So.... I knew all about the poor 3D conversion going into it, but decided to see Clash in 3D anyway as I thought I'd still be okay with it. Big mistake! Seriously, I strongly encourage everybody to see this in 2D.
The 3D was so distracting and all over the place that as soon as the 3D show ended, I switched over to a 2D showing and watched the last half of the film again in 2D, and it was
SO much better! All of the creatures (particularly Medusa) look much more convincing in 2D. I honestly think if they had skipped the 3D conversion and just went 2D all the way that the film would be garnering much better reviews, many of which seem to be just a backlash against the 3D conversion.
As for the movie itself, I'd give it a solid B, and I greatly enjoyed it for the most part.
*** Minor spoilers follow ***
As a huge fan of the original, the remake is a nice homage but definitely lacks the heart of the 1981 film. 2010 Perseus lacks some of the nobility of 1981 Perseus. It's much more of a revenge tale this time around than Perseus trying to rescue his lover. The Perseus/Andromeda romance is sadly missing, and its absence really takes away from the urgency of the Kraken attack at the end, as Andromeda is almost a non-character in this version. That said, Io is a fantastic addition that I liked very much, particularly as she started to fall for Perseus.
The brief cameo of
, who I actually enjoyed very much in the original film (so shoot me), was somewhat shocking because it was literally the exact same character from the first film, right down to the sounds he was making. I was expecting a "kewl" redesign so was really pleased to see him return, however briefly, and completely untouched by modern technology.
Plot issue: At one point, the witches give Perseus a strange revelation that really never pays off in any way other than to provide some additional (unneeded) suspense, but it just seems odd that this plot point is completely forgotten as the film goes on.
It was nice to see some of the classic white flying horses before being introduced to the "cooler" (I suppose) dark Pegasus. I actually quite liked Medusa in 2D, particularly her beauty that shifts into something terrible as she stones people. I do miss the slow, tense buildup of the original Medusa scene, but the speed and "sexy factor" of the new Medusa is kinda neato in its own way.
I have a great deal of healthy nostalgia for the original Calibos, so while I think the new Calibos lacks the scary factor of the original, I do think the new backstory for him was pretty cool, particularly his history with Perseus. And Calibos remains a very tragic character in the remake, especially after he confronts Perseus a 2nd time outside Medusa's lair.
I miss the original Kraken, but I definitely loved seeing Pegasus riding around with Perseus on his back and looking incredibly believable, a far cry from the first film's flight scenes.
The ending was a bit of a surprise, seemingly leaving Sam's Perseus with a much different destiny than that of Harry Hamlin's Perseus.
All in all, a good film, made much better if you're a fan of the original because it lets the highlights of the 1981 film come alive again with modern visuals. I know some reviewers are giving the story and acting crap, but I had no trouble with them keeping in mind that this is a "reimagination" of the original, basically. It was never meant to be Shakespeare.
Recommended, but don't make my mistake of seeing it in 3D. I definitely endorse good old reliable 2D for this one.