April 7, 2012 -- I should have known better than to see this sequel to “Clash of the Titans” but I did like the first one and rumors had it that the sequel was better than the original. The rumors are wrong. It is worse, like most sequels.

At least part of the cast from the first film returns in this tale about gods losing their power because men don't believe in them anymore. While Zeus (played by Liam Neeson of “The Grey”) and some of the other gods are losing their power, Kronos, leader of the Titans, still has enough power to destroy the earth. The other gods have long held Kronos prisoner, but as their power ebbs, Kronos threatens to break free.

It is up to the demigods, Perseus (Sam Worthington of “Avatar”) and Agenor (Toby Kebbell of “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”) and Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike of “Die Another Day”) to try to prevent the release of Kronos from his underground prison. They are also up against another demigod, Ares (Édgar Ramírez of “Vantage Point”) and the god Hades (Ralph Fiennes of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”). In order to stop Kronos from being released, they have to complete a quest to find a magic weapon of great power.

The story is a bit of a mess. The characters, at least the human ones aren't very interesting. At one point, the band of heroes is using a magic map to find their way through an underground maze. The map is obtained through much effort and sacrifice. It is said to be the only way to negotiate the maze. Then, they just throw the map away and run around through the maze helter skelter with no plan. It makes no sense. The makers of this film seem focused not so much on the story and the characters as on the special effects, making them bigger and louder than the first film.

Even with the end of the world at hand, the characters seem reluctant to act. There is a lot of aimless delays, overacting and misplaced rage, jealousy and betrayal followed by unlikely changes of heart and shifting alliances. Gods become mortal, lose their powers, then regain them again. There is not much consistency to the story. There is a bit of humor in the story, which helps a little, but generally, it takes itself much too seriously. In one scene, Zeus is in a trap and his power is bring taken from him to aid Kronos' escape. His pose looks like a crucifixion. That is way too serious for an action movie. It is a big, loud, sloppy mess. This film rates a D.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2012 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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