Clash of the Titans

OPENING: 04/02/2010

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

RUN TIME: 118 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
The heavens raise hell…

Opening Statement
I suppose the best way to sum up Warner Bros.’ new blockbuster Clash of the Titans is mindless, heedless material. Often sloppy and often boring, the biggest clash in this movie is that despite its decent effects and action sequences, the rest of the movie is a snooze-fest completely devoid of any depth or notable performances whatsoever.

Facts of the Case
Perseus (Sam Worthington, Avatar) has never known his true background. He has no idea that he is the son of Zeus (Liam Neeson, Ponyo) and Danae. He has no idea of the power and gifts he possess being the demigod son of the most powerful Greek God ever. All he knows is when he was an infant he was found floating in the ocean in a casket with his mothers dead body, and the man who found him, Spyros (Peter Postlethwaithe, Solomon Kane), raised and has loved him ever since. However, while on a family outing on the sea, Perseus and his family witness soldiers destroying a statue of the mighty Zeus, in essence declaring war on the Greek Gods. Almost immediately, Hades responds in big way, summoning the ferocious Kraken to retaliate. Unfortunately, Perseus’ entire family, excluding him, are murdered by the Kraken as well, much to his devastation. Perseus is found by the surviving group of soldiers, and eventually learns that he himself is a demigod. He enlists with the soldiers, and vows to avenge the murders of his family within the ten day window the Gods grant the people of Argos to repent and show remorse for the disrespectful attitudes they hold towards the mighty rulers.

The Evidence
Geez Louise. After all of the grandeur and all of the magnificence that was shown in the trailer from a special effects point of view, I thought this film would completely amaze the hell out of me, and have me leaving the theatre in a pumped up, hyperactive sort of mood. I have two words about that: Complete. Opposite.

This film was a gigantic letdown, there were so many flaws in it I’m not entirely sure where I should begin. I’ll start with the most obvious: it is boring. Not kidding, this film for about 60% of the time was extremely mind-numbing. If there wasn’t some sort of action sequence occurring on the screen, and the characters were just traveling and talking to one another, the film was incredibly tedious, and I dare anyone to argue against that. Not all films have this kind of problem, it doesn’t take a movie like Rambo to be entertaining when it comes to action and adventure. Look at the Harry Potter movies for example. The majority of those films are walk and talk scenes, but the difference between a film like that and Clash of the Titans is the necessity of such scenes. The scenes such as those in Harry Potter provoke intrigue and plot buildup. The only things the scenes in this movie built up were dreams and snores. Believe me, this film was unimaginably dull.

The acting didn’t help the Interesting Meter to rise very high at all. You think Greek Gods, you think charisma, adventurous, and allure; do you not? You’re not going to get that in this movie. Neeson and Ralph Fiennes (The Hurt Locker) were kind of unenthusiastic, and I thought both of them could’ve done better with the roles they were given. As for Sam Worthington, I don’t know what I think of him yet. In both this, and Avatar, I felt the performances he put on were too drippy. I get no excitement out of seeing him on the screen. I don’t see him panning out to be one of those actors who will headline a movie and be a draw; like Johnny Depp, George Clooney, and Brad Pitt.

I also take issue with the story surrounding Clash of the Titans. It’s really, really shallow, void of any sort of depth. The people of Argos don’t respect the Gods, the Gods get mad and demand a bunch of sorrys. Perseus’ family gets killed, so he wants revenge. More or less, that’s the movie in a nutshell. For those of you expecting a movie you’ll be able to scrutinize and reflect upon once it’s over, stay away from this picture by all means! The only people I see enjoying this film are the ones who only want interesting looking CGI action. If you don’t mind paying full price for a film that’s not even halfway interesting, by all means go and see Clash of the Titans. However, if you’re looking for a movie where you don’t have to click the switch to your brain into the off position, stay the flip away from this God-awful movie.

Closing Statement
Clash of the Titans’ trailers did it a great service by showing cool monsters and fast paced action every single second. Good thinking Warner Bros., because if they went and showed the scenes that didn’t include monster slaying in it, then maybe the Titan-sized profit they made this weekend would’ve been as imaginary as the Kraken, the Greek Gods, the city of Argos, oh, and the illusion that Warner Bros. created through its trailers making me think that Clash of the Titans would be a good movie. Got me!

