Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

So I went to see Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief last night, and I've got to say you're probably much better off seeing this movie if you haven't read the books. Just for starters, in the first movie Percy is like 12, and in this movie he's what, 16 or maybe even 17? Totally changes the character's story arc. I really don't think the script writers read much more than the back cover copy of the novel - the movie is a very, very loose adaptation of Rick Riordan's story. The book's not what I would call classic literature by any stretch, but the movie really rather dumbs down the storyline thanks to generous rewrites and omissions or rearranging of characters and/or events.

However, that said, I didn't hate this movie - you just have to take it for what it is, just escapist entertainment. Sean Bean absolutely cracked me up as Zeus - he enjoyed over dramatizing every line a little too much, LOL! :) Kevin McKidd was an extremely odd choice to play Percy's dad, Poseidon, but he worked well opposite Logan Lerman as Percy. I wasn't sure about Lerman when the movie started, but by the end he'd won me over. I could definitely see him as the older Percy, if the movies were going to bother to follow the timeline of the books, so he works. Alexandra Daddario worked as Annabeth - much better than she works as Kate in my new favorite show, White Collar. Seriously, Kate needs to GO...but that's a whole other blog post. ;-) Brandon T. Jackson was a pretty perfect Grover - of the three leads, he probably ended up being my favorite. Jackson had some great comic scenes.

Pierce Brosnan was absolutely (and, I'm convinced, completely unintentionally) hilarious as the centaur Chiron. I kept thinking must have taken this role, viewing it as his chance to play the wise wizard - and since Gandalf and Dumbledore are already taken care of, he's stuck with playing a hairy horse-man. Poor Pierce. :-P Uma Thurman as Medusa was another bit of random celebrity stunt-casting. Definitely not Thurman's strongest role (haha). And I have no idea why Rosario Dawson was in this movie playing Persephone. My memory of the Persephone story is rather hazy, but I don't remember her being so, um...slutty?? Not to mention that she's a non-entity in the book, but whatever. My least favorite actor in the movie has to be Jake Abel as Luke - lame, lame, lame. If you're going to rewrite the book and amp-up his role in the story, for goodness' sake please get an actor that can play threatening instead of petulant and whiny. *rolls eyes*

Enough about the actors, since the acting is rather hit-or-miss and the script can be pretty lame, it leaves A LOT to be desired. This movie's strongest point is the special effects, some of them are quite awesome. The Fury, though under-represented, was fantastically creepy, and the Minotaur looked terrific. Chris Columbus definitely had some great new and improved special effects technology to play with since his Harry Potter days. The scenes where Percy controls the water were also handled really well IMO. I also liked the way the gods transitioned from their godlike form & size to their human disguises...those transitions were pretty seamless. Seeing this movie for the special effects alone made the whole thing worthwhile, some of the scenes were that cool and fun to see.

Speaking of watching something fun, seeing the Parthenon wrecked was a pretty random surprise, considering that a visit to Nashville is not even mentioned in the book. I don't need to go to the movies for a nice shot of I-24, I know that stretch of road like the back of my hand. Not to mention that I have never, ever seen Centennial Park so full of happy smiling families and kids. The moment was a little Twilight Zone-ish, just sayin'. ;-) If the theater we were in last night was any indication, the representation of Nashville was a tad fantasy-landish. LOL!

So yeah, that's about all I've got to say about this movie. It's fun, but having really liked the books I have to acknowledge that there are a TON of missed opportunities. Boo Chris Columbus! :-P But if you're looking for some escapist fun, this might just fit the bill. The pacing is great, the three leads are fun to watch play off each other, and the special effects can be pretty spectacular. If you're a real fan of the books I'd be curious to hear your thoughts...

Review: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

The Sea Monsters (Percy Jackson & The Olympians #2)
By: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Miramax Books
ISBN: 978-142310334-9

About the book:

Percy Jackson’s seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus. But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get…well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of his friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed.

In this fresh, funny, and wildly popular follow-up to The Lightning Thief, Percy and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first, Percy will discover a stunning new secret about his family – one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon’s son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.

Review:

Percy Jackson’s second adventure picks up a year after he left Camp Half-Blood, training ground for demigods, discovered he was a son of Poseidon, and successfully averted World War III. The intervening school year has passed strangely without incident, until he’s attacked by man-eating giant monsters culminating in a fight that blows up his school gym – so much for anonymity. Seeking refuge at Camp Half-Blood, he’s shocked to discover that the magic that protects the camp from monster-related threats is being slowly poisoned, leaving all the half-blood children of the gods vulnerable to attack. Worse yet, his best friend, Grover the satyr, is missing, kidnapped by a Cyclops, and his mentor, Chiron the centaur, has been banished from the camp, suspected of traitorous activity. Percy, Annabeth, and his newly-discovered half-brother, Tyson, run away from the camp in search of the one item that could save it – the Golden Fleece and its restorative powers. But others are also after the fleece, with far more sinister purposes in mind, and Percy must use all his ingenuity and powers as a son of the sea god to avert a far greater threat than the destruction of Camp Half-Blood.

