This release from Arrow Video is available as either a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD set or in a “Limited Edition” Blu-ray only edition.
Growing up in the 1980s, most kids became very familiar with the adventure spectacle Clash of the Titans (1981), which featured a notable cast delving deep into Greek mythology. The film wasn’t extremely well-received by the press, but was a box office hit that resonated with kids. Well, at least one of the children who appreciated the original epic returned nearly 40 years later to help fashion a remake. Once again, reviewers had plenty of issues with the new Clash of the Titans, but it was a notable commercial success. In fact, the movie was so much of a hit that it inspired a 2012 sequel, Wrath of the Titans.
Arrow Video has now licensed and upgraded these titles, putting the two movies in a set called When Titans Ruled the Earth. The movies are certainly not the apex of cinema, but it is quite clear in revisiting them that they are aimed at a younger audience looking for simple excitement. Both pictures are exaggerated and sometimes go overboard on digital effects, but there is some fun to be had watching the elaborate confrontations with various creatures. And one thing that can’t be denied by viewers of any age is that the images presented on the discs themselves look stunning, both in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. In particular, Wrath of the Titans is impressive to behold, wowing with several sequences containing great visual effects.
Clash of the Titans follows Perseus (Sam Worthington), who is the child of Zeus and a mortal princess. For his safety, Perseus is whisked away after birth and discovered by a fisherman (Pete Postlewaite). Despite being half-man and half-god, he is raised by the fisherman and his family and lives a modest life. After many years, the general feeling among humanity is that the gods of Mount Olympus have been mistreating them. It is revealed that much of their power comes from human worship, which is now fading. Zeus (Liam Neeson) is convinced by brother from the Underworld, Hades (Ralph Fiennes), to allow him to wreak havoc on humanity. In the process, Perseus’ family are killed, leaving him hungry for revenge.
Sometime later, Hades heads to Argos and states that he will use a gigantic monster known as the Kraken to destroy the city, unless the arrogant king sacrifice’s his own daughter Andromeda (Alexa Davalos). Perseus joins the captain of the royal guard (Mads Mikkelson) and his soldiers (some of whom are played by familiar faces like Liam Cunningham and Nicholas Hoult) to face off against various monsters, then take and use the head of Medusa to defeat the Kraken. Perseus is assisted by guide Io (Gemma Arterton), who has watched over him since his birth.
The story is quite busy with many humans and gods vying for power. This adaptation favors breakneck pacing and action involving battles with enormous scorpions over world-building and characters. It certainly isn’t boring and the scope of the film is grand, particularly during the climactic battle with the Kraken. An encounter with a trio of witches also works well and it’s amusing to watch Neeson and Fiennes have a good time chewing some scenery together. But still, several characters are not well developed and it feels like the picture could have used extra exposition here and there to help viewers get to know the characters better.
Still, it’s amusing to watch and will certainly entertain kids. The high-quality picture looks sharp and bright and the big action scenes are impressive to behold.
If you’ve purchased these pictures before, then you’ll be pleased to know that seemingly all bonus content from previous editions is included. There are a ton of featurettes on the production, as well as an alternate ending and deleted scenes. The fascinating original ending with unfinished effects looks quite silly. It features Perseus traveling to Mount Olympus and arguing with Zeus. He appears as a very small figure surrounded by the giant god. Perhaps finished effects might have saved it, but in this form it looks silly (the final film features a much less antagonistic exchange between the two without the size discrepancy). Publicity materials can also be found on the disc.
But the big highlight is a new, recently recorded interview with producer Basil Iwanyk. He discusses his love for Greek mythology and the original Clash film. The producer openly talks about what a difficult shoot it was, and how Stephen Norrington (Blade, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) was originally set to direct. Despite having done a lot of work on the film, he bowed out during pre-production. In the end, Louis Leterrier (The Transporter, The Incredible Hulk) stepped in. Reportedly, the production was difficult, the rough assembly was very problematic and the movie needed plenty of reshoots before being completed.
