5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Perseus is the son of the King of the Gods, Zeus, but is raised as a man. When Hades, the God of the underworld, threatens to seize power from Zeus, Perseus embarks on a life-threatening mission to defeat him. Joined by a group of brave warriors, Perseus is forced to battle beasts and demons in order to save his family, and will only succeed if he finally accepts and uses his power as a God.
Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma ArtertonAction | 100% |
Adventure | 79% |
Fantasy | 55% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish (Latin America): Dolby Digital 5.1
German SDH, English SDH, French, Italian SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy (as download)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region B (A, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I do this as a man.
The grand, sweeping Adventure picture is a staple of cinema. From The Great Train Robbery to Raiders of the Lost Ark, filmmakers
have embraced the notion of telling big stories on the big screen and with lofty ambitions and, usually, to high box
office returns. Somewhere along the way through the great lineage of Adventure pictures lies the name of Ray
Harryhausen, a stop motion wizard who will forever be remembered as a pioneer of the special effects revolution.
Pictures like Jason and the Argonauts, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and Clash of the Titans helped usher in an
era that would transform cinema in a way that only a few major advancements -- such as sound and widescreen --
could claim. Of course, special effects have come a long way -- for better or for worse -- since the days of
Harryhausen's prime and even since the days of his last great picture, 1981's Clash of the Titans. But far be
it for Hollywood to leave well enough alone. Seizing the opportunity to one-up a classic picture with computer
wizardry and smoother, more realistic effects, Warner Brothers commissioned a remake of Clash of the
Titans for 21st century audiences. Bigger, faster, and even offered in a hastily-crafted 3D presentation, this
update isn't a bad picture, it's just superfluous. A transparent movie with little to offer that hasn't been seen before,
Director Louis Leterrier's (The Incredible Hulk) Clash of the
Titans works as mindless entertainment, but it's the sort of picture that nobody's going to remember 10
years from now.
I like shiny.
It had to happen sooner or later. Clash of the Titans is the first 3D Blu-ray release that's really not all that
visually impressive. After its much-maligned theatrical 3D release -- the film was shot natively in standard 2D format
and later converted to 3D -- it's no surprise that the unimpressive results have carried over to home video. First for
the good news: Warner Brothers' German Blu-ray release of Clash of the Titans does feature the 2D version
of the movie -- and its array of extra features -- in high definition on a second disc included in the package, so viewers
who like the movie but who aren't thrilled with the 3D presentation may still enjoy the film in its native format. As
for the 3D version of the film, best to discuss what works, first. The image's basic attributes -- those same elements
that make a good, bad, or indifferent Blu-ray disc presentation no matter whether it's 2D or 3D -- all look just fine.
The
picture does appear unnaturally smoothed over; grain is never readily apparent over the image, but fine detail doesn't
suffers too badly as a result, even through the prism of the 3D experience. In fact, textured brick walls, tattered
clothes, and even human faces appear nicely detailed but never quite to the same level of excellence as other films
with a similar visual scheme, such as Gladiator or the Pirates of the Caribbean pictures. Colors
are stable but ultimately neither overly impressive nor in any way a disappointment; the picture takes on a rather
neutral appearance dominated by earthy hues. Blacks fluctuate all over the map, sometimes appearing too
overwhelming, too bright, or in some cases, finding just the right balance to accentuate a scene without overpowering
fine details.
As to Clash of the Titan's 3D-specific attributes...wait...this movie was in 3D? Easily the most disappointing
image
yet to find its way onto 3D Blu-ray, Clash of the Titans rarely benefits from its 3D conversion. The image is
painfully flat to the point that it's rarely distinguishable from its 2D counterpart. Even removing the glasses at
random intervals will yield a fairly routine, focused image, not the sort of blurry and hazy imagery that's normally
associated with 3D content. It's clear there was little effort to lend to the picture any added
depth, and even a
few shots that would seem to be of the "gimmicky" variety -- whereby objects would protrude from the screen -- fail
to elicit any kind of honest 3D feel. Sure, a few shots benefit from the added 3D oomph, but such are few
and far between and nothing about Clash of the Titans' 3D presentation makes it the logical choice to watch
over the
2D counterpart. Aside from the movie appearing consistently flat, those areas where the image should offer a bit
more pop and depth instead appear washed out and smooth. Fortunately, ghosting is kept to a bare minimum, no
doubt because there's so little 3D-looking content to begin with.
Make no mistake; 3D done right is a thing of great marvel. Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and
even Goldberg Variations Acoustica all
impress a great deal in 3D, but Clash of the Titans? Not so much. For anyone whose introduction to Blu-ray
3D is Clash of the Titans, do give one of the above-listed titles a chance; they're all immeasurably superior to
this.
Please note that screenshots 1-15 have been captured from the 2D version of the film; images
16-20 are still photographs of the 3D picture in action.
