Clash of the Titans

Right now you can watch Clash of the Titans in the US on History Vault, and in the UK on HBO Max Amazon Channel and Sky Go — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 6,737 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Sam Worthington leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Put it on tonight on History Vault and see for yourself.

Clash of the Titans is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Clash of the Titans through its more ambitious moments. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus is helpless to save his family from Hades, vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus and unleash hell on earth. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, Perseus and his warriors will only survive if Perseus accepts his power as a god, defies fate and creates his own destiny. Sam Worthington and Gemma Arterton lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. It was released in 2010. Clash of the Titans resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Clash of the Titans a chance. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Sam Worthington anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.