Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief

Clearly director Chris Columbus was stung when the decision was made to drop him after the first two Harry Potter films. He must have felt the franchise was his own personal goldmine.

His response was to follow the Potters with this tale of a boy who discovers that he actually comes from a special bloodline, and has access to all sorts of magical powers... and yes, it is as similar to Rowling's international bestsellers as it sounds. In future years we'll probably be calling this lucrative subgenre The Harry Potter Rip-offs.

Admittedly Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (shortened to a simpler Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief in the UK) makes a claim for being its own - wholly original - story, but there are too many similarities for even the most casual viewer to miss them. If Percy had a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead then this might almost be Harry Potter 8 - instead he has to make do with carrying his lightning bolt by hand.

Percy Jackson is played by relative newcomer Logan Lerman with angsty tween intensity, but by dropping Harry Potter's naive innocence he risks sounding like nothing more than a whining, hormonal idiot. Last year Lerman appeared in near-future sci-fi movie Gamer, which offered a serious claim to being the brainless flop of the decade - he really needs to start picking his scripts more carefully.

When he's not whinging about how unfair life is, Percy is also a below-average student. His one talent seems to be an ability to stay underwater for long periods of time, but he hasn't even used that to win the school's acceptance through the swim team. Percy's best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) hobbles around on crutches, and between them they're possibly the best-looking pair of school outcasts ever to have been committed to celluloid.

Percy's life soon changes, of course, with the revelation that his mother (an underused Catherine Keener) slept with the ancient Greek god Poseidon, making Percy a demigod. He's immediately thrust into a world of danger, mystery, magic, blah, blah, blah... you know the drill. The Lightning Thief isn't looking to stretch the boundaries of modern cinema, and it sticks firmly to the magical-boy-sets-out-on-quest formula that has paid such dividends in recent years.

So does Percy's challenge to Harry Potter amount to much? Not really. Percy himself is humorless and rather irritating, while the 'magic' is about as impressive as every other CGI-laden movie at your local multiplex. Even the talents of Sean Bean, Uma Thurman, Rosario Dawson and Steve Coogan are largely wasted on the simplistic characters they're given - and the great Ray Winstone ends up being cut from the movie entirely.

The only thing saving it from plunging straight down to Movie Hades is the classical flavor of Rick Riordan's original novel, but that isn't enough to raise it above the level of an obvious Harry Potter wannabe. Even Percy himself looks like he's permanently sulking at not being given a wand.

Add in that clumsy title, and Pierce Brosnan's long-haired centaur (apparently a mythical beast that's half-horse, half-70s porn star), and Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief falls far short of Hogwarts' dizzy heights. Let's hope that the genre dies off soon, before Chris Columbus gets his hands on another tween series.

2/5

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Directed by Chris Columbus, starring Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, and Brandon T. Jackson - Rated PG

It's not the second coming of Potter, but it is a lot of fun.

Okay, let’s get one thing straight: Percy Jackson is not Harry Potter. If you’d read anything else about Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (from here on out I’ll just stick with The Lightning Thief) then you’ve read that Percy doesn’t stack up against Harry. I have never seen a movie so completely defined by what it isn’t more in my life. I think this is the laziest critique anyone can give this film. I knew this wasn’t Harry Potter as soon as I saw the first preview; the title is a dead giveaway. Yeah, The Lightning Thief deals with supernatural elements, there is a quest involved, the heroes are young people, and it’s all based on a series of popular young adult novels, so the film shares basic elements with that other franchise, but I think it stands pretty well on its own.


The Lightning Thief is about Percy Jackson, a high school student who struggles with dyslexia and ADHD. It turns out that Percy’s learning impairments are the result of his strange parentage: Percy is the son of Greek god of the sea Poseidon. He has dyslexia because he is meant to read ancient Greek and his ADHD is really just battle instincts. He is a demigod, or a half-blood, and he is not alone. It turns out that the Greek gods and goddesses are very real and they are still around; they’ve just moved to America. I don’t want to get bogged down with more plot details than that, just know that the film contains plenty of Greek mythology references and it adds up to some entertaining, innocent fun.


Since this is the first film in what may be a franchise, there is a lot of setup to go through. This movie speeds through all of that pretty quickly, however. We’re introduced to the safe haven for demigods, Camp Half-Blood, but Percy is barely there before he has to take off on a road trip. I understand that movies like this need to move quickly, but I would have liked fifteen more minutes to set up the day to day life at the camp. It’s not much of a problem, though, because the characters are fun to watch.


Logan Lerman plays Percy with a sufficient amount of dumb wonder. Alexandra Daddario plays off of him quite well as his love interest/rival Annabeth (daughter of Athena). Out of the three leads, though, it’s Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder) who shines. Jackson plays Grover, a satyr who is Percy’s friend and protector…and his comic relief. Grover is mainly used for the laughs of the film and it might be painfully obvious that he’s only there to be goofy, but Jackson really does come through with the laughs. I won’t spoil any gags, but I think it’s safe to say that people of all ages will laugh at least a few times.


Aside from the leads, there is a plethora of stars in small roles as mythological characters. Pierce Brosnan stands out as Chiron, the centaur/teacher. Uma Thurman gets to ham it up as Medusa. Steve Coogan, Sean Bean, Kevin McKidd, and Rosario Dawson also star as supernatural characters. On the mortal side there is Catherine Keener, who is apparently stuck in “mom” mode and Joe Pantoliano in a fun role as Percy’s scumbag stepfather. Pretty much every actor handles his/her role ably, except, ironically, Jake Abel as Luke, the camp’s demigod leader. He is completely unconvincing, but his screen time is thankfully limited.


