Clash of the Titans Review

I’m one of those people who ‘remember the original’ when it comes to the Clash of the Titans. I think this was one of those films that drove me to SF and Fantasy. But I remember being slightly disappointed by it when I was young – something was missing. I was mesmerised too, don’t get me wrong, but I think I wanted more from the film, even when I was five.

My girlfriend liked it. She hasn’t seen the first one, nor had any preconceptions. This may be key to liking this film: not having any preconceptions. Everyone who enjoyed it that I’ve talked too seemed to go with a blank slate, not having built up the expectations. Like me.

Man Vs the Gods. That’s a proper tagline. Bring it God, do your worst and I’ll still beat you. Very modern in its premise I feel. Religion is in descent while humans’ living their ‘one-life’ to the extreme is on the rise. Popular western society is shunning religion, and this modern film mimics how we feel in the 21st Century.

But there’s something missing. Sam Worthington is great in this, so it’s not him. Liam Neeson is good too. There’s just a thin story that doesn’t use the other characters to full affect. You don’t ‘feel’ for them when they die because of this, resulting in a lack of impact. I didn’t see the reason for most of them being there.

Also, while I’m ranting, I thought the set up of the plot was poor – merely a vehicle for the CGI later on. The first 15/20 mins felt rushed. No character development (apart from Sam Worthington's Perseus however). More depth here would have created an outstanding film.

Now, the effects are good and it was a fun popcorn film. The kraken was brilliant, as was the Pegasus. I just think someone along the way missed a trick with the plot and story.

Enjoyable, but as my GF said: not going to buy it on DVD even if it was fun. I think I built it up too much as I saw the original when I was young. I’ve heard that watching it a second or third time makes it better. I’ll leave that to you.

2 out of 5 Gods of War.

Film Review: Paranormal Activity

When I was young I had a fascination about ghosts. This hasn’t really gone away (but the hunting of them has, which friends and family are pretty glad of…), and I do love a good horror. This isn’t a horror as such. This was way too close to the bone.

The normality of the characters and their fears and reactions were real and almost as unsettling as the ‘scary bits’. It’s like watching your two friends on film – I was bought into it after the first ten minutes as if my mates had said ‘here, watch this homemade film – its good! Honest.’

Then, something horrible happens. And it happens again. And it happens again. Then it happens again. The similar scene we are shown – the video recording of our protagonists bedroom at night – again and again, with chilling consequences and images is powerful, evil and set up with a clever eye. I felt I was in that room, or worse, that what happened in that room could happen to me while I slept.

This is a horror film. It starts slowly, with the mundane, and then it builds and builds. Every time I saw that bedroom I became edgy, scared and worried. It was an addiction by the end of the film – what will happen next? How will it end?

I wholeheartedly apologise to my lovely girlfriend who was reduced to fearful sobbing due to this masterful film, for making her watch it. Yes, we did leave the light on that night, and I’m glad she was there. I’ve never been so scared since I was part of an Ouija board when I was a kid. I’ll tell you about it one day.

A must see for all horror fans.

5 out of 5 tear-drenched, fear-gripped girlfriends.

Think I’ll leave the light on again tonight…

Film Review: Up

I was warned that the first 10mins of Up would have me in tears. And, being a trusting fellow, I prepared myself for it. I may have joked to my girlfriend about it before we watched Up. I had to pause the film at several points as she ran to the toilet, crying her eyes out. I admit, even with the forewarning, I too struggled to cope with the emotional torrent that Up exuded.

-1 man point from the off.

Up is now an Oscar winning film, and so it should be. I may be a fan of Horror, SF, Fantasy and Thrillers, (+ 1 man point), where if the body count is poor in the first 20 mins I’m annoyed (+ 1 man point, surely), but this little Disney/Pixar flick gripped me right from the start. (Okay, - 1 man point). Pete Docter and Bob Peterson are remarkable storytellers and film makers. I’ve never been affected so much by the start of a film since The Fellowship of the Ring. They captured something about life in those first minutes, and throughout the story.

And, It just gets better. Up is full of great characters, and the humour is spot on too. Talking dogs, chocolate loving birds, grumpy old men, balloons… this film has it all. The writing is great, the direction is superb, and, well, it may be one of the best films I’ve ever seen. Top 10 is a def.

I know I’ve not gone into any kind of depth with my summary and review of Up, but this is the reaction I feel and had. (- 1 man point). You have to see this film.

See this film. Now.

5 out of 5 balloons.

Man points: -1.

Film Review: Pandorum

Since I'm in a SF mood these days, I was looking forward to catching Pandorum on DVD, since I missed it on the big screen. Part of me is glad, and doubly glad that it was rented and not bought, but it's not all bad. I actually kinda liked it. I know, I’m clearly aiming for the middle of the fence so far!

The first 30/40 mins, when Ben Foster awakens on a dark, rotting and eerily silent spaceship, his memory foggy and confused, is engrossing, atmospheric and scary as hell. It's not 'jumpy' scary per se - just the thought that of waking up in such a horrible, weird situation really put me on edge. And the scene with Foster crawling through the ships internal, hot and claustrophobic ducts is awful (in a good way!). The true horror comes from the start. And the pulsing shakes of the ships death throes throughout the film add a delicate heartbeat that builds tension.

It’s the ‘mutant’ humans I don’t like. Only because they remind me of the blind mutant antagonists from The Descent. And that’s where the film loses its momentum – I felt I’d seen it before from that point, where the ‘bad guys’ where warped cannibals that had ‘adapted’. Very Hills Have Eyes etc.

Mind you, the twist of the ‘actual’ antagonist does save the plot, and the questions over Foster’s character throughout add something to the film – which I liked.

It’s not an original plot, but its handled well, and it’s a better than average Sci Fi, Horror, Thriller, which opened well and was fun to watch (as a horror fan). And Dennis Quaid was good in it too.

Exciting, if not predictable in parts, with a darkly atmospheric beginning.

3 out of 5 flesh-eating antagonists.