Ever since the huge success of the 'Harry Potter' movies, the major studios have tried to adapt many more Young Adult books hoping they will find their new cashcow. Well, in this genre, I think I have never seen a movie which was so similar to Harry Potter. Indeed, they hired the same director (Chris Columbus), the young hero had some parental issues, he had 2 friends (a boy and a girl) and they all went to a paranormal school... Fortunately, they did switch the wizards and witches for the Greek gods, otherwise, it would have been pretty much a straight remake. Anyway, even though the whole thing had some potential, it still felt rather half-baked. Above all, while most of the Harry Potter movies lasted at least 150 mins, this one was not even 2 hours which was just way too short to deliver something that would really work. I mean, first, they had to introduce Percy in our world, then he had to discover his actual background, then he had to go to his 'special' school and finally he had to solve some quest. Seriously, that was just way too much to handle and everyhing felt really rushed. Still, if you don't analyze it too much, it was not bad, the second half was fairly entertaining (I especially enjoyed the casino thing) and Logan Lerman was quite charismatic. To conclude, it was nothing really mind-blowing whatsoever but it was still rather well made and fairly entertaining and I guess it is worth a look, especially if you like the genre.
An average movie
Posted : 12 years, 2 months ago on 9 March 2012 10:390 comments, Reply to this entry
The Stars And The Tower
Posted : 12 years, 9 months ago on 9 August 2011 06:36I mean, I never clicked with the main characters; they were boring. And the whole--OMG, It's Ancient Greece! thing--yeah, that got old. Fast.
There could have been some redeeming value, if the part with the Lotus Land Aphrodite Girls had been drastically extended.
Or if they had just given Kevin McKidd some more air-time.
But, I suppose Uma Thurman's cameo as Medusa was pretty cool.
.....
But, anyway, it sucked. And, at least, movies of this sort, which suck, make me feel better about my decision to turn my back on the whole thing.
And, for those of you less crazy and obscure than me, that's the "Lightning-Struck Tower".
And no, I am NOT Harry Potter...thanks for asking.
Or...Rick....Potter. Whatever.
Update: Also note-- Chris Columbus is skilled in the art of failure.
(6/10)
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Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief review
Posted : 12 years, 11 months ago on 23 May 2011 02:56Rating: 5.6/10
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Clunky, flat fantasy epic
Posted : 13 years, 11 months ago on 1 June 2010 06:56
Consisting of five main volumes and three supplemental books, Rick Riordan's popular Percy Jackson series must have been an easy sell for any studio. It contains heroes, villains, monsters, wish fulfilment, and epic feats of magic and courage while also tackling popular Greek mythology. Topping this off, the whole package is reminiscent of Harry Potter. Yet, even with all this in place, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief comes across as slapdash, rushed, unsatisfying and lifeless. While boldly produced, this is a clunky epic which utterly squanders a terrific supporting cast, and is marred by frequently flat dialogue and glaring plot idiocies.
A high school student with dyslexia, ADD, and an abusive stepfather, the titular Percy Jackson (Lerman) doesn't exactly have a firm grasp on his potential. Following an encounter with a hellish demon during a school field trip, Percy's friend Grover (Jackson) and his teacher (Brosnan) reveal to the bewildered Percy that he is in fact the demigod son of Poseidon (McKidd). It's also revealed that Zeus (played by the tragically wasted Sean Bean) has accused Percy of stealing his lightning bolt, and will urge the Gods of Olympus into war if the bolt is not returned. After a brief orientation at Camp Half Blood (where demigods and goddesses congregate to perfect their powers), Percy hits the road with Grover and the daughter of Athena, Annabeth (Daddario), bound for the underworld, hoping to solve the thunderbolt mystery and save the world in the process.
While Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief hits most of the story and action beats that will likely keep the pre-teen fans of the books happy, the film's mechanical nature makes it considerably less enjoyable for those of us old enough to remember Bill Clinton as President. Plus, all the film offers is a standard, clichéd Hero's Journey that we've already seen done before. The whole timeframe of the narrative is incomprehensible too, since the protagonists race across America in what seems like a matter of hours rather than days or weeks. Yet, this is not as glaring as the lack of explanation as to why Percy was accused by Zeus of being the thief, and why the all-knowing Zeus would make such an error in judgement. In addition, it would seem the filmmakers wanted to avoid the usual clichés of the kid-turned-hero fantasy genre without a clue about how to achieve it. Case in point: the film seems headed for a clichéd training montage once Percy enters Camp Half Blood, but this is replaced by one mere training exercise after which Percy is transformed into the camp's greatest fighter. Even raw talent needs to be honed, and if it doesn't then why does Percy have an instructor? What's he instructing him in?