Of course, with all of these mythological characters there is going to be some CG. The Lightning Thief handles most effects quite well, never appearing completely goofy. The centaurs look decent, and Grover’s satyr legs look very convincing. There’s nothing here that will blow you away, but you certainly won’t roll your eyes at any of the effects, either.


The visuals are suitable for the film, but a lot of your enjoyment depends on your knowledge of Greek mythology. If you remember how Medusa is taken down, then you’ll probably smile when you see the modern way it plays out in this film. And if you remember the Lotus Eaters from The Odyssey, then you’ll love the scenes in the Lotus Casino. That was by far my favorite sequence of the film.


So The Lightning Thief isn’t Harry Potter. But it is a fun movie that I think people of all ages can enjoy. Yes, the younger viewers will probably like it the most, but the older viewers will probably find themselves having more fun with it than they thought they would. Just don’t take it too seriously and you’ll be fine. Save your serious viewing for boy wizards.

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Eric Harris - www.canneltoncritic.com

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief: One Helluva New World Order Preview?

When fallen angels play gods: Athena, Zeus, Poseidon - All hell breakes loose!


The story of the young demigod Percy Jackson (who formerly hadn't been aware of his status as such) certainly carries some entertainment value, along with some of the best footage of hell you've ever seen, along with a few deep allegories that are probably closer to the truth than many would have the courage to think.
And it better be. Since the makers of such movies should have all the money in the world to spread some of the stuff they actually do believe in to some extent in an entertaining manner.
What could be more intriguing than to become some sort of god, or even a "half-blood," to us, the mortal fools we are? Wasn't that the big catch ever since the beginning, when the first advertisement genius came crawling along to tell the first and most perfect couple ever created, living in the most perfect environment every created about all the things they were still lacking in order to be truly happy? "Ye shall be as gods!"
And ever since ancient Egypt, over Assyria to Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, people have fallen for the temptation to allow themselves to be worshiped as something greater than merely human. While the actual Son of God allowed us to slaughter Him like a common thief...

Perhaps that demonstration of genuine divinity is precisely what stole Zeus' (or Jupiter's, Belus', Ammon's, etc. - Lucifer's?) lighning rod for the period since, in which emperors seized to demand worship in the Western world...

But let's not conclude prematurely, or pretend that we had actually learned anything from history, and let us await what surprises the New World Order will bring... I have a feeling it will contain many ancient washups (howbeit in modern wrappings for a New Age), including a lot of "Percy Jacksons" in our midst...

Recommendations: The Matrix , Fratello sole, sorella luna , The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John

There IS no spoon!

FILM REVIEW : Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)

Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) lives with his mother (Catherine Keener) and jerk of a stepfather (Joe Pantoliano) in a New York City apartment. While at a museum on a field trip, a creature falsely accuses him of stealing "the lightning bolt." His best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) then reveals himself to be a satyr whose job is to protect him. He also comes to find out that his father (Kevin McKidd) is the sea god Poseidon. Percy, Grover, and Athena's daughter Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) embark on a quest to find "the lightning thief' to clear Percy's name and to save his mother from the clutches of Hades.

Although it wasn't a very good film, there are hardly ever any dull moments. Despite missing out on the edge-of-your-seat action that films like this should have, The Lightning Thief boasts some creative twists that you would never expect.

However, it's not a very engaging film. The characters are a huge problem here. To put it quite simply, they're boring. I never cared about these characters and what happened to them. Case and point: Percy Jackson, the main character! Lerman is fine, but there isn't any real sense of urgency there. Grover and Annabeth are also well played but very one-dimensional. I know this isn't meant to be an intense character study a la Sidney Lumet's 1976 classic Network. I get that this is a family/kid movie, but we are supposed to care about the characters to some degree, aren't we?

Another big problem involves some of the casting choices. Not that anyone was "miscast" per se, but some of these actors are way too established to be fooling around with forgettable kiddie fodder like Percy Jackson. Pierce Brosnan lost much of my respect with his "vocal work" in the otherwise fun Mamma Mia! Why he had to make me lose more respect for him, I'll never know. Steve Coogan, who has never truly impressed me to be quite honest, is fun as Hades but was never believable. At least this isn't as bad as Hamlet 2 or What Goes Up. It's hard to believe that Rosario Dawson's career has devolved from fantastic and substantial work in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and Rent to having a brief role in a film of this nature. Academy Award-nominee Uma Thurman playing Medusa... it just shouldn't be happening.

I must say the same with relative newcomer Brandon T. Jackson, who made something of a name for himself last year with the Academy Award-nominated satire Tropic Thunder. I lost any and all respect that I may have had for The Lightning Thief when I found out that his character was a satyr.

Last but not least, I'll discuss the aforementioned Catherine Keener. She's been nominated for two Academy Awards, but she's stuck in these supporting mother roles. If I didn't know any better, she and Academy Award-winner Mary Steenburgen would be in a battle for the title of Insignificant Supporting Mother Role. I'd much rather have seen that fight than The Lightning Thief.

To sum it all up, Chris Columbus' take on the novel might really engage fans of the books and/or young ones, but those who don't really care for the books probably won't be but so entertained

Not recommended

Rating: 4.0 out of 10 stars


Photo Courtesy: Two Talking Monkeys

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Julian Stark (pen name)<br />
<br />
Founder/Editor: Movies and Other Things<br />
<br />
http://julianstark-moviesandotherthings.blogspot.com

Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief: Movie Review

Let us be honest from the get go - "Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" screams Harry Potter all over. The similarities cannot be denied and honestly, it has a lot to prove on its belt just to show that it is not trying to cash in on the Potter craze. What scares us most is not actually the story (which is already based on a best-selling novel) but mostly on the overall quality of the film because as most spin-offs go, luring as much money is the king. Is "Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" worth your time and money? Can it really bring something new to the table? Read on to find out our verdict.

When Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is attacked by his teacher on a field trip, he soon discovers that he is not a normal kid. In fact, he is a demigod (half human, half god). He is soon sent to Camp Half Blood, a camp for demigods in which they can hone and train their unique gifts. While on the camp, he finds out that he is being accused by Zeus as the one who stole his lightning bolt and if he does not give it back in ten days, the Greek Gods will have to start a war among themselves. If this happens, the world as we know it will end. Percy, with his protector Grover (Brandon Jackson) and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) who is the daughter of Athena, decides to embark on a journey across America to first, save his mother from the clutches of Hades and second, prove to Zeus that he is not the Lightning Thief and save the world along with it.

"Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" suffers because of the material it is based on but as a film, it was perfect in our opinion. Dare we even say that we enjoyed this film better than the other "Harry Potter" films? Now what makes this different is that it is really, amazingly fast-paced. The film was literally littered with monsters that Percy and his friends have to fight against with. It was not bad that it was humor bounded as well. The film was both gripping and funny at the same time. The cast was perfect as well especially the supporting cast. Props to Brandon Jackson by the way. Without you, the film would really lack a lot of comedy. So what's our say? Everyone should take a second look at "Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" because it is not your typical fad-riding movie. It is a separate beast of its own kind.

Rating: 5 reels 

Why you should watch it:
- even though similar to Harry Potter and his cohorts, as a film, it is definitely better than the Potter films
- action-packed from start to finish
- the humor will make you laugh out loud

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- if you hate Harry Potter or really want something new at the table, just avoid this film

Recommendations:

Review :Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

rating: Kudos

I’m wondering if there will be any controversy over Chris Columbus’ new fantasy film “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.”

With the exception of “Lord of the Rings,” every major cinematic family epic in the last decade has been met with religious protest of some kind. “Chronicles of Narnia,” “Harry Potter” and “The Golden Compass” have all suffered from religious groups trying to ban the movie. Heck, with “The Golden Compass” they almost succeeded! Now we have “Percy Jackson,” the new film from “Harry Potter” director Chris Columbus. It’s good to have Columbus at the helm. His experience with the “Potter” series pays off. But should the film be considered blasphemous or offensive? The idea of marketing Polytheism to children could aggravate some… I wonder then what their reactions would be to the upcoming “older people” film “Clash of the Titans.”

Let’s look at the plot… Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is just your average teenage boy… who can hold his breath underwater for up to seven minutes at a time. His best friend is a cripple named Grover (Brandon T. Jackson). One day at the museum, his substitute teacher turns into a flying fanged hell beast and attacks him (as substitute teachers tend to do). The FFHB asks him to return Zeus’ lightning bolt or something bad, probably involving death, will happen. Of course, Jackson has no idea what the creature is talking about.

Finally Grover saves him, but not before revealing that he’s not a cripple after all, but really a satyr, a half-man half-goat who has been assigned to protect the son of Greek god Poseidon. That would be Percy, who has been framed for stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt. Now Hades has taken Percy’s mother and is holding her in the Underworld. He will release his mother if Percy hands over the bolt… but he doesn’t have it.

Does “Percy Jackson” promote Polytheism? I really don’t think so. None of the “gods” in the movie are ever seen in a religious light. There is no worshipping of these gods at all in the film. Like “Potter,” “Narnia,” and “Golden Compass” before it, “Percy Jackson” doesn’t contain a single ounce of religious procelytizing. The fact that Zeus and Poseidon and Hades are all “god” figures bears little effect on anyone watching the movie. This is a kids film for crying out loud! The preachy stuff, like “Left Behind,” “The Omega Code” and even “Passion of the Christ” are all rated PG-13 or R. And note that “Percy Jackson” is made by Fox. You know, as in “Fox News,” the central hub for the religious right-wingers. This isn’t some kind of satanic devil-worshipping witchcraft brainwashing film. It’s a fun fantasy story, Rupert Murdoch approved.

That said, the film is pretty cool. It’s no “Potter,” but its visual effects and fun humor, along with the inventive story, should be great for any kid or even adult. There are battles with Hydra, tangles with Medusa, and finally hell itself! It makes for a good adventure. I was pleased!

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percy jackson and the olympians

well, it’s certainly no harry potter.  the cgi effects are pretty cool and the story i suppose is interesting.  a refresher on greek mythology anyway.  but that’s about it for this fim.  i understand it’s a kid movie but the kids featured are supposed to be in high school.  it plays more like something you’ll see on the disney channel at 3 o’clock on a weekday afternoon.

there’s not really a whole lot i can say about this film without giving some spoilers so i’ll just bash it a minute.  i mean, seriously?  steve coogan as hades?  really?  there weren’t any rock stars available for cameo?  dave grohl did a pretty good job as satan in the pick of destiny.  dave navarro would have been good.  he kinda looks like what i imagine the devil looking like anyway.  and yeah, i know.  the devil and hades are not the same person.  i’m just saying.  steve coogan?

and what’s up with that totally obviously fake beard on peirce brosnan?  really?  they should have cg’d it.

i guess if you have kids it might be a good flick to drop them off at but i just don’t know.  it’s poorly acted on a few fronts.  i give steve coogan some grief but he probably gives one of the better performances.  the main kid is pretty good but his sidekicks i thought were a little weak.  and i think i could have choreographed the fight scenes and sword play better.

everything just looks too sterile.  the costumes are hokie and way too clean.  i would think training in the art of sword fighting would get you a little dirty.  fighting a minotaur and hydra would for sure get you a little dirty.

and rosario dawson.  could you just mail it in next time?  you are beautiful but you didn’t really show up for this one did ya?  no.  you didn’t.

i guess sean bean who plays zues is okay and kevin mckidd is pretty good as poseidon.

