Clash of the Titans - discussion guide

 
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Summary

Once again, 'Release the Kraken!' echoes around Mount Olympus and Perseus takes to the skies on his flying stallion. Louis Leterrier's remake of the 1981 fantasy adventure pits the Greeks against all the gods, sets Perseus (Sam Worthington) against his father Zeus (Liam Neeson) and upgrades the hero's help from a twittering owl to Gemma Arterton.

The gods are as petulant and power-hungry as their subjects. Hades (Ralph Fiennes) feeds on human fear and even the shimmering Zeus uses human prayers to sustain his immortality. In a bid to steal Zeus' power, Hades persuades the king of the gods to allow him to punish human hubris.

Perseus has been adopted and brought up by a fisherman called Spyros (Pete Postlethwaite). When Hades is unleashed upon Argos, pious Spyros, his wife and biological son are killed in the initial attack. Hades appears to Argos' king and queen and announces that their city will be destroyed in ten days unless they sacrifice their only daughter, Andromeda (Alexa Davalos), to the Kraken. Hades also reveals Perseus' divine ancestry.

Perseus decides to lead the mortal offensive, which sets out to thwart Hades' plan by killing the Kraken. But first they must seek the counsel of the Stygian witches, behead the Gorgon Medusa and fight off Calibos, the minion Hades has sent after them.

Background

Just like Ray Harryhausen's original stop-motion creatures, Leterrier's CGI creations steal the show. The story pivots around Perseus' high-octane battles with the agile Gorgon, Hades' disfigured minion and the indomitable sea-monster. Whilst these creatures have received the (underwhelming) 3D-conversion treatment, they lack any emotional depth. In spite of their tragic back-stories, they remain mere obstacles in Perseus' path.

The simplistic divide between good men and bad monsters is undermined, however, by the hero himself. Worthington's Perseus, unlike his predecessor, wars against his divine nature. Leterrier told Empire that he is a 'conflicted hero' akin to Bruce Banner. Unlike the Perseus of the 1981 Clash, he isn't motivated by romantic love or patriotic concern, but fights out of rage. His courageous fighting and camaraderie go some way to redeeming his bloodlust, but he's no white knight.

The consensus among the 226 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes: 'An obviously affectionate remake of the 1981 original, Louis Leterrier's Clash of the Titans doesn't offer enough visual thrills to offset the deficiencies of its script.'[1] Empire advises, 'If you're a boy with a taste for swordplay and kinetic 3D action Titans could be a winner. If you're an expert of Ancient Greek religion or a film critic, this is probably one to avoid.'[2] A trilogy has been written to follow Clash's commercial success. The first sequel is due to be released in the spring of 2012. It will be shot in 3D in response to criticism about the 3D conversion of Leterrier's film.

Questions for Discussion

1. What did you enjoy about the film? What did you think of its action, characters and plot? If you were directing it, what changes might you have made to it?

2. What did you make of the CGI creatures? How did you respond to their back-stories?

3. If you have seen the 1981 Clash of the Titans, how did the two films compare? Were there any differences that surprised you? If so, why do you think these were made?

4. When Worthington was asked to summarise the film at its UK premiere, he said, 'It's me in a dress with a rubber sword killing monsters.' How do you think we should respond to films that place such a large emphasis on action and spectacle?

5. In an Empire interview, Leterrier called Clash 'a very human story'. How would you summarise it?

6. Leterrier likened Perseus to The Incredible Hulk's Bruce Banner. Do you agree/disagree with this description? What are Perseus' qualities and defects? Did you find you could relate to him? Why/why not?

7. What is the relationship between Perseus and Zeus like? What factors hinder it? What enables it to progress? What is the basis of Perseus' relationship with his adoptive father Spyros?

8. 'Choose your penance, Argos,' sneers Hades. 'Destruction or sacrifice?' How was the theme of sacrifice played out in the film? Were you surprised to discover which characters were willing and which were unwilling to give of themselves in order to help others?

9. Queen Cassiopeia: 'The gods need us! They need our prayers! What do we need the gods for?'
   How are the gods portrayed? In the world of Clash, would you side with the gods or men? Why?

10. The Bible says of God: 'Human hands can't serve his needs - for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need' (Acts 17:25).
    How might God's character affect the dynamic between him and people? In what ways is this different to the relationship between the gods and people in the film?

11. What are the most popular views about God today? Where do these ideas come from? What do you think of him?

12. What did you make of Perseus' team of warriors? Why do you think they volunteered? What enabled them to get so far?

13. Zeus: 'You may not want to be a god, but after feats like yours, men will worship you. Be good to them. Be better than we were.'
    Why does power so often corrupt? Why did the king and queen of Argos believe themselves to be gods, and how did this belief affect their behaviour? How can we avoid using people to acquire glory for ourselves?

14. Jesus had infinite power and glory in Heaven, but he used them in an unexpected way:

Though he was God,
He did not think of equality with God
As something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
He took the humble position of a slave
And was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
He humbled himself in obedience to God
And died a criminal's death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)

What do you make of the sacrifices Jesus made? What do they reveal about his character? Why do you think people worship Jesus?

[1] 'Clash of the Titans', Rotten Tomatoes, accessed 6 August 2010

[2] Michael Moran, 'Clash of the Titans', The Times, 3 April 2010

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