He also notes the difficulty with the movie’s release and the critical response to it. 3D was becoming popular again thanks to the success of Avatar and many movies, including this one, were being hastily converted into 3D in post-production. The producer discusses this issue, as well as his own thoughts on the finished product. It’s an interesting interview.
Wrath of the Titans picks up the story 10 years later. Now a widower devoted to protecting his son Heleus, the Greek hero Perseus (Sam Worthington) tries to avoid conflict. Unfortunately, he’s pulled back into the fray after Hades (Ralph Fiennes) makes a deal with a volcanic Titan monster called Kronos (essentially a super-Kraken). Hades decides to free the creature (and help release other monsters everywhere), in order to kidnap Zeus and drain the sibling’s immense power. Knowing that all of humanity might be wiped out in the process, Perseus teams with Queen of Argos Andromeda (Rosamund Pike) and fellow demigod Agenor (Toby Kebbell) to rescue Zeus and stop the gigantic monster. To do so, they must locate the god of metalworkers (Bill Nighy) and collect incredible weapons that will help them win the battle against not only Kronos and Hades, but god of war and violence Ares (Edgar Ramirez).
Admittedly, the tone is still silly and a wee bit too over-the-top, but the technical specs are even better this time out. It seems as though more real backdrops are used, and the fantastic creatures are more effectively rendered, creating more authenticity to the proceedings. I was very impressed by the climactic battle, which features Kronos literally coming up from the depths of a volcano and doing battle with an army and Perseus.
There’s also more attention paid to Zeus, Hades and their relationship, meaning that there are more enjoyable verbal barbs between co-stars Neeson and Fiennes. The movie is still paced a little too rapidly for its own good, but there are less characters overall and more of an attempt to have subplots dealing with their various relationships and interpersonal conflicts. These dramatic story elements come to the forefront frequently and do provide a payoff during the climax.
It’s an imperfect film, but in many respects does outdo its predecessor. If you enjoyed Clash of the Titans, there is no reason why you wouldn’t admire this follow-up, just as much, if not more, than the original. Once again, the picture is outstanding on the 4K disc and the Blu-ray is also very good.
As with the other title, it appears that all extras from earlier releases have been included. Once again, there is an excellent new interview with producer Basil Iwanyk. He discusses being given the last minute go-ahead to make the sequel. After two separate writers, Dan Mazeau and David Leslie Johnson (Orphan, Aquaman), came in individually and gave similar pitches, he hired them to work on the screenplay together. Apparently, it was a good partnership.
The producer admits that they all tried to address some of the criticism with the first film by asking for more character moments and a stronger focus on the gods. He also talks about the search for a new director (Leterrier wasn’t interested in returning) and finding Jonathan Liebesman (Battle: Los Angeles). The producer goes on about the casting process, shooting, and the finished product. In the interview, he states that star Worthington also seemed more comfortable in his leading role. He also notes that the 3D was planned for in the movie and was more effective in this follow-up, but still bemoans a continuation of the complaints they received about it in the press (personally, I saw the first title at the cinema in 3D and did think it deserved some of the abuse it received).
In the end, this is an excellent release. Whether you choose the 4K Ultra HD version or the Blu-ray, you’re going to get an image that may be just a little bit crisper than previous editions. It’s hard to imagine the movies looking any better than they do here. On top of it all, you’ll also get an Illustrated collector’s book containing new writing on the movies, double-sided fold-out posters for each film featuring original and newly commissioned artwork, six postcard-sized art-cards, as well as reversible sleeves containing the same promo images for the films.
If you enjoy these pictures and are a kid (or a kid-at-heart) who wants to see a recent take on classic Greek myths, then there’s plenty here to appreciate. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray “Limited Editions” of When Titans Ruled the Earth looks excellent and includes enlightening new extras that may help you appreciate the movies even more.