Helan Let’s get something out of the way up front: the 1981 “Clash of the Titans” wasn’t all that great, its top-of-the-line, stop-motion effects juxtaposed with a rigid storyline. The 2010 remake captures the jumbled spirit of the original, with just as campy a presentation. That said, I can’t deny the film’s generic entertainment value, despite poor performances.

Sam Worthington stars as the mighty demigod, Perseus, who is the last living hope for humankind in the new version of “Clash of the Titans”.

Greek mythology is back for its second time this year. We’re reminded of the tension between the gods and brothers, Zeus (Liam Neeson) and Hades (Ralph Fiennes). Zeus is just a little mad at his finest creation, humanity, for their lack of gratitude towards his gift of life. So against his better judgment, the god of gods decides to unleash his bro on the world of the living – a nice change of pace for the lord of the underworld – in order to punish them and force their faith back into the hands of the gods. But Zeus’ offspring, the demigod Perseus (Sam Worthington), who is thought to be dead, begrudgingly becomes the champion of the people, trying to find a way to destroy the evil creature that even the gods fear, the Kraken. Sure, the premise is the same as the original but the road there is very different. Expect a couple of sequels.

Director Louis Leterrier really needs to attend some acting classes so he can better understand how to direct his cast. “Clash” doesn’t respect any of the big names that grace the screen. Jason Flemyng, as Calibos, doesn’t get enough screen time do anything substantial. It’s hard to make out Liam Neeson’s face with the surplus of CGI glow emulating from his costume. And let’s not forget Ralph Fiennes, who proved his villainy as Voldermort in the “Harry Potter” films; he walks like Quasimodo and talks like he’s on his sixth pack of cigarettes for the day. Sam Worthington has already proven himself an actor worth following, and as Perseus he is adequate, however he never really comes into his own as a warrior—something they might be saving for future films. The best characters are Io (Gemma Arterton), a cross between god and human cursed with agelessness, and the Agrivian soldier Draco (Mads Mikkelsen), each bringing something new to the story not present in the original.

This is cotton candy entertainment; you see it and want to feel that sweet nostalgia melt in your mouth, but when it’s over all you have left is a queasy stomach and maybe some heartburn. The CGI is mostly adequate. The visual high point comes with the attack of 30-foot scorpions, with the next best visual big bang happening when the Kraken demolishes a city. The special effects low point is Medusa…everything about her. “Clash of the Titans” is at its best when each fantastical creature is unveiled, and at its worst when characters talk about their feelings between battles or while they sit by fires in the woods.

Lately, films about mythology – Greek, Norse, and the fantasy genre as a whole – haven’t been able to capture the same spirit of imagination found in the source material. Humanity’s role in the cosmos isn’t a boring topic, yet filmmakers seem to lack the awe necessary to create a world that goes beyond the limits of the physical. “Clash of the Titans” suffers from an insufficient understanding of Zeus’ dominion, and feels too much like a mathematical equation that just wants to get from A and B to end at C. If only Leterrier read a little more Dr. Seuss and watched fewer 3-D tutorials.

“Clash of the Titans” could take “Percy Jackson” in a fight but really it’s not as much a fight worthy of the gods as a schoolyard brawl over who’s king of the playground.

 But as for the roller coaster effect, it’ll keep you going until the end.