Wrath of the Titans

I'd love to be a screenwriter in Hollywood and write stuff like this (there were four of them in this film), it would be easier to make a living than collecting welfare. It's even dumber than the previous one, which is to be expected. The only thing I wonder about this crap is how many times Neeson and Fiennes said to each other on set, "God, what kind of crap did we get ourselves into again." (06/14/2012)

Wrath of the Titans is a dumb megalomaniacal flick that is packed with action from beginning to end. It also features the best monsters you’ve seen in a movie in the past few years. Due to its one-dimensional characters, however, the potential of its elite British actors is wasted. The film is flat, but visually effective and full of quicksilver energy. Such energy in fact that it might be too much for viewers who would appreciate a bit of downtime with some emotions or – God forbid – some kind of a message. For its target audience, however, it is much more satisfying than the first instalment. If the first movie had looked like that, the second one would have attracted more people to the cinemas. (05/23/2012)

Compared to Clash of the Titans, Wrath is a gratifying leap forward. All things considered, there was really only one thing that bothered me about the film - the English inscription on Perseus' wife's grave. Otherwise, I want to praise just about everything - from the entertaining plot, which is actually a multiple mythological family drama, to the top-notch effects (I felt like all those chimeras and cyclops were real), the actors (the Fiennes-Neeson duo, the beautiful Rosamund Pike, the impeccable Bill Nighy), the direction (Letterier would never have made such atmospheric scenes as the one in the cyclops forest or one final reconciliation), the music (a simple but striking main theme) to the hairstyle of the main character, who finally looks like he is from the period. (06/25/2012)

Definitely better than the first one. The technical prowess of this sequel is undeniable, especially when it comes to the work with sound and the very clear action (although I expected more based on the trailer). At the same time, the action scenes are very inventive and, in some moments, quite unconventional. What kills it are the boring dialogues, the overused plot structure of dividing tasks, getting acquainted with the main mission, going somewhere to get something, and destroying the main villain. Along the way, someone occasionally helps, someone dies, and so on. Essentially, it's sterile boredom. But thanks to the visuals and Worthington’s solid performance, it's passable. Finally, the 3D actually works as 3D and it's not just for the sake of it, another improvement compared to the first installment. (04/28/2012)

Enemies are swarming one after another and Liebesman is letting explode all kinds of mud piles, but the charm has somewhat faded. Worthington's fierce expression could easily carry even a much weaker film, but among his enemies this time there is a bit of routine and the unforgettable battles like the scorpions from the first installment are missing. Chimaera or settling the score with Kronos will please, on the other hand, Cyclops or the Minotaur partially feel like forced attractions that according to the producers must not be missing in an ancient fantasy saga. When even Rosamund Pike cannot fully portray (slightly unnecessarily distinctive and incomprehensibly different) the role of the recast Andromeda, the final impression is unexpectedly sad. However, what strongly honors the creators is their fearlessness in dealing with superior beings. I did not expect such a harsh body count and because I don't insist on adhering to Petišek's twists (it's not history but mythology), I remained pleasantly surprised at least by that. The feeling that this vengeful campaign against the Titans could have been done a class better, however, remained. (06/25/2012)