We all knew full-well from the outset that this remake of the Greek myth-plagiarising epic would pale in comparison to the timeless original, so it leaves the effects to outstrip Harryhausen and make this all worthwhile; fat chance.
Still, the new Kraken is not an awful creation, with more than a passing resemblance to Clover; Medusa is portrayed as beautiful for once; and the new Charon is actually pretty innovative. Likewise, Olympus and the gods have some nifty paraphernalia, and we even get a Bubo in-joke.
The CGI makeover may still lack the genius of Harryhausen, but it is actually quite well thought out. The cast is equally plaudible, with Sam Worthington delivering the goods as we are used to by now. Arterton stands around looking tasty in a peephole toga, while Neeson and Fiennes try to out-thesp each other in amusing bouts of scenery chewing.
The one thing lacking is actual characters. The joy of the original was in the time it took to build up a thorough back story for its heroes and villains, giving them plausible reasons to act as they do. The remake has not a moment for any of that wank, far too eager is it to skip to the big battle scenes to pause for such incidental things as character development.
Nevertheless, the film is enjoyable and has had a fair amount of thought and love put into it, which is more than most remakes can say. Worth a night out, but you'll remember the original long after you forgot this ever existed.
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