Cal Reed

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Basic Premise:
Percy Jackson is the half human son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Percy has only just found out this news when he's thrust into a dangerous quest to recover Zeus's stolen lightning bolt before all of Olympus is torn apart by war.


Review:
Oh boy... where to start?

Well, let's start with the main plot of the movie. Percy Jackson has to recover Zeus's lightning bolt. Why? Because Zeus has accused him of stealing it. Zeus gives NO tangible proof of this accusation. NONE. Since Percy is a demigod, that's proof enough for Zeus of his guilt. Now, I'd let that go, except for the fact that there is an entire CAMP of demigods with an attendance well into the hundreds.

Yup, said camp is called "Camp Half Blood". It's where the half human children of the gods go to train in combat and the use of their powers, though the movie didn't show very many people making use of their powers besides Percy.

But, I digress. So, there's a WHOLE camp full of demigods but it has to be Percy that stole the bolt. No one else sets off any alarms for Zeus. Absolutely no one, which is hilarious since I figured out who the real thief was as soon as they showed him to me. He was the only other person to get any decent amount of screen time. (Is that considered a spoiler? Eh well, you would figure it out too if you go see the movie.)

Percy is accused and, since Zeus said it, everyone takes that accusation at face value. No one questions it. That leads to Percy being attacked over and over by people who want Zeus's bolt for their own evil purposes, including and not limited to Hades who is sick of ruling... Hades (uh yeah, the guy and the place have the same name... ahh those wacky Ancient Greeks were so imaginative) and wants to use Zeus's bolt to move up in the world... literally.

This book/movie (I haven't read the books and don't know how closely the movie stuck to them) has the same fatal flaw that Harry Potter does (hey, you knew a comparison was coming). Both serials feature an adolescent hero and his spunky friends doing shit they have NO BUSINESS doing. Seriously. Where the hell are all of the adults!!? In Percy's case, the adults are GODS, one of whom proclaims to be omniscient. Zeus should have known who took his bolt. He should have known the second they stepped foot on Mt. Olympus. Why the hell didn't Zeus get his own damn bolt back!? It was Zeus's crappy security on Mt. Olympus that got the bolt stolen in the first place. Wouldn't you lock up something that important and powerful? Or keep it with you at all times, at least?

So yes, a bunch of teenagers are thrown into dangerous situations where they could be killed. Ah, but it's their own fault after all. The ONE (count it) adult who bothered to step up and tell them to leave the matter to the adults got ignored. Oh, but that's okay, because Percy is asserting his independence and showing leadership skills by taking the initiative in dragging his friends all over the continental United States, getting them half killed, drugged up, and hit on by women twice their age (HUGE ick factor there... I don't care if they are immortal... I'm not into the whole cougar thing).

Putting aside the plot (and the fact that it felt like a giantClash of the Titans rip-off), the movie was pretty. The special effects are fun and the locales are nice. The acting is good. It's a great little pastime if you don't delve too deeply into the plot.

For the parents: There is violence using fire, magic, and swords (lots with the swords). I don't remember much cursing. There is a lot of sexual innuendo and mild drug use.

On a final note, let's do another Harry Potter versus Percy Jackson comparison. I can see why HP was more popular than PJ. HP came from a crappy background. Despite going to a school where he is famous, he still deals with bullies and his crappy home life all through the books. Nothing comes easy for him. PJ can't say the same. The second he gets to Camp Half Blood, everything is on the up swing. He masters his powers and fighting skills in the blink of an eye... literally. He trades his crappy apartment for lake front property. Everything is roses and I can't see how PJ can even be a series.

HP had an underlying plot throughout all the books. PJ's plot is finished in one book and his life is perfect. Unless, the books have an underlying plot the movie glossed over and forgot to mention.

People like an underdog. HP was that. He was someone everyone could identify with on some level. PJ, not so much. Therein lies the reason why one took off and became a worldwide phenomenon that defined a generation while the other puttered along.

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Recommendations: Star Trek (2009), Avatar, 300

D. Renee Bagby<br />
Building New Realms of Passion<br />
http://dreneebagby.com

Last updated: 2010-02-27 01:40:06 by user02

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Homer goes to high school

The Greek gods Zeus and Poseidon meet on the observation deck of the Empire State Building, supposedly as close to Mount Olympus as you can get on Earth. It seems someone has stolen the lightning bolt and Hades, god of the underworld, is going postal.

The Movie Slut envisions Homer, author of the original Odyssey, cracking up in his grave at this fun and magical retelling of his story. The fun includes Pierce Brosnan as a centaur, half man/ half horse, and Uma Thurman, as Medusa, she of the unruly snake hair. (Isn't there a product for that? Viper-Away Spray?) Young Logan Lerman, in the starring role, is winning as a befuddled demigod. Poseidon is his father and Catherine Keener, his mother.

In pursuit of the stolen lightning bolt, Percy and his pals set out on a scavenger hunt that takes them to Nashville and Las Vegas, among other American cultural centers. 

Tweens will love this movie and there's a few winks and nods to keep mom and dad happy, too, including the location of Hades. Think about it.

