Dodging the wrath

The 2010 ‘Clash of the Titans’ starring Sam Worthington and Liam Neeson failed to ignite the imagination in the same way the 1981 Laurence Olivier version did for many movie fans.

Film bosses pulled out all the stops on special effects to show the epic man-versus-underworld battle but it was not enough to avoid a blasting from critics – for a sluggish script and some hammy acting that suited the 1981 film, but fell flat in the 3D remake.

But with the likes of snake-haired Medusa and the fearsome Kraken unable to stop Sam Worthington, the opinion of the critics was easy to swat aside and the ‘Avatar’ star is gunning for a second shot with the sequel ‘Wrath of the Titans’, which is out in UAE cinemas tomorrow.

In a recent interview with film site Collider.com, Worthington promised that this film delivers where the first one fell flat. “It’s awesome,” he says. “I love it. It’s the same world [as Clash of the Titans]; it’s got huge monsters, it’s a blockbuster. Everything that I felt I’d let down in the first one, I got the chance to rectify.”

So Worthington was happy to put on the Greek garb of Perseus the demi-god son of Zeus again for ‘Wrath of the Titans’. His character, after heroically defeating the Kraken a decade earlier, is now content to put his feat up as a fisherman but his plans of a quiet life are shattered as the Gods start losing control of the imprisoned Titans of the underworld. As hell is unleashed on earth, Perseus cannot ignore his true calling and grabs has sword to battle all manner of ancient and angry beasts.

Whether or not the film lives up to the hype remains to be seen but there is one area where Worthington is unlikely to be found wanting – the physicality that he brings to the role. According to director Jonathan Liebesman, Worthington is willing to be left bloodied and bruised when the role requires it.

“Sam is an incredibly physical actor who will throw himself against rocks, take after take, and never complain,” Liebesman says laughing.

“I think audiences demand it nowadays,” Worthington admits: “I want the audience to stay with me and the film for the whole ride, so I try to do as much as I possibly can.”