Welcome back to “Critical Mass,” a periodic look at the prevailing critical thought on the newest movies. Really, I should have resurrected this for “Hunger Games” last weekend. But you’ll have to do with the latest blockbuster retelling of the Greek myths. But it ain’t pretty:

“To prefer “Wrath of the Titans” to its predecessor, the 2010 remake “Clash of the Titans,” is like saying that a punch in the stomach is better than a knee to the groin.

“Clash,” after all, featured such terrible 3D post-production (remember Ralph Fiennes’ face free-floating an inch in front of his wig?) that it became the standard by which all subsequent awful 3D would be measured.
— Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

“Wrath of the Titans” is an attempt to do a stupid thing in an intelligent way. Or else it’s the reverse, an attempt to make a smart action film, based on mythical themes, with lots of extra stuff thrown in for people whose idea of entertainment is to watch computer images growl, claw at things and explode.

There are some genuinely commendable aspects to “Wrath of the Titans,” a twilight-of-the-gods tale in which the immortals become mortal in the struggle to save life on Earth. Right off, there’s the tough and estimable Sam Worthington as Perseus, half man and half god, who has chosen the life of a man. Rosamund Pike is the queen, Andromeda, straining to hold off an assault on her kingdom by demons. And there’s Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes as the estranged brothers Zeus and Hades. Neeson is the embodiment of sober goodness, and Fiennes is a darker and more twisted spirit, though always with that Fiennes look in the eye that admits the possibility of doubt.”

— Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

“Comeback, Mel Gibson, all is forgiven! Mad Mel at least attempted the right accent when he essayed a part.
The Perseus played by Mel’s compatriot Sam Worthington might as well be called Perth-eus, for present-day Australia is as close to Ancient Greece as this movie gets.
Mr Worthington apologised for his bad acting in Clash Of The Titans. Regrettably, Wrath Of The Titans proves his rotten performance was no fluke. He’s even more personality-free here than he was in Man On A Ledge.”
— The Daily Mail

“The dialogue is dry and boring for the entire film. There are way too many speeches about family, brotherhood, how they must come together as one, and blah blah blah blah. Waaaaaaay too much talking and not enough swords swinging. The pre fight speeches were the first two times, but after the ninth time it’s pretty old. Sam Worthington is someone I want to like, but he performed like a mannequin in a tunic. The lifeless way he delivers his lines makes me cringe. Not to mention he spend the entire movie getting his butt kicked. I don’t need my hero to be a punching bag. I know Sam is happily cashing this checks, but this has to stop.”
— The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Did the ancient Greeks think in terms of sequels? The ongoing adventures of their mythological gods certainly lend themselves easily to serialized entertainment. And so following the box-office success of 2010’s “Clash of The Titans” comes the more-of-the-same sequel “Wrath of The Titans.”

With Jonathan Liebesman as the director this time, the film lacks inspiration or zest in storytelling, performance or action. This is pure product, a movie desperately without energy or enthusiasm of any kind.”

— Chicago Tribune