See you at the movies, The Movie Slut

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

The Greek gods are back, meddling in affairs in ways that would make Scooby-doo and the gang proud.
            Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, besides suffering from ridiculously-long-name syndrome, is the latest in Hollywood’s attempt to crack open the cash piñata that is children’s book series. The problem with The Lightning Thief is that the Narnia and the Harry Potter series get a release almost every year, and they are much, much better.
            Percy Jackson is a demi-god, the son of Poseidon (the god of water/earthquakes) and a mortal woman. Percy is the only one in the entire movie who can’t seem to figure this out. Every character is practically winking at him every time someone mentions, “the gods” or, “the gods have sons” or, “Percy Jackson your dad is Poseidon.”
            The world of the Olympians is in turmoil; Zeus, the god of lightning, has lost his lightning bolt and based on no evidence whatsoever, blames Percy Jackson for stealing it. The bolt must be returned to Zeus by the summer solstice or the gods will have to start a war because they have the brain capacity of all-powerful three year olds. Percy Jackson is a little stressed out by this because A). Zeus wants to kill him B). He didn’t actually steal the lightning bolt and C). The summer solstice is 14 days after he discovers that he is a demi-god. He has to team up with the daughter of Athena, and his crippled friend who turns out to be a Satyr (which is a half goat, half man that isn’t crippled) to seek out the lightning bolt, and return it to Zeus.
            That’s not a bad plot for a 200-300 page book; but in a two hour movie, glaring plot holes begin to pop up that tend to ruin the movie-going experience. All of the main characters are amateur actors who tend to have difficulty delivering lines, although Logan Lerman, who plays Percy, does very well for his first major roles. His sidekick, the Satyr, played by Brandon T. Jackson, degenerates into a non funny version of Eddie Murphy’s Donkey in Shrek.
            The CGI in Percy Jackson is adequately done, but the best part of the movie is watching Uma Thurman play Medusa and Steve Coogan as a guitar collecting Hades. Also of note, the greatest scene in the movie, which had me giggling uncontrollably, happens when the main characters enter a casino and eat Lotus flowers (The Greek equivalent of marijuana). The director puts on a rainbow tint, and as the characters quickly turn into potheads, Lady Gaga’s Poker Face plays in the background. Brilliant.
            This series has the potential, and I believe it can grow into something better, just as the Harry Potter series has, but the actors need time to grow into their characters. Check it out if you’ve read the book, but otherwise, wait for the DVD.
 
2 out of 5 stars
 

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Lightning Thief

I knew this film was going to be bad... but I had no idea it was going to be that bad! Jesus Christ I really, really dislike this film. The people with Clash of the Titans must have been watching this and going "..... Whaaa?"


This film is basically a Hollywood version of Harry Potter. In other words, this film tried really hard to be the next Harry Potter and fell flat on it's face. The movie's about a guy named Percy Jackson who finds out he's the son of Poseidon and needs to find the lightning bolt of Zeus before ther big man goes ape shit crazy and wages war against the other Gods.



This film really really tried to be Harry Potter. They even had Chris Columbus who made Sorceres Stone. But this movie was missing every little thing that made thr HP series great.



See what the Harry Potter series had that Percy Jackson lacked immensely was the magic. The HP series always has this magic spellbinding cinema quality to it. What Percy Jackson did was try to copy that same style but add a modern twist to it and with loads of pre-teen humor.



And that would have worked if they decided earlier on that this film was going to be an adventure comedy, because the funny scenes in this movie are really good.. at most times they are a downright parody of Greek mythology, which I loved. The problem is that at the same time, they are trying to keep this serious dark tone to it, which totally clashed with the funny scenes and what ultimately didn't make the movie work. First ikt was serious, then it went to frat comedy, then serrious again. Make up you're dam minds people!



And don't get me started on the acting. The producers think by populating the film with stars like Uma Thurman, Rosario Dawson, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Sean Bean and 3 teen underwear models, they'd get great acting like the HP series. No... that just turns you're ensemble into the Twilight cast.



My God did I hate the guy playing Percy Jackon. This Lohan Lerman guy has no idea how to act. Like in one scene, Percy Jackson finds out his mom is dead.. and you know what this little bitch did? He sighed, frowned and then goes to socialize with the other demi-Gods. Motherfucker I hope you're not like that in real life, cause I seriously wanted to punch you out. He delivers each line like it was the 50th take. Incredibly monotonous and showing zero emotion on his chiseled face.



Boy, I swear to God that if you take that new Spider-Man role... I don't know how, I don't know when, but you will die by my hand. Stop acting in anything other than 90210 or Twilight.



But the person who does steal the show is Brandon T. Jackson as Grover. Ya'll might know him as Booty Sweat from Tropic Thunder. Booty Sweat is absolutely hilarious in this, providing much needed comic relief to Logan Lermans marijuana-high underwater face. And what can I say, the guy's a natural. There were scenes that I knew weren't meant to be funny but just had me laughing in my seat because of the way he carries it. Like the scene with Medusa's head and the Gucci sunglasses. Pure genius!



There were about one or two fight scenes in the film that were really good. One being the fight with the Hydra which I thought was really awesome. But overall, the actiona set pieces where Percy Jacson fights legendary mythical Greek monsters gets really boring and predictable after awhile. But damn that lightning bolt looked cool.



Apart from it's incredibly few saving graces, I find myself really really hating this film. Please please please flop like the Golden Compass and never make a sequel to this filth of a film.

RATING: 4/10 

NicholasC

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Aside from the fact that Percy is just not a good name for a hero, this would-be blockbuster franchise (the gods of hollywood willing) is simply another (very) mediocre Happy Potter wannabe, with some NARNIA bits thrown in for good measure.

Chris Columbus (who tellingly, directed the least exciting of the Potter films) shows us here what a Harry Potter movie would have been had he been allowed to americanized the books. Thank God J.K. Rowling kept a close watch on her baby.
We get the black sidekick always willing to sacrifice himself so that the white hero can triumph (that's not a racist comment so back off), the many pop culture and *hip* one liners, cuz that's how kids talk nowadays, peppered throughout the movie, kinda bad FX, and one rush story that at the end of the day, makes very little sense for those still caring about it by the time the credits roll.
I was most annoyed by the fact that Percy watches his mom die (that's sooo not a spoiler, trust me) and he acts like: "oh well."  Why wasn't he more distraught about this, specially after the movie spent some time showing you how much he loved/care for his mom? and secondly, hell being located in hollywood? Wow! I would have never thought of that!
What's worse about this sort of movies, is that they make you feel really bad for people like Catherine Keener, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, etc. Talented people being relegated to sorry-ass roles on crap like this.  Brandon T. Jackson, so funny in TROPIC THUNDER, is wasted here. the sorriest of roles falls on poor Uma Thurman as Medusa. The Hermoine/love interest Annabeth, played by Alexandra Daddario, was apparently told to open her eyes as big as possible and not blink, which was weird; thank hades she eased up on that as the movie continue.  And Logan  Lerman, who showed so much potential on 310 TO YUMA as the son of Christian Bale, sort of has movie presence here, but time will tell if what 310 TO YUMA showed us is forever gone. Grade: D

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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Oh boy... where to start?

