Clash of the Titans

Mild to medium fantasy violence, with swordplay and some bloodletting. Most of the visual effects by Ray Harryhasuen are of the old-fashioned stop-motion variety, and the creatures (the Kraken, Medusa, giant scorpions, giant vulture, skeletal ferryman, etc.) are mostly quaint and fun -- and sometimes somewhat scary -- without ever being realistic. Images of a mother and small child being thrown into the sea, grotesque witches fighting over one eyeball, or giant pillars collapsing and falling on innocent people are slightly more disturbing.

Some brief nudity: when Perseus is a child, we see his mother breastfeeding him (one breast is visible) followed by a shot of mother and child walking naked on the beach, away from the camera. Later, Andromeda takes a bath and her bottom and a partial breast are visible. The grown-up, muscular Perseus is shown wearing very little clothing (period costumes). He marries Andromeda, and there are some affectionate scenes between them, including some kissing, and a shot of them sleeping in a bed together. There are references to Zeus and his weakness for beautiful women.

Parents need to know that this movie is based on a Greek myth, and though it is aimed at young audiences, it contains medium-level fantasy violence (some swordplay with blood), some scares (mostly characters like gruesome witches that share an eyeball, Medusa and her snake-hair, and a skeletal ferryman), and some nudity (mostly nonsexual and not up close, plus one covered shot of a couple in bed together). The movie features the work of legendary special effects master Ray Harryhausen, and it has a certain cult appeal because of this; it's filled with unique -- if somewhat dated -- stop-motion animation and creatures. Modern day kids may find it all a bit wooden, slow, and/or dull, but parents who saw it when it was new in the early 1980s may be thrilled to see it again.

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