Clash of the Titans – Movie Review

Clash of the Titans

Movie Review by Stacey Tuttle

 Greek Mythology is an interesting mixed bag.  There are elements of the Christian story found throughout; however those elements are usually twisted in some way.  The Greeks invented these myths about the gods to explain the world around them.   The biggest problem with these myths is that the gods are made in the image of man.  The gods are not superior in their wisdom and understanding; they are not omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent… things which the Christian God claims to be.  Their status as gods comes from a particular gifting or power which makes them more than mortal.  But, aside from their superior power, the gods are really very human, especially when it comes to their emotional make-up. They are petty, jealous, insecure and often far more immature than mankind.

In Clash of the Titans the gods are mad that the humans aren’t worshipping and loving them enough, so they are trying to figure out how to force the humans to love them.  (I said they were immature – you would think a god would realize you cannot force love.) The humans are angry at the way the gods treat them and are rising up against them.  (They are basically tired of immature dictators and want to overthrow them.)  The humans aren’t much wiser than the gods however.  They have no concept of the power the gods have and foolishly think they can contend with the gods. 

Enter Perseus.  Son of Zeus, the most high god.  Born of a woman.  Sounds a little like Jesus, doesn’t it?  The similarities continue.  Perseus ultimately reconciles the gods and mankind and brings peace on earth.  Perseus, the best of both gods and man, becomes the savior of all – and he did it as a man, refusing to use his heritage as Zeus’ son.  Jesus too put aside his deity during his time on earth.  However, there is key difference in motivation.  Perseus was angry at his absentee father and warred against him.  Jesus loved his Father and served him.   

Throughout the movie there is an overarching theme of disrespect for the gods.  Mankind has no respect for the gods’ power, their position, nor their person.  Admittedly, the gods in the movie aren’t very respectable.  Some of the humans demonstrate far more character than the gods.  Such that Perseus would rather be a man than a god—he feels it’s more respectable. 

While the Greek gods are significantly different from the God of the Bible, they aren’t that different from the way many people today perceive God to be.  Man is still making God in his image, rather than realizing God made man in His image.  God is bigger than our understanding.  He’s not just a bigger, more powerful version of man.  He is better than our limited minds can grasp and He is worthy of our respect.

Here are some quotes from the movies with some questions to discuss.

“Man’s prayers feed the god’s immortality.” 

• Do you think God needs our prayers and our praise?  Is his ego fed by our adoration? 
• Would God cease to exist if man didn’t pray to him?

“I’ve never understood the gods, but even I don’t question that you were saved for something.”

• Do you think you understand God at all?
• Do you feel that you are here on earth for a purpose?
• Do you think it’s possible to feel you have a purpose, but not believe in God?  Wouldn’t a sense of purpose indicate that you believe in a being who gives purpose…some being that is more powerful than man that he can bestow purpose upon him?

“I’m tired of being thankful for scraps….  [The gods] give us nothing and want us to love them anyway.  One day someone’s going to have to say enough.”

• Do you feel you have only been given scraps in your life?
• Are you tired of feeling you have to be thankful when you feel you have nothing to be thankful for?
• Do you feel God wants you to love him without reason?
• Do you feel God is unfair and that one day someone ought to tell him “enough”?

“I created them and they reward me with defiance?  There will be no truce.” (Zeus)

• How would you describe Zeus based on this quote? 
• Do you think Zeus sounds more like a loving father/god or irrational tyrant?  Or maybe you understand his pain and sympathize with his frustrations as a parent of rebellious unloving children?
• Do you think God is like Zeus?  What do you do with examples like the flood (Noah and the ark), the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Jesus’ death on the cross?  Is God one who makes truces or draws the line?

“A new era has begun: the era of man…  What could be more beautiful than Andromeda?  The God’s should envy her.  We are the gods now.”

• Do you think the people in Clash of the Titans mimic the people of today? 
• Do you think mankind in general feels they have become good enough, beautiful enough…whatever enough to rival the gods?
• Has mankind elevated himself such that he feels no need for God anymore?  Does man worship mankind as the highest being?

“You are provoking the gods and acting as if there is no consequence…  You have insulted powers beyond your comprehension.”

• Do you think there are consequences to provoking God?
• Is it possible that you in particular or mankind in general, has been guilty of insulting God?  Or is God even the kind of being who gets insulted?
• Is man (or are you) possibly naïve to the magnitude of the powers of God, the personality of God…?

“Destruction or sacrifice.  This is the will of Zeus.  Choose.”

• Does God demand mankind to choose between destruction or sacrifice?  In other words, does God demand sacrifice, and when it isn’t given does He then destroy – angry that He didn’t get what He wanted?

“I’d rather die as a man than live as a god.”  (Perseus)

• Perseus’ choice is based on his complete disrespect and distaste for the gods.  He is basically saying he would choose to die with self-respect than live without it.  If he respected the gods then he would see no offense in living as one.  Do you respect God? 
• Forget the powers for a minute, just think about the character, wisdom and temperament of God as you understand Him  Would you prefer to become more like God, or more like man?  Which would make you a better person, a person more worthy of respect? 

“We live, fight, die for each other, not for you.” (Perseus to a god)

• Would you say that you are more inclined to live, fight and die for man or for God?