REVIEW: ‘Percy Jackson’ Delivers Sweet Special Effects & Epic Road Trip
by Darin MillerOpening in conjunction with the Winter Olympics opening ceremonies in Vancouver, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” brings classical Greece to modern times in a very different way from the Games. It earned a number two U.S. opening spot last weekend, bringing in $31.1 million.
Much like the Harry Potter series, “The Lightning Thief” thrusts its hero into the midst of a magical world within our own, with mortals coexisting unknowingly with strange beasts. It’s like “Men in Black” with B.C. aliens. Into the delicate balance between the top three gods, Zeus (Sean Bean), Poseidon (Kevin McKidd) and Hades (Steve Coogan), comes a “lightning thief” who steals Zeus’ lightning bolt, the most powerful weapon in the universe. When Zeus pegs Poseidon’s unsuspecting—and innocent—half human/half god son as the culprit, the count-down begins for Poseidon’s son Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) to find the lightning bolt or allow a war that would destroy the world.
The film focuses around the most epic road trip of all time, starting in New York City and moving to a Spartan wilderness camp where young demi-gods play full-contact capture the flag, complete with swords and any special powers inherited from Dad or Mom. From there, Percy, his satyr protector Grover (Brandon Jackson) and Athena’s daughter Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) embark on a journey to rescue Percy’s mother (Catherine Keener) from Hades, who is holding her as a bargaining chip to get the lighting bolt. Along the way they face some of the baddest creatures that the Greek bards conjured, including a hydra and Medusa (Uma Thurman). They make it to the Underworld a little wiser—only to receive a shock about who really is the lightning thief.
Unlike the early Potter films, which relied on Harry’s childlike awe and the uniqueness of the story to propel the films to as instantaneous popularity as the books, “The Lightning Thief” combines classic Greek stories and plenty of humor for the young and old to keep audiences laughing. I watched the film amidst a small press screening audience, since D.C.’s historic snowstorms kept most critics away, but despite the audience size, laughter echoed through the theater for most of the film. A few corny moments and acting slips by the young stars were bolstered by co-star titans like Pierce Brosnan, Bean and Thurman.
Director Chris Columbus, a writer-producer-director Renaissance man of film and the director of several Potter films, effectively translates his background working with children and a pseudo digital cast to this Greek adventure. He guides the young cast to generally strong performances, and lets the film show action rather than how many quick cuts can fit into each scene.
Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, writes with a strong comic sense in a style that one of my former editors would have called “meat and potatoes” writing. Craig Titley’s story models this, as he removes needless dialog to focus on the story, generally using humor to advance character and plot, and not for humor’s sake.
Aside from the opening effect of a giant Poseidon rises from New York’s harbor, the filming and special effects were solid, something too often taken for granted today.
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32 Comments
I went to that movie because I was bored, and I liked the trailer. BUT it was a lousy movie. Except for Uma Thurman who was great as she purrs, "Come on, Sneak a Peak!"; and "I dated your father."
Why can't Hollywood do a good job with the Olympians? Even Sean Bean fell flat on his face….
I was happily surprised by this movie. To tell the truth the only reason I saw it was beacuse the Wolf Man was sold out, but despite the fact that when I did see the Wolfman again, I liked it, I would actually rather watch Percy Jackson again. With some exceptions, the writing was good, the special effects were good, and there were a whole lot of hilarious bits. Steve Coogan as Hades was awesome! As Darin Miller said, the adult stars definitely compensated for the occasional acting slip up from the younger stars. Plus, I think I personally found the Greek mythology background just plain more interesting than the Wizardry backdrop of Harry Potter.
I would give it a 3 and a 1/2 maybe even 4 out of 5 Stars.
A POP-UP APPEARS ON THE SCREEN ASKING FOR PARTICIPATION IN AN ON-LINE SURVEY FOR BIG HOLLYWOOD. PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THE EDITORS OF BH ARE AWARE OF THE SURVEY.
Special effects were old.
