When the bitter god Set (Butler) kills his brother Osiris (Brown) to take control of the world, he also blinds his nephew, the playboy heir-apparent Horus (Coster-Waldau). Set also enslaves all humans under a reign of terror, sparking the low-born charmer Bek (Thwaites) and his gorgeous girlfriend Zaya (Eaton) to take action. Bek breaks into Set's palace and steals one of Horus' eyes, then strikes a deal with Horus to save the kingdom. To do this, they must travel to the sky to consult sun god Ra (Rush). Then they'll have to face Set.

Yes, there's a Clash of the Titans vibe going on, as the film is lavishly produced on a massive scale that's almost completely digital, with oversized gods, vast crowds and lots of supernatural nuttiness. Thankfully, the humour is intentional, allowing the filmmakers and actors to acknowledge how silly it is to be prancing around in skirts. Proyas maintains this light tone with clever details and lots of colourful whiz-bang melodrama, especially when feuding gods reveal themselves as gigantic metallic beasts. Even if they're overwrought, the effects are inventive, brought to life by sparky characters.

The actors dive fully into their roles, investing plenty of energy and irony, which makes them surprisingly entertaining. Thwaites is an engaging pretty-boy hero surrounded by hammy thespians who can't help but chomp mercilessly on the scenery. Coster-Waldau is a hilariously tetchy hunk. Butler swaggers around like Darth Vader. Boseman is amusing as the riotously arrogant Thoth. And in female roles that offer little more than contrasting eye-candy, Yung, Eaton and Booth bring feisty energy as they vamp around in outrageously revealing costumes.

Rather than trying to do anything even remotely serious, this is a lively, good-natured adventure. Proyas indulges in lots of gratuitous slow motion, a ludicrously bloated scale and a stream of irrelevant set-pieces. But the action is unusually well-staged, even in its goofiest moments. And there are some surprisingly deep themes gurgling within the story, most notably about how parents can't help but love their children. Even those who choose the dark side.

themes, violence, language

4.Jun.16