities). I guess, because of all that, it sortve cheapens the experience to a certain extent glazing everything with a candy sort of texture. Nobody ever seems to be in real danger, nothing ever has powerful consequences, and the scares don’t come across as anything you’d find terrifying if you’ve progressed past wetting your bed at night.

All those comments aside, the story is a great coming of age, reconnecting with a father figure, learning about yourself, magic and fantasy in the real world sort of yarn that, when done well, will never get old. It’s got all the elements you’ve come to expect, and a charm that makes you forgive certain logical missteps. It’s a good time at the movies, and gives you something to look at while chomping down popcorn. There are also plenty of great cameos spread throughout (I won’t spoil them, even though the opening credits do) that will make even a regular admission ticket worth your while. Do I think the film will be a giant success? Very likely. Will it be the movie that finally kicks Avatar out of the top spot at the box office. I’d put money on it. Am I looking forward to the inevitable sequel. Pleasantly, I am, though I also think Lerman might make a pretty good Peter Parker for the new Spiderman reboot that Sony’s been throwing around lately. I hope he and his agent can pull a Ryan Reynolds and get him 2 major franchises in simultaneous development because I think the kid has real talent. Don’t bother trying to remember the whole title, just tell the lady at the counter that you want to see Percy Jackson and that you also need a bucket of popcorn and a large soda. You don’t even need to thank me.

Avatar Review

By Ryan Hamelin

Movie Grade: A+

Robert Zemeckis, eat your heart out. I have never been the kind of person who is prone to the use of hyperbole. Sure, something will be “awesome” or “fantastic” or “terrific” but I never think anything is so great as to be crowned “best ever”, “most innovative”, or “phenomenal.” Today I was proven wrong. Today I saw the future of cinema, and its name is Avatar. The kind of movie that defines not only the time period of its release, but an entire generation of moviegoers. An experience the likes of which I have never had before, with any movie, and I can only theoretically compare to what it must have been like to see the original Star Wars back in 1977. To walk out of a theater and know, as strongly as I do now, that there is an almost limitless possibility resting just beyond our grasp, is not something I can find words for. James Cameron has seized the curtain and thrown it wide, letting the light pour in upon the unsuspecting masses. My only regret is that it will be another 2-3 years before anyone else has the confidence to attempt to follow in his footsteps.

For the first time, the concept of a 3D movie has a worthwhile reason to exist. The world that Cameron has created here is unparalleled by anything celluloid has presented before, from the dark recesses of the jungle to the blinding cloud cover in the mystical floating mountain ranges. It’s all beautiful, and completely realistic, despite your brain attempting to process that everything you are seeing was manufactured as a series of zeros and ones. The first few minutes are a bit of an adjustment period, and Cameron knows this, concentrating on grounded and emotional beats that bring the dimensionality of the 3D to an appropriately relevant level. As everything settles down, you feel yourself letting go of your own reality, sliding seamlessly into the universe in front of you.

And what an amazing place Pandora is. From the countless animals to the gorgeous plant life as far as the eye can see, this is a planet which could only exist in the mind of a true visionary. We are all guests to Cameron’s imagination, and I look forward to snatching as many tickets back as I can get my hands on. It’s a living and breathing world, and you cannot see where the lines meet. The virtual and the real have become forever blurred through a combination of incredibly detailed art design and a dedication to performance which puts all other “motion-capture” exercises to shame. I hate to hold this film up to something like A Christmas Carol because they’re not even playing the same sport at this point. If Spielberg intends to utilize these techniques for his Tintin film, that particular project will have jumped to the top of my Most Anticipated list.

The actors are all wonderful. Sam Worthington has officially earned his place as Hollywood’s newest powerhouse lead, and Zoe Saldana is a treat to watch, even if we never see her in the flesh. Sigourney Weaver and Giovanni Ribisi have an incredible chemistry in their few scenes together, and there is no doubt in my mind that the film could never have worked to begin with were it not for the acting talent on hand. When so much detail is captured by a computer, it makes the animation team’s jobs undeniably easier, and you can tell from the results that every frame has been lovingly composed to recreate the original actor’s performance. The story works in much the same way, retaining a wholly classic framework with all the necessary narrative beats while rearranging and reorganizing the sequencing of those scenes so as to appear spontaneous and surprising at almost every turn. You won’t know what will happen next, but as soon as it does happen, it will feel perfectly right on every level and you’ll wonder how else anyone would have thought of writing it. The script is that good. After almost a decade in development, we’d rather hope it would be.

Avatar is the real deal, the kind of epic advancement in filmmaking that only happens when an amazing creative team is paired with an equally talented and driven group of researchers and technicians who work around the clock to bring the dream to life. As Cameron is fond of saying “we pushed the envelope, and the envelope pushed back.” The film is a testament to that final success, a wonder of storytelling and special effects wizardry that will leave you feeling transported, elated, and in love with movies all over again. It’s been a long time coming, but the next great movie masterpiece has finally arrived.