For big ol’ splashy special effects and serious actors trying – unsuccessfully – to make an action movie seem like Shakespeare, I present “Clash of the Titans” (2010). For those of us who forgot most of the Greek mythology they were taught in high school, there’s familiar names (Hades, Medusa, Perseus, Zeus, etc.) playing various roles in a very-loosely-based-on-mythology quest to save humanity. More familiar names (Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Pete Postlewaite, Sam Worthington) and others utter pompous dialogue like they’re performing a certain Scottish play at The Old Vic. It all somehow comes together to satisfy the macho period blockbuster formula.
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We’ve already seen plenty of mediocre films about wounded warriors nursing their scars back home in the good old U S of A. “Transfusion” (2023) is an Aussie take on the concept, which makes it entertaining for its novelty, but little else. Here the PTSD comes from an unexpected place and scars are carried by many. Sam Worthington is an ex-sniper who’ll do anything for his suffering son. Dark hijinks ensue as the dad finds comfort in his equally dark past. I get frustrated by screw-ups who continue to screw up. If you’re like me, you can skip this one.
Kidnappers become hostages to their own plan in “Kidnapping Mr. Heineken” (2015). Based on a true story. Anthony Hopkins plays the beer mogul, who is kidnapped in 1983 by some young Amsterdam men who are down on their luck. Their luck gets better with regard to their plan working, but not so much given the personal toll the plan takes on the young men (a cautionary tale, as it were, for all you young potential kidnappers out there). While it delivers emotional authenticity, the film is kind of a downer (you can tell because of my lack of funny comments).
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