July 28, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • Page 19 War between gods and mortals tops list of new releases by Dennis Seuling “Clash of the Titans” is a 3-D remake of the 1981 original -- the last major feature film for which Ray Harryhausen provided his stop-motion skills. The new version has the advantage of computer-generated rather than stop-motion effects, but somehow is a less enthralling experience. Sam Worthington (“Avatar”) stars as Perseus, the mortal son of Zeus (Liam Neeson), moving through one action sequence after another with lots of visual razzle-dazzle. The plot hinges on man’s abandonment of the gods and refusal to offer up prayers. The gods don’t take this affront lightly, and a war ensues between them and the mortals. Several scenes are better than the film as a whole. For example, Perseus and his men are attacked by and do battle with giant scorpions, which toss the men around like dolls and aim to impale them with their poisonous stingers. The sequence is well staged, and the drama builds as the men turn from shock to desperation as they fight for their lives. Another scene involves the Medusa, part woman, part snake, whose look can turn men to stone. This creepy character slithers silently, trying to get Perseus and his men to make eye contact with her. Viewers see the deadly results of her stare as some men are first turned to stone and then shatter when they fall from a high cliff. Neeson plays Zeus with a combination of regality and patriarchal concern, combining elements of Gandalf from “The Lord of the Rings” and Dumbledore from the Harry Potter films, with a touch of the Wizard of Oz tossed in for good measure. Worthington looks the part of a Greek warrior as far as muscles go, but his buzz cut suggests more modern-day marine than ancient man-god. His Australian accent creeps through from time to time, suggesting that Perseus’ roots might be more in the Land Down Under than on Mount Olympus. The two-disc Blu-ray combo pack contains a Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copy. Bonuses include the featurette “Maximum Movie Mode: Harnessing the Gods” with Worthington, Neeson, and Ralph Fiennes; a profile of Sam Worthington; an alternate ending; and additional scenes. The film is also available in a single-disc DVD edition. “Operation: Endgame” (Anchor Bay) is about two rival teams of government assassins who work out of a top-secret underground facility and use code names from the Tarot deck. When new hire “The Fool” (Joe Anderson) joins the group, he arrives for his first day only to discover that the boss has been murdered and the office has been locked down and a self-destruct device is accidentally detonated. With the clock ticking, The Fool must survive his ambitious co-workers, locate the killer, and discover a way out before the whole place explodes. The cast includes Ellen Barkin, Jeffrey Tambor, Rob Corddry, Zach Galifianakis, and Ving Rhames, all of whom have shone in other films and are deserving of a better script. Though the set-up for “Operation: Endgame” is fine for an action picture, it quickly degenerates into a dopey shoot-‘em-up with profanity incorporated gratuitously. Considering that the cost of staging stunts is about the same whether a movie’s script is good or bad, it’s a shame to see so much expensive mayhem happening without the intended excitement materializing. Blu-ray special features include a making-of featurette and alternate opening and ending. The film is also available on DVD. “Don’t Look Up” (E1 Entertainment) is a supernatural thriller in which paranormal visionary Marcus Reed (Henry Sam Worthington as Perseus in ‘Clash of the Titans.’ Thomas, “E.T.”) sets out to make a horror film in Transylvania. On set, a powerful supernatural force summons the wrath of evil spirits. In the ancient, rundown Transylvanian film studio, the characters in the medieval Romanian folk tale that is the subject of the film come to life, opening a portal through which terrible past deeds begin to recur, sending Marcus on an escalating descent into madness. It is a bit unsettling to see the kid from “E.T.” all grown up and in such a dark, somber film, a remake of a 1996 Hong Kong chiller, but Thomas works hard at convincing viewers he is losing his marbles. 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