Clash of the Titans features a strong DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and it's the best part of this Blu-ray package. The track excels at every turn, whether delivering the slightest of environmental nuances across the back as a rickety old boat creaks and cracks as it sails over gently rolling waters or powering the heaviest sound effects as giant scorpions attack a band of (mostly) human heroes. Clash of the Titans delivers a full-on surround sound presentation; it's not quite power-packed enough to call it a "bonanza" or "extravaganza," but the track's slightly reserved posture is a strength. It never overwhelms the senses, but it never seems absent pinpoint power and a full slate of surround information, either. The track delivers the room-filling oomph of distantly-cracking thunder just as well as the final showdown between demigod and powerful beast. Best of all, Ramin Djawadi's score is wonderfully balanced and infinitely clear and stable; it flows from the front speakers with a precision and spacing that would be the envy of all but the finest of soundtracks. Finally, bass packs quite the wallop in several scenes, again playing not necessarily as "overwhelming" but instead "natural" as it devastates the listening area without tearing it apart. Rounded out by consistently stable and center-focused dialogue reproduction, Clash of the Titans is a giant amongst Blu-ray soundtracks.
Clash of the Titans' 3D Blu-ray release from Germany contains all of the extras found on the standard
2D-only
U.S. release. Maximum Movie Mode
features Director Louis Leterrier; Actors Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, and Liam Neeson; and others guiding
viewers
through the making of the film, with the behind-the-scenes footage playing alongside the film proper, the latter more
often than not appearing in a much smaller window that zips around the screen to accommodate the
behind-the-scenes
footage. This extra examines Clash of the Titans' every nook and cranny and from every conceivable angle;
viewers will see how the filmmakers crafted the picture's sets and props, discover various shooting locales, learn the
secrets behind the script, understand the importance of diversity in the cast, witness the creation of various special
effects, and plenty more. Warners' Maximum Movie Mode is quickly establishing itself as the best Blu-ray
supplement, and the studio's effort with Clash of the Titans is no exception.
Focus Points (1080p) is a series of short features that further explore the world of Clash of the
Titans.
Sam Worthington is Perseus (3:43) features the actor, Director Louis Leterrier, and others discussing
Worthington's character and the actor's work in the film. Zeus: Father of Gods and Men (2:18) looks at what
Liam Neeson brings to the role of Zeus and further examines the costume he wears. Enter the World of
Hades
(3:29) focuses on Ralph Fiennes' performance, his character's appearance, and the special effects in which the
character
is involved. Calibos: The Man Behind the Monster (2:56) explores the makeup effects that help create the
character played by Jason Flemyng. Tenerife: A Continent on an Island (4:24) more closely examines one of
the picture's most exotic shooting locales. Scorpioch (4:06) takes viewers behind-the-scenes of the making
of
one of the film's most amazing visual effects. Actors and Their Stunts (3:48) looks at the film's impressive
stunt work and the importance of casting athletic actors. Wales: A Beautiful Scarred Landscape (2:31) looks
at the challenges of shooting in Wales. Bringing Medusa to Life (3:47) features a glimpse into the making of
the picture's Medusa sequence. Rounding out this selection of Focus Points is Prepare for the
Kraken! (3:55), an all-too-short look at the construction of the picture's signature special effect. Next up is
Sam Worthington: An Action Hero for the Ages (1080p, 7:56), a short look at the actor's hard work and
dedication to making Clash of the Titans a better film. Also included is an alternate ending (1080p, 5:23),
several deleted scenes (1080p, 18:10), and BD-Live functionality. A downloadable digital copy is also available, but is
only redeemable through a Windows-based computer.
Clash of the Titans might be superfluous, but the same can be said of any number of movies, remake or not, special effects-laden or not, all-star cast or not. Director Louis Leterrier's picture boasts all those things, and it's a solid effort that never oversteps its bounds and delivers only what it promises; it's a big, sweeping tale of classic adventure amped up for 21st century audiences and with no desire to be anything more or anything less. There's something to be said for a picture that exists within its means and seems perfectly content to do so; Clash of the Titans is one such picture, and the movie's all the better for it. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of its 3D presentation. Tacked on at the last moment and barely registering as a true 3D experience, Clash of the Titans is sure to disappoint fans of the technology while turning off others whose first experience might have come at the hands of this dumbed-down, last-minute effort. Fortunately, this German Blu-ray release -- Warner Brothers has chosen not to release the film in 3D in the U.S. -- still sports a 2D version of the film found on a second Blu-ray disc, and the presentation features a strong lossless soundtrack and a nice assortment of extras. Sadly, there's no reason to opt for this release over the standard 2D-only U.S. release; for those who want to check it out, anyway, Germany's Clash of the Titans is region-free and therefore playable on any and all 3D-enabled players.
Kampf der Titanen
2010
Kampf der Titanen
2010
Kampf der Titanen
2010
(Still not reliable for this title)
Zorn der Titanen
2012
Krieg der Götter
2011
Kampf der Titanen / Harryhausen
1981
2014
2013
2019
2014
Director's Cut | Die Legende von Beowulf
2007
2011
Star Wars: Episode I - Die dunkle Bedrohung
1999
2015
2013
Fluch der Karibik: Fremde Gezeiten
2011
2014
2012
Fluch der Karibik 2
2006
Underworld - Aufstand der Lykaner
2009
Conan 2: Der Zerstörer
1984
2016
Prince of Persia: Der Sand der Zeit
2010