The Sea of Monsters is, for the most part, an excellent follow-up to The Lightning Thief, full of just as much adventure, humor, and mythological and real-world mash-ups as its predecessor. Accompanied by Annabeth and Tyson, Percy’s quest to save the camp and rescue Grover is a rollicking, non-stop adventure from start to finish. Pacing-wise, Riordan does an even better job with the action sequences this time around, making The Sea of Monsters an even fast read than the first book in the series. This installment gives liberal nods to Odysseus’s mythological quests, and Riordan infuses the classic story beats with distinctly modern touches. It’s this blending of myth and reality that makes the series so much fun – only in Percy’s world would Hermes bestow useful gifts such as magical multivitamins (instead of protective herbs) or help a hero control the wind by uncapping a thermos.

My only issue with Percy’s second adventure is that for a kid who has only recently discovered he’s half-god, he seems to have resolved many of his issues regarding his parentage rather quickly. Most of the questions Percy raised in The Lightning Thief, or his worries about his non-magical mother coping with the threats facing him as a demigod aren’t really addressed – it just seems a little too quickly resolved. However, in fairness to Percy’s character, he deals with a whole new set of father issues when it’s revealed that his half-brother is a Cyclops (Cyclops generally looked upon poorly by half-bloods). How Percy comes to appreciate and accept a brother so different from himself is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Luke, Percy’s nemesis, also makes an appearance and reveals more about the power-grabbing schemes only hinted at in The Lightning Thief (and yes, even I have to admit this plot point is VERY Harry Potter-esque). Meeting Luke’s father, Hermes, and gaining that god’s perspective on his wayward son gives Percy a better understanding of his own conflicting feelings about his parent/god relationship, which was nicely done. With a cliffhanger that promises to be a game-changer for Percy and his friends, The Sea of Monsters is another thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced chapter in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series that will leave you eager to read the next installment.

Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1)
By: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Miramax Books
ISBN: 978-078683865-3

About the book:

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school…again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus’s stolen property and bring peace to warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Review:

Once upon a time, I used to love reading the myths detailing the adventures of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, and the exploits of heroes like Perseus and Theseus. Rick Riordan takes a unique approach to the old stories by updating the legends and placing them squarely in 21st-century America with his Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. The new Olympus (found by taking the elevator to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, no less) relocated to America because the gods and goddesses, birthed in ancient Greece, the “cradle of Western Civilization,” must follow those ideals and principles wherever they exist the strongest in the world.

The Lightning Thief is the closest book I’ve read that’s come to capturing the charm, humor, and unbridled creativity found within the Harry Potter series. Comparisons are inevitable, and Riordan’s hero, Percy Jackson, owes much to Harry Potter. Both story arcs involve a troubled orphan discovering his magical heritage (wizard/half-blood son of a god), who goes to a special school (Hogwarts/half-blood summer camp), acquires some friends (a brainy, plucky girl and a loyal, but somewhat goofy best friend), and must save his world from destruction. But what sets Percy’s adventures apart is his voice, replete with a wry sense of humor and a healthy dash of sarcasm, and the way Riordan has placed age-old figures like Zeus and Poseidon in the modern-day world. Seeing the way the mythology now functions in a world of television, cell phones, and all other modern conveniences is hilarious and wildly entertaining. Mortals are blinded to the activities of the gods around them, making for some alternately funny and dangerous misunderstandings. It’s wildly funny but appropriate that Ares, the god of war, would masquerade as a threatening biker in California, and that Cerberus, the threatening three-headed dog guarding the entrance to the Underworld, would respond so well to modern-day obedience school techniques, just to name a few of the modern and ancient world mash-ups. Touches like these set The Lightning Thief apart, because the total integration of the real and mythological worlds is so fully-realized.

The Lightning Thief is an excellent first chapter in Percy’s quest to become a hero worthy of his noble paternal heritage. I loved seeing the way Riordan made the mythological and modern-day worlds collide, like when one of the Furies masquerades as a math teacher or Percy’s sword is disguised as a ballpoint pen. Camp Half-Blood, where the children of the gods get their training (if they survive monster attacks to adolescence), is a fun little microcosm of what makes this story work. The modern attitudes of all the kids, and how they each express different traits inherited from their immortal parent (and constantly clash with each other) puts a really fun spin on the school/camp angle. Percy’s first quest is action-packed from start to finish, and the novel has this perfect balance of humor and intensity that makes it a real page-turner. There are some well-planted hints of the overall threat Percy will surely face by the end of the series, and like the Potter books I suspect each installment will take Percy one step closer to realizing his potential as a full-fledged hero. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next installment in Percy’s adventures.