Wrath of the Titans – movie review

Release date: 30 March 2012
Certificate: 12A
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Starring: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes

What's the story?
A decade on from his last adventure, fisherman turned warrior Perseus (Worthington) is called back into service when his divine dad Zeus (Neeson) is betrayed by devious god Hades (Fiennes).

What did we think?
Though still saddled with wooden characters, clunky dialogue and dodgy 3D, Wrath of the Titans at least has more humour than Clash thanks to lively contributions from Bill Nighy and Toby Kebbell. It also has plenty of action, a neat labyrinth and special enough FX to keep boredom at bay.

The critics - this one included - were not impressed by 2010's rehash of Clash of the Titans. Audiences, however, turned out in sufficient numbers to make a sequel worth pressing ahead with - albeit with a few cast changes, a new director and a less rushed 3D conversion.

The results are hardly sensational. But they do represent an improvement on last time, the introduction of Toby Kebbell as wily thief Agenor and Bill Nighy as dotty ex-god Hephaestus at least ensuring there are laughs to be had between the frantic set-pieces.

Admittedly Sam Worthington - now sporting curls in place of the buzzcut he had two years ago - is as much of a blank as ever as demigod hero Perseus. Physically, though, he more than cuts the mustard, holding his own in a series of crunching face-offs that pit him against a Cyclops, a Minotaur and his combative uncle Ares (Edgar Ramirez).

Elsewhere Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson clearly relish sharing the screen as Hades and Zeus, while a finale involving walking volcano Kronos brings things to a suitably fiery climax. It's fair to say, alas, that Sam has more chemistry with his horse than he does with Rosamund Pike's feisty queen Andromeda.

Verdict: More hit than myth.