Well, let's start with the main plot of the movie. Percy Jackson has to recover Zeus's lightning bolt. Why? Because Zeus has accused him of stealing it. Zeus gives NO tangible proof of this accusation. NONE. Since Percy is a demigod, that's proof enough for Zeus of his guilt. Now, I'd let that go, except for the fact that there is an entire CAMP of demigods with an attendance well into the hundreds.

Yup, said camp is called "Camp Half Blood". It's where the half human children of the gods go to train in combat and the use of their powers, though the movie didn't show very many people making use of their powers besides Percy.

But, I digress. So, there's a WHOLE camp full of demigods but it has to be Percy that stole the bolt. No one else sets off any alarms for Zeus. Absolutely no one, which is hilarious since I figured out who the real thief was as soon as they showed him to me. He was the only other person to get any decent amount of screen time. (Is that considered a spoiler? Eh well, you would figure it out too if you go see the movie.)

Percy is accused and, since Zeus said it, everyone takes that accusation at face value. No one questions it. That leads to Percy being attacked over and over by people who want Zeus's bolt for their own evil purposes, including and not limited to Hades who is sick of ruling... Hades (uh yeah, the guy and the place have the same name... ahh those wacky Ancient Greeks were so imaginative) and wants to use Zeus's bolt to move up in the world... literally.

This book/movie (I haven't read the books and don't know how closely the movie stuck to them) has the same fatal flaw that Harry Potter does (hey, you knew a comparison was coming). Both serials feature an adolescent hero and his spunky friends doing stuff they have NO BUSINESS doing. Seriously. Where the hell are all of the adults!!? In Percy's case, the adults are GODS, one of whom proclaims to be omniscient. Zeus should have known who took his bolt. He should have known the second they stepped foot on Mt. Olympus. Why the hell didn't Zeus get his own damn bolt back!? It was Zeus's crappy security on Mt. Olympus that got the bolt stolen in the first place. Wouldn't you lock up something that important and powerful? Or keep it with you at all times, at least?

So yes, a bunch of teenagers are thrown into dangerous situations where they could be killed. Ah, but it's their own fault after all. The ONE (count it) adult who bothered to step up and tell them to leave the matter to the adults got ignored. Oh, but that's okay, because Percy is asserting his independence and showing leadership skills by taking the initiative in dragging his friends all over the continental United States, getting them half killed, drugged up, and hit on by women twice their age (HUGE ick factor there... I don't care if they are immortal... I'm not into the whole cougar thing).

Putting aside the plot, the movie was pretty. The special effects are fun and the locales are nice. The acting is good. It's a great little pastime if you don't delve too deeply into the plot.

For the parents: There is violence using fire, water, magic, and swords (lots with the swords). I don't remember much cursing. There is a lot of sexual innuendo and mild drug use.




Extended Review posted at The Multiverse Archival Chambers.

Recommendations: Star Trek (2009), Avatar, 300

D. Renee Bagby<br />
Building New Realms of Passion<br />
http://dreneebagby.com

Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief

Look, Medusa has an I-phone! This picture is so much better then anything in the movie. Even the scene where this took place wasn't all that good. But just the look on Uma Thurman's face. Even I, mythical demon from the underworld, am truly taken aback by the wonder that is the I-phone. It's majesty is untold even to the Gods.

So yeah Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief. Well first off there's the whole Harry Potter thing, and how this is a pretty close cash-in. We've got the team of two boys one girl, and believe me they are in the same archetypal arena. There's the whole title similarity with Harry Potter and... almost being a trademark of it. There's the casting of famous Brits as the adults of the piece, even though none have more then two minutes a piece and yes, there's the fact that Chris Columbus, he who gave us two Harry Potter movies, directs the thing. With Marshall Erikson's permission; lawyered.

Having said that, despite it being kind of shit and certain aspects of the film being downright risible, its fun in an assuming way and its a good kids film. A rip-off and a cash-in, but a serviceable one. The film's story, which is going to sound rightly ridiculous when described in print, sees Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman, who kind of fluctuates between irritatingly smug and tolerable), teenager slash demigod who discovers, as kids always seem to these days, he has a bunch of Godly powers, mostly involving water. Awesome. But no, a plot mechanic insists that there be trouble so when he is accused of being a lightning thief, he goes off with black best friend for hire and hot chick to save the day. The film rushes the revelation stage pretty badly, but once we get to the clear quest stage, things pick up a little as a heroes ace Greek mythology's greatest villainous hits one by one, and from there it goes the way it must go. Uma Thurman's Medusa was a pretty neat two-minute cameo, and she clearly relished the OTT of it all. But the best of the villainous casting was undoubtedly Steve Coogan as Hades. He had about 6 lines or so, but I enjoyed him quite a bit. Rosario Dawson looked absolutely stunning as Persephone, but my compliments for her can't honestly extend out of the male gaze, as much as I'd like them too. Who else we got, oh yeah Sean Bean made for a pretty boring Zeus, matched by Kevin McKidd's Poseidon.