It looks like a knock-off of Harry Potter with some Greek mythology. And it was director by the guy who did the first two Potter movies, Christopher Columbus. I'll pass.
Didn't you hear, he called Obama a demi-god. Let the forum burnout begin! (this is me fleeing while the getting is good)
Did that happen when you clicked a link? If so which one? I would suggest security scans and pop-up blockers and maybe a visit to the Secunia site. You may have a trojan ad program.
Uma is a pretty woman, but does she have man-hands?
Went to the movie with 3 of my children. A fourth one saw the movie on her own. Three of the four had read the book. The three that read the book asked each other, "Did the person who wrote the movie read the book?" There ages, 10, 13 and 21. I read The book too, and had the same question. My daughter who has not yet read the book said it was a good movie. She is 16.
The biggest disappointment, where was Ares and his badass motorcycle? Oh, and Dionysus. We were hoping that maybe a Danny Devito type.
Oh, well. They are game for another one.
Both my wife and I really enjoyed it.
So if I haven't read the book, then I should enjoy it?
This is me, watching a troll run away from nothing while thinking he's actually started something.
debbie 1960, your young kin couldn't be more right. Titley missed the mark so wide that it had to be the Chris Columbus who decided that the clever humor and fox-like cleverness of the books hero wasn't as great an idea as a semi-brain dead junior stud suited to TigerBeat (or its modern equivalent). They also aged the hero by about 5 years: a 6th Grader in the book but apparently a sophomore or junior in high school in the movie. Why do that to a bestselling book with millions of young fans? Most of whom haven't even had their first crush with heroes in the book who haven't either. (The female hero Annabeth calling Percy "seaweed brain" is as close to romance as the book has.)
My nine-year old daughter came home and immediately set to writing a list of all the significant points of deviation from the book we enjoyed reading together. She gave up as it approached 20, including the elimination of the core villain, a key competitor in the camp, the introduction of new major characters who facilitate the hero's progress, the added stealing of a car — twice — a complete reworking of the central quest, the climax and the hero's role in that… In the end she felt the title, the Greek gods premise, and the names of the characters were all that remained intact.
But big7625, she says it's still a good movie, if completely different from the book; my little boy says he really liked it tho some scenes really scared him. I kind of agree, but it bears little resemblance to the book in significant ways, and I think they should've stuck to the book for many reasons. All adaptations disappoint fans, but the deviations are mindbogglingly dramatic even by Hollywood's nip-and-tuck standards. If I was Rick Riordan, I'd be as ticked as Clive Cussler.
No, they don't say Obama's a demigod. The character is explaining that the creatures, gods, and demigods are still everywhere, hidden, "all the way up to the White House level." I suppose with Obama there at present, that could be deduced, but it isn't said. But I would say this: I don't buy Titley's answer to John Nolte that the actor was just riffing/improvising. It was a key section of explication as to the premise of the story/would-be franchise; no director or producer is going to let an actor take liberties at a crucial moment like that.
As a conservative I want to add this overarching thought…
Darin, you appear too young to have children that would have read the book: how would you feel if you were the father of elementary school children who were the target market for the book? And you thought you were taking them to a movie akin to KITT KITTREDGE, which shares the same demographic as the Lightning Thief books. Wouldn't you feel it was a bait and switch to lure such young children into a movie with some really scary moments (for kids), swearing (none in book), adolescent attractions (prepubescent in book), and sexual innuendos (scene with Hades and Persephone; absolutely none in the book)?
This is a part of what's wrong with Hollywood. Instead of making a movie for kids 7-13 who read the book in droves, they made a movie that a room full of worldly, adult critics would enjoy. It's insidious.
"…a magical world within our own, with mortals coexisting unknowingly with strange beasts…"
What's so surreal about that world? I've felt that way ever since the last Presidential election.
I took my nephews to see it. It was a fun ride.
