Clash of the Titans Review

Messages: This is Greek myth, so unsurprisingly there's the good and the not so good. Gods are needy, jealous, vain, and selfish. Men have the potential to be noble, to live and die for each other, and to love each other. Perseus is both god and man, so he has both positive and negative qualities. Overall, the movie tries to give a positive message.

Role models: Perseus is the movie's major role model, and though his personal struggle between manhood and godhood never comes to much, he at least shows devotion and love to his adoptive father; he's brave and is a good problem solver, and triumphs in the almost-impossible task of defeating the Kraken. The other characters display all sorts of bad behavior, from jealousy to deception, but they are not meant to be role models. Since this is Greek myth, characters are godlike and fallible.

Violence: Mid-level fantasy violence with lots of fighting -- including decapitation, dismemberment, and electrocution, knives, bows and arrows, swords (and sometimes biting). Most of the monsters and creatures, ranging from the giant scorpions and the huge toothy Kraken to the eyeless witches and the slithery Medusa, are pretty scary. We see some blood and charred bodies, as well as some goopy monster guts.

Sex: In one scene, Zeus climbs in bed with a mortal woman; it is suggested that they conceive a child, though hardly anything is shown. In another scene, Io tries to demonstrate to Perseus the dangers of Medusa. She attacks him from various angles and eventually lands on top of him, where they linger for a moment, touching hands and gazing into each other's eyes. Another character enters the scene and is embarrassed to find them in that position. Io wears a sexy outfit throughout, including boots and a short skirt. There is no kissing. The computer-generated Medusa is also designed to be slightly sexy.

Language: We hear one use each of "bastard" and "bitch," plus "damn" and "hell." at least once. It should be noted that the words "gods" and "Hades" are used frequently, but only as terms of Greek mythology.

Consumerism: Not an issue

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Background characters drink wine at a celebration early in the film.