Greek mythology is up there with the best of them, so if you are going to mine something, you could do worse and even if this is just another useless kid discovers amazing powers movie, at least its got Uma Thurman so wonderfully entranced by an I-Phone. Which is incidentally available from all good retailers now.

Rating: 5/10

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

I’m wondering if there will be any controversy over Chris Columbus’ new fantasy film “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.”
With the exception of “Lord of the Rings,” every major cinematic family epic in the past decade has been met with religious protest of some kind. “Chronicles of Narnia,” “Harry Potter” and “The Golden Compass” have all suffered from religious groups trying to ban the movie. Heck, with “The Golden Compass” they almost succeeded! Now we have “Percy Jackson,” the new film from “Harry Potter” director Chris Columbus. It’s good to have Columbus at the helm. His experience with the “Potter” series pays off. But should the film be considered blasphemous or offensive? The idea of marketing Polytheism to children could aggravate some… I wonder then what their reactions would be to the upcoming “older people” film “Clash of the Titans.”
Let’s look at the plot… Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is just your average teenage boy… who can hold his breath underwater for up to seven minutes at a time. His best friend is a cripple named Grover (Brandon T. Jackson). One day at the museum, his substitute teacher turns into a flying fanged hell beast and attacks him (as substitute teachers tend to do). The FFHB asks him to return Zeus’ lightning bolt or something bad, probably involving death, will happen. Of course, Jackson has no idea what the creature is talking about.
Finally Grover saves him, but not before revealing that he’s not a cripple after all, but really a satyr, a half-man half-goat who has been assigned to protect the son of Greek god Poseidon. That would be Percy, who has been framed for stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt. Now Hades has taken Percy’s mother and is holding her in the Underworld. He will release his mother if Percy hands over the bolt… but he doesn’t have it.
Does “Percy Jackson” promote Polytheism? I really don’t think so. None of the “gods” in the movie are ever seen in a religious light. There is no worshipping of these gods at all in the film. Like “Potter,” “Narnia,” and “Golden Compass” before it, “Percy Jackson” doesn’t contain a single ounce of religious proselytizing. The fact that Zeus and Poseidon and Hades are all “god” figures bears little effect on anyone watching the movie. This is a kids film for crying out loud! The preachy stuff, like “Left Behind,” “The Omega Code” and even “Passion of the Christ” are all rated PG-13 or R. And note that “Percy Jackson” is made by Fox. You know, as in “Fox News,” the central hub for the religious right-wingers. This isn’t some kind of satanic devil-worshipping witchcraft brainwashing film. It’s a fun fantasy story, Rupert Murdoch approved.
That said, the film is pretty cool. It’s no “Potter,” but its visual effects and fun humor, along with the inventive story, should be great for any kid or even adult. There are battles with Hydra, tangles with Medusa, and finally hell itself! It makes for a good adventure. I was pleased!

Fun book turned into a terrible movie

I saw the movie in an advanced screening and it was suppose to be the highlight of the week for me. I loved the Percy Jackson books and ever since I read The Lightning Thief, the book that opened the series I thought it could be a wonderful movie in the hands of the right director. The book was so cinematic in it's writing, and not a long one either - could make for a perfect adaptation. It had all the necessary elements: mystery, magic, a quest and an epic battle to save the world. It had a very delicate romance, something for everyone. Well, seems it went to the wrong filmmakers. This movie sucked big time. It took all the good parts from the book and threw them out (including scenes that we saw in the trailers but disappeared in the final version) and put in some low level dialog lines, shifted the dramatic epicenter of the story from Percy's point of view (which gave the whole book a fresh feeling) to something else which I'm not clear about yet, cut many of the characters that provided the book with such livelihood, and more. I am not one of these thinking that a movie should be a %100 loyal to the book, but if you loose the soul of the book be damn sure you put something else instead. This is not the case. It seems that someone at Fox got cold feet from the upcoming "Clash of the Titans" and so what we got was a mini version of that and %0 Percy Jackson. Big disappointment. Special effects and acting (even by good actors) is nowhere to be seen here, and the whole movie feels like and episode of Xena. Not exactly what one would expect from a big budget Hollywood flick. My prediction is that this movie will make some money in the first weekend and will then tank like a heavy rock. All you need is just a few Percy Jackson fans calling their friends telling them this is not what they hoped for. Last time I heard there were millions of fans for these books in the US. Good luck Fox.

