Reel Critics:

Louis Leterrier is quite familiar with Hollywood standards for big time sci-fi action flicks. He directed “The Incredible Hulk” and a “Transporter” film before taking up his remake of “Clash of the Titans.” Of course it features lots of dazzling sound and fury with great special effects. But there’s little real substance in the recycled plot of ancient mankind against the gods.

Liam Neeson appears in surreal glowing armor as Zeus, king of the gods. Ralph Fiennes is the feared Hades, lord of the underworld. Together they seek to teach mankind a nasty lesson when men begin to turn away from the proper worship of their power. Sam Worthington of “Avatar” fame has the central role as the demi-god Perseus, the son of Zeus by a mortal woman.

He leads a team of soldiers to fight the gods on their own turf. He does battle with a collection of mythical beasts including giant scorpions, flying Furies and Medusa herself. The fighting is fierce, the noise is loud, but the notable thrills are predictable. It won’t disappoint young fans of the genre. But it’s all been done much better in the “Lord of the Rings” and a host of similar films.

‘Warlords’ bring drama and ethics to forefront

Seldom does an epic film feel so grand in scale and yet so personal. “The Warlords,” set during the Taiping Rebellion in 19th century China, features stunning battle scenes and a wistful love story.

Action star Jet Li is terrific as Gen. Pang, the sole survivor of a horrendous battle that leaves him a broken man. He is brought back to life by the silent attentions of a young woman who vanishes as suddenly as she appears.

Pang persuades a starving gang of thieves, led by Zhao Er-Hu and Wu-Yang, to join him in the army where they will be clothed and fed. At the same time, Pang learns the girl is a former courtesan who is also Er-Hu’s woman.

As Wu-Yang says, “dying is easy; living is much harder.”

These are seriously tough men, gutsy titans of battle and blood brothers whose loyalties and ethics are deeply tested as the years go by.

“The Warlords” is a Shakespearean tragedy and an art film with buckets of good action.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.