Myths and Mortals (Greek Mythology)

Movies! ~WARNING SPOILERS!~

Clash of the Titans is the 2010 remake of the 1981 film of the same name. It was released on April 2, 2010. The story is very loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus. Directed by Louis Leterrier and starring Sam Worthington.

Plot

In ancient times, the gods led by Zeus (Liam Neeson), Poseidon (Danny Huston) and Hades (Ralph Fiennes) betrayed their parents, the Titans, and banished them to the Underworld with the help of the Kraken, a sea monster born of Hades. The gods divided the Universe among themselves; Zeus took the skies, Poseidon took the seas, and Hades, tricked by Zeus, was left with the Underworld. The gods created the mortals, whose faith in them assured their immortality. However, as time passed, mortals began to question them.

A fisherman by name of Spyros (Pete Postlethwaite) finds a casket afloat in the sea, bearing a baby still living and clasped in the arms of his mother's corpse. Spyros and his wife Marmara (Elizabeth McGovern) raise the baby as their own and name him "Perseus".

Years later, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is fishing with his family when they witness soldiers from the city of Argos destroying a Statue of Zeus. The gods, infuriated at this desecration, unleash the Furies - flying beasts who pursue mortal sinners. The soldiers are attacked and slaughtered by the Furies. The Furies merge and take the form of Hades, who destroys the ship Perseus and his family are on. His family perishes, but Perseus survives and is found by other survivors, soldiers from Argos led by Draco (Mads Mikkelsen).

Perseus is brought before King Kepheus (Vincent Regan) and Queen Cassiopeia (Polly Walker) who are celebrating the campaign against the gods. The revelry is cut short by the arrival of Hades, who has been given leave by Zeus to punish the mortals for their defiance of the gods. Hades proclaims that in the upcoming solar eclipse, he will unleash the Kraken against Argos unless the Princess Andromeda (Alexa Davalos) is offered as a sacrifice. Before leaving, he reveals that Perseus is a demigod.

Perseus is imprisoned by Draco and in captivity meets Io (Gemma Arterton) who tells him of his origin. Many years before, King Acrisius (Jason Flemyng) also tried declaring war against the gods. To punish him, Zeus impersonated Acrisius and impregnated his wife, Queen Dänae (Tine Stapelfeldt). Acrisius, driven mad with rage, orders the execution of Dänae and the newborn baby and casts them into the sea in a coffin. As punishment for his continued defiance, Zeus also strikes Acrisius with lightning, transforming him into a monster. Io also reveals that she was cursed with immortality after refusing to give in to Poseidon's advances and has watched over Perseus his entire life, beginning with watching from ashore as his adoptive parents rescue him from the floating coffin, to the present, always protecting him, as he is prophesized to be the only one able to stand up to the Gods.

As the Cult of Hades, led by the insane Prokopion (Luke Treadaway), grows in number and demands Andromeda's sacrifice, a desperate Kepheus asks Perseus to lead the King's Guard to visit the Stygian Witches in order to discover a way to kill the Kraken. Perseus - wishing to avenge the death of his family - accepts. Perseus and the guards head off on their quest joined by Ottoman monster hunters, Ozal (Ashraf Barhom) and Kucuk (Mouloud Achour). Hades, in hopes of stopping Perseus, finds Acrisius, now known as Calibos, and grants him superhuman abilities in exchange for Calibos assuring Perseus will die before he reaches the Witches.

Zeus is convinced by Apollo (Luke Evans), who doesn't trust Hades, to give Perseus a chance and presents him with an enchanted sword forged on Mount Olympus and a winged horse named Pegasus. Perseus refuses both gifts but a wise Draco puts the sword into safekeeping. Shortly thereafter, they are attacked by Calibos. Perseus barely manages to hold him at bay and is bitten by Calibos in a desperate move. Draco severs Calibos's hand causing Calibos to flee. The band gives chase only to be attacked by Scorpiochs summoned by Calibos's blood. Although they manage to kill some of them, they are ultimately surrounded by even larger scorpions until they are saved by the Djinn, a band of Arabic desert sorcerers led by Sheikh Sulieman (Ian Whyte). The Djinn, also wishing for the gods' defeat, lends their aid to Perseus and his hand.