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Vincent Snavely

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief: All Thunder and No Zap

Based on the popular kids’ book series by Rick Riordin, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, follows in the footsteps of countlessHarry Potter-esque films before it. And withChris Columbus (who directed two Harry Potterfeatures) at the helm, Percy Jackson might have some franchise potential. Here’s the breakdown:
Percy Jackson lives a normal life with his mom and obnoxious step-dad. Unbeknownst to him, someone has stolen the Greek god Zeus’ lightning bolt – the world’s most powerful weapon. Percy discovers he’s not only the chief suspect, but that he is a demi-god, the son of Poseidon. Thus, Percy is thrust into a world of mythical creatures, gods and heroic demi-gods in an effort to clear his name and save his family.
The Monkey: Aside from the three teenage leads, the cast is comprised of notable actors and actresses: Sean Bean as Zeus, Kevin McKidd as Poseidon, Catherine Keener as Sally Jackson, Pierce Brosnan as Chiron, Rosario Dawson as Persephone, Steve Coogan as Hades, Joe Pantoliano as Gabe, and Uma Thurman as Medusa. Whew. It was fun to see these big name actors take a back seat in a fun kids’ movie; they all seemed to be having fun (especially Pierce Brosnan and Uma Thurman) and their presence gave the film some weight.
The film’s greatest strength was its humor (due in large part to Brandon T. Jackson who played best friend, Grover). The jokes were well-timed and kept the movie from taking itself too seriously.
Logan Lerman (Percy) played the role of angsty-teenager-who-finds-out-he’s-special quite well. If the series doesn’t continue with The Sea of Monsters, Lerman definitely has a career in movies. And with rumors that he might be the next Spider-Man in the recently announced reboot, his time may come sooner rather than later.
The visuals were entertaining and the climactic fight sequence was well-shot and action-packed.
The Weasel: As far as book-to-screen adaptations go, Percy Jackson made an awkward transition. The “quest” plot structure played out more like a video game than a book or a movie. Characters travel from one place to another, collecting items and defeating creatures and overcoming obstacles along the way. In fact, many of the transitions are so abrupt, audiences wonder if the characters even realize what is going on. At one point in the film, Percy’s mother is kidnapped by a Minatour; the very next scene he’s galvanting around Half-Blood Camp playing a medieval version of capture the flag. It was a weird transition, one that probably worked better in the book.
While the visuals were entertaining, the CGI was sub-par.
Of all the Harry Potter hopefuls (The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Golden Compass, The Seeker, etc.), Percy Jackson & The Olympians has the best shot at a successful franchise. But with Logan Lerman being tied up with Spider-Man (possibly) and a relatively weak opening movie, it’s questionable whether or not fans will ever see a sequel. The movie wraps up nicely, leaving no indication that a sequel is planned.
A fun movie, but one that might quickly be forgotten.
3 Death Stars out of 5
http://hearculturepop.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/percy-jackson-the-olympians-the-lightning-thief-all-thunder-and-no-zap/ 

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

I’ve always been fascinated with mythology, but with the release of this and the upcoming (unnecessary) remake of Clash of the Titans, as well as my recent addiction to the God of War games ($10 for both at Gamestop…what a steal…until I found out they can be bought together…lol), it has been ratcheted up.
In a manner similar to Harry Potter, I have yet to read these books, but I will be changing that before the next film is released.
When I saw the initial trailer for this film this summer, I didn’t know what to think or make of it, but when a more detailed one came out this fall, it made more sense and piqued my interest. After watching this afternoon, I must say it wasn’t too shabby, but not without its faults.
First of all, the story is pretty cool. Think about it, almighty Zeus has his lightning bolt stolen and automatically accuses Poseidon. Not quite sure why. Seems to me, the #1 culprit would be Hades, but maybe that would make too much sense. Sean Bean doesn’t scream Zeus to me. Sure, he has that medieval look about him and all, but not Zeus. He could have pulled of Poseidon or one of the other gods, but for Zeus, I envision an old guy with a booming voice and all that jazz.Of course, he could be described a different way in the books, so I’ll leave that alone.
Percy seems to be your typical teenager, for the most part. Angst ridden and all. I really wish Hollywood would stop with these Zac Efron look-alikes, though. They’re almost as bad as every actress in Hollywood that thinks they have to be super skinny and blonde . The character of Percy as the picture goes on, though, goes up and down. At one point he is confused, the next he’s cocky, the nest he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders. All this is well and good, except that I didn’t get these emotions from this kid.
The actress that plays Annabeth is quite beautiful. Megan Fox better look out, she has some competition. Seriously, as far as actual acting goes, she doesn’t have much to work with here, but she is a presence that is much needed and welcome, and you just know that somewhere down the line she and Percy are going to hook up. The tension is there and the foundation was laid in that final scene.
Steve Coogan as Hades…what can I say, but no. Um, this guy is a comedic actor. He seems like he was trying to channel a bit of James Woods’ Hades as well as sprinkle a bit of hisself in there. That wasn’t the problem for me, but rather, the goatee. Yes, the goatee was my biggest problem with him. I don’t know, some men just shouldn’t wear facial hair and Coogan is one of them. Yeah, that’s a little thing, but it really took away from his performance for me.
There are many who say Uma Thurman is one of the most beautiful women in the world. I’m not one of them, but I do get the irony in having such a beautiful woman play Medusa. As am atter of fact, if I’m not mistaken, Medusa is a beautiful woman before Athena puts the curse on her, so it makes sense, if I have my mythology right. All that aside, Medusa in every film is never on-screen that long. This is no exception, she ends up getting her head chopped off maybe 5 minutes after we first see her, but her head is seen throughout the film.
Rosario Dawson and Brandon T. Jackson…look, I’m not going ot beat around the bush. Look at the rest of the cast, then look at these two. Can we say quota. Not to take anything away from them. Jackson brings some much needed comic relief and Dawson is hot as hell, but I can’t help but think they were brought in to add some color.
Pierce Brosnan seems like he is in pain throughout this film, sort of like he doesn’t want to be there, but came into work for the paycheck. Having said that, though, I think his character is one that, if this becomes a franchise will rival that of Hagrid in the Harry Potter films. He’ll be that loved.
For me, this film took itself too seriously. I mean, aside from Grover, everyone seems to be acting like they’re in some Academy Award nominated drama. That is far from the case. For goodness sakes people, have some fun with this thing. I’m really surprised about this, especially considering that Chris Columbus, who directed the forts couple of HArry Potter films, is the director. Rumor is that they are working on a second one to be released in 2012. Hopefully, they’ll lighten up by then.
This is a perfect film for this lull between the holidays and summer. It isn’t quite a blockbuster, but it isn’t all artsy-fartsy, either. It blends action and heart, while at the same time providing the audience with some good entertainment. The scenery is beautiful at the camp and the CGI monsters aren’t too shabby, but could be better. Having said that, I belive if this becomes a franchise, we’ll look back at the faults and chalk them up to this being the first film. Is it worth watching? Most definitely, but don’t expect to see perfection, just go in and expect a pretty good flick about gods and stuff in modern day.

http://thankyounetflix.wordpress.com

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