What’s the old saying, “3D fool me once, shame on you, 3D fool me twice, shame on me?”

“Clash of the Titans” was a nearly humorless, overly digitized remake of a piece of sword and sorcery cheese from the 1980s, an inoffensive big budget trifle whose biggest sin was a post-production conversion to 3D.

“Wrath of the Titans,” the sequel, wasn’t converted, so the 3D is a lot better. And the director of “Battle Los Angeles” and the screenwriters give it a lighter touch, a bit of mythic whimsy amongst all the muddle about gods, demi-gods, the father of gods and the end of the age of gods.

In a boulder-strewn Greek past of volcanos, but no trees, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is living the life of a village fisherman and single-dad to Helius (John Bell). The kid is growing up without religion, without his grandpa. That’s because Perseus knows “There’s no such as ‘good gods,'” and his dad, Zeus (Liam Neeson) is entirely too busy for grandparenting. Too busy narrating.

“The time of the gods is ending,” Zeus narrates.

Hades (Ralph Fiennes) aims to hasten that.

“You’re sweating like a human, brother,” Hades purrs. “Next, it’ll be tears.”

With another son of Zeus, Ares (Edgar Ramirez), the god of war, Hades traps Zeus in the underworld. Perseus must round up a team and go get’em, before Chronos cracks free and gods and men are drowned in a sea of lava.

First among them, Queen Andromeda, a vision in blond hair and armor played by Rosamund Pike. Bill Nighy steals the movie Hephaestus, blacksmith and armorer to the gods.  He makes the old tinkerer a crackpot who carries on conversations with himself, Gollum-style.

Then, there’s the disreputable son of Poseidon, Agenor, given a bemused spin by Toby Kebbell. He’s a reluctant recruit.

“Would you do me a favor?” he asks Perseus.

What’s that?

“Go to hell.”

That’s just what I aim to do.

So we know where this is going, and we know who’ll be in the final brawl. But Liebesman & Co. manage a few surprises and a little fun.

Yes, it’s going to you-know-where. At least this “Titans” manages to make the ride worth the destination.

MPAA Rating:PG-13 for intense sequences of fantasy violence and action

Cast:Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Rosamund Pike, Bill Nighy, Danny Huston

Credits: Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, scripted by David Johnson and Dan Mazeau. A Warner Brothers release.

Running time:1:39