The Verdict
2/10

The Reader

OPENING: 01/09/2009

STUDIO: Weinstein Co.

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

The Charge
How far would you go to protect a secret?

Opening Statement
In my review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I complained about the lack of complexity in what would have undoubtedly been an extraordinarily complex romantic relationship. If you felt the same way when you saw David Fincher’s disappointingly thin epic, perhaps you will appreciate the virtues of The Reader. Here is a film that refuses to hold the viewer’s hand, offering us an honest and unapologetic portrait of an extremely complex relationship between a male and a female.

Facts of the Case
The story begins in the early 1960s, and the male is a German teenage boy named Michael (David Kross). One day, Michael gets sick on his way home from school. This is where the female enters the picture. Her name is Hannah (Kate Winslet), a trolley attendant. Hannah sees Michael throwing up in the alley, takes pity on him, and helps him home. It seems Michael has scarlet fever. After three months, he recovers, and goes to visit Hannah to thank her. Suddenly and awkwardly, Michael and Hannah find themselves in the middle of a passionate affair. She is at least twice his age, but such things are never discussed.

The two continue to meet every day, over the course of the entire summer, primarily only participate in two activities. First, Michael will come over and read Hannah part of a book… usually whatever he happens to be reading for homework. Then, the two will make love. After a few months, this relationship runs out of steam, and both parties bitterly go their separate ways.

A few years later, Michael is in college studying law. His professor (Bruno Ganz) thinks it would be a good idea to take the class to a courtroom to observe some of the ongoing war trials. When Michael and his classmates attend, six women are on trial for committing horrible acts at Auschwitz during World War II. Michael is shocked to discover Hannah is one of the women. He is equally disturbed by what he hears Hannah say, simultaneously admitting to horrible crimes and quite obviously lying about the severity of her actions. Why is she acting this way, and how will the relationship of Michael and Hannah unfold as time goes by?

The Evidence
The Reader is by no means a perfect film, but few films I have seen this year have been more intriguing. This is a film that gives the viewer a mental workout, constantly inspiring numerous questions. Why is Hannah so willing to jump into a relationship with this young teen? Is it purely physical attraction, or something else? Hannah is obviously guilty of participating in horrible activities during the Holocaust, but why is she willing to take the blame for things she didn’t do? How much are Michael’s future relationships defined and influenced by the passionate affair that served as his sexual awakening? Very few questions are given specific and definitive answers, but the film does not deliberately set out to puzzle. It plays very straight with us at all times, never staging things in a vague manner, but simply leaving out the inner thoughts of the characters. It’s very easy to imagine this film resorting to narration from Michael and Hannah (or at least Michael) that spells everything out. Not this time. We must observe behavior, facial expressions, actions, words spoken and unspoken, and come to our own conclusions. The success of the film is measured by the amount of collaborative work you are willing to put into it.

The actors here are top caliber and create convincing characters that we care about even when we don’t understand them. It has been said by some that Kate Winslet is the best actress of her generation, and I am inclined to agree. Her performance is simultaneously direct and enigmatic, much like the film itself. Michael is beautifully portrayed by David Kross as a teen and by the wonderful Ralph Fiennes as an adult. Here is a man who once experienced a summer so resonant, memorable, delightful, and painful that it more or less defined his life. There aren’t many important supporting players, but I quite liked the performance of Bruno Ganz as one of those professors with a gift for making students feel like their words are tremendously significant and revealing in some way.

When I said The Reader is not a perfect film, perhaps I should re-phrase… it’s actually a very flawed film. The pacing is off-kilter and uneven. Some of the early scenes very nearly veer into exploitation. Ultimately, I felt these scenes were within the realm of good taste, but some viewers may not. The final two scenes end The Reader on an underwhelming note. The first practically warns the viewer not to expect any sort of resolution or catharsis, and the second finishes the story in such an awkward manner it essentially says, “Okay folks, nothing left to see here.”

Closing Statement
Most of my problems with the film came into focus after leaving the theatre. As a viewing experience, this is nothing short of hypnotizing. The Reader is daring, honest, and well-performed, and will resonate with mature viewers who value a film that is willing to address difficult subjects without resorting to preaching.

The Verdict
7/10