"…Director Chris Columbus, a writer-producer-director Renaissance man of film and the director of several Potter films…
Uh, Darin? Exactly HOW much money did Columbus press warmly into the palm of your hand to write this idiotic nonsense about him? (Geesh, I've seen 'hackneyed moron of a clueless director' spelled a whole lot of different ways but it never came out spelled 'Renaissance man'.) Come on, I've seen those two Potter films he directed – they sucked! Columbus took the story in each of them and clubbed it as mercilessly as if it were a baby harp seal. And by the halfway mark of sitting through the turgid, meandering, messes he'd made of both those beautiful stories, messes that made my stomach turn and my brain hurt, I began to envy those seals.
Sigh! After hearing that Columbus was directing 'Lightning Thief', I didn't need to see its mess of a trailer nor read the sad comments of 'debbie 1960' or 'Seeing Double' to know it would suck. Face it. A film is like food. It doesn't matter if you start out with the best ingredients in the world – if the cook is lousy, you always end up with indigestion.
Oh for crying out loud…
In the actual books it's stated explicitly George Washington was a demigod (son of Athena specifically if I recall), as were other presidents. Heck WW2 was billed as a great war between the sons of the Big Three, and implied Hitler was a son of Hades. Being a demigod in a Greek Myth-esq world isn't necessarily a good thing, and besides, Obama might very well be one in that world: a son of Aphrodite, with how stuck up and concerned with style over substance he is and utterly concerned with how others perceive him, it would fit quite well.
Call Obama a mere demi-god and he will turn you into a toad before he strikes you down with lightning. Well, he will get Congress to do it since He can't stoop to actually doing anything but tell us what we need done to us. Obama's hands are so soft and smooth he could fluff John Edwards hair and not make him cry.
No…..Sean Bean fell flat?
Say it ain't so!
"Soap" is Poseidon?!?!?!?!
TWO reasons to see it now: Sean Bean and Kevin McKidd.
"Percy Jackson" is one of those movies that, in my opinion, you should see with zero expectations. You're rather surprised by how entertained you are when you have nothing going for it.
As for a film based on the novels, anyone deal with the agonizing pain of the Tom Clancy and/or Robert Ludlum series? Yeah. NOTHING like the books! It's like being dragged behind a building and someone just knocking the snot out of you!!
My daughter's 5th grade class read the book and saw the movie together. She was disappointed with the changes in the story, but liked the movie nonetheless.
Having read the books myself, (I read everything my kids read) I was most disappointed with how they managed to remove almost all of the subtle humor from the story. Just the little things like the musak in the elevator to Olympus and the way the gods had adapted to modern life. Those who have read the books know what I mean. Oh, and leaving out "Mr D" was a crime.
Took my kids. Stupid. Great for 12-16 year olds, but nothing I haven't seen before. "What, I have special powers, and must save the world with my black sidekick and a girl who hates me but might like me by the end?" Yawn. At least it was better than monster house.
Saw it wednesday. It leaks Harry Potter knockoff from every pore.
The ancient Greek pantheon feels completely out of place in the USA. There is some real values dissonance between the traditional American value system and the one used by the folks who created the original Greek mythology.
Couldn't agree more, stay home, rent the original or read the book. This Legend of Wolfboy is pretty good if you're into wolves books and all that. An interesting idea at least. Reading a novel free online, beats a $20 movie. http://LegendOfWolfboy.com/
The book was infinitely better, and the book wasn't that great to start with.
It wasn't Eragon-level bad, but it wasn't much better. Of course, if you took younger tots to it, occasional profanity and near-constant innuendo may make it worse for some.
If those are your reasons, watch the opening scene, then catch an hour-long nap until the end.
Calling Columbus a director at this point in his career might be a stretch…
Fast-talking black sidekick, no less. Kind of a younger blend of Eddie Murphy and Will Smith stereotype.
One of my three grandsons went to see the movie. His verdict? It's nothing like the books (which all three of them loved). He did say later that if you hadn't read the book, it could be entertaining. But they wanted a "Lord of the Rings" treatment for the beloved series.
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