In addition, this Harry Potter clone (which, amusingly, is still more interesting and enjoyable than its popular predecessor) has been constructed in an obvious and clumsy fashion, with characters all dutifully over-explaining every thought and emotion, and the soundtrack choices making weak jokes that are not even worth a giggle. (The moment someone mentions the highway to hell, the tune Highway to Hell begins playing! When the characters head to Vegas, it's time for Poker Face!) Chris Columbus (who, coincidentally, helmed the first two Harry Potter flicks) is clearly able to stage big set-pieces, but is usually let down by either the strictly regular visual effects which stream by with only momentary impact, or sheer stupidity. In terms of stupidity, there's a needlessly long action piece involving a large creature inside a museum. After a long, unsuccessful skirmish, they finally pull out Medusa's head to kill it. Medusa's head is such a powerful weapon - why not use it immediately? Why not use it more often?! Additionally, one of the most embarrassing sequences in the movie takes place in the Greek Underworld with Hades (Coogan). Rather than an interesting conflict, something unbelievably contrived happens. This type of stuff continues unabated until the predictable final showdown.
The performances aren't exactly inspiring. The film foregrounds the weak actors, while the actors with potential were relegated to speaking roles with 10 minutes of screen-time each (tops). Logan Lerman (the Zac Efron lookalike) does a serviceable job as Percy Jackson, but he barely registers. Alexandra Daddario, while attractive, makes no impact as Annabeth, and Brandon T. Jackson is more annoying than amusing. On the other hand, Uma Thurman is a terrific Medusa, and Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan (who, interestingly, appeared alongside each other in the James Bond film GoldenEye) are strong, but all are wasted on mere cameo roles. The same goes for Steve Coogan and Rosario Dawson.
Let's get this straight. If you're seeking a big, loud blockbuster that moves along at a nice pace, you could do a lot better than Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, but you could still do far worse. It's watchable, at the very least. That said, it'd take a skilled filmmaker to do something special with the fantasy genre in this day and age, since it has been milked so much. Alas, without any emotional resonance, believable character relationships, sinister villains or mind-blowing visual effects, Percy Jackson is just a flat, overlong, forgettable trip into Dullsville with nothing new or exciting to offer. It's recommendable that you watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy again, rather than wasting life on this film.
5.1/10
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Percy Jackson e gli Dei dell'Olimpo: il ladro...
Posted : 14 years, 1 month ago on 30 March 2010 12:12L'idea di una lotta tra gli dei dell'Olimpo sulla Terra non è nuova in letteratura, ma avrebbe potuto essere sufficientemente originale o comunque stimolante sul grande schermo. In questo film sfiora il ridicolo. Tutto già visto, tutto scontato e tutto miseramente ridotto ai minimi termini. Mi sorprende che non l'abbiano girato in versione 3D per mascherare la mediocrità, uno sport che ultimamente a Hollywood va molto di moda.
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Entertainment that combines myth with modern life
Posted : 14 years, 2 months ago on 9 March 2010 02:27Logan Lerman delivers a surprisingly satisfying performance as Percy Jackson. Percy is a demi-god (which is half-god who has one immortal parent and one mortal parent). He is the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea and mortal woman Sally Jackson. Percy is a well-natured, friendly, brave and is often willing to risk his life to save his friends and strangers. However, he is a troubled 12-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with dyslexia and has been kicked out of every school he has attended. Alexandra Daddario was decent as well as Annabeth Chase. She is also a demi-god like Percy apart from her father is mortal and her mother is a goddess. She becomes close friends with Percy in the film but as the film goes on, she becomes his love interest. Brandon T. Jackson was humorous yet quite annoying as Grover Underwood. Grover is Percy's best friend who is a satyr which is half goat and half human (like a Faun in the Narnia books and films). This film has a lot of famous actors in this film to make the cast even better like Sean Bean, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Pierce Brosnan, Uma Thurman and Catherine Keener.
Chris Columbus is a director of this generation that I really do admire!! Percy Jackson is another very entertaining film of his that he can add as a success in his career. I was mostly excited about seeing this one because it is from the director of Home Alone 1 and 2, Mrs. Doubtfire and most notably Harry Potter 1 and 2. Despite that it isn't as good as either of them, it is still another good Columbus film. Columbus brings something that we did see in Harry Potter 1 and 2: moments of visual magic and in some scenes: intense action. The script was a bit of a flop on some occasions but I wasn't too fussed about that because, after all, it is just for entertainment.
Overall, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a very fun film to watch. 2010 has started well with a fresh action/comedy fantasy film that combines Ancient Greece with modern life.
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What is this movie?
Posted : 14 years, 2 months ago on 4 March 2010 02:010 comments, Reply to this entry
Sneak a peek.
Posted : 14 years, 2 months ago on 26 February 2010 01:00A teenager discovers he's the descendant of a Greek god and sets out on an adventure to settle an on-going battle between the gods.
Logan Lerman: Percy Jackson
Directed by Chris Columbus (Harry potter 1 & 2,I Love You Beth Cooper), and based upon Rick Riordan's novel, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is about a teen (played by Logan Lerman from 3:10 to Yuma) whom finds out he's the son of a Greek god then violently accused of stealing Zeus's(Sean Bean) lightning. Along with his friends Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), he sets out on a quest to Hell and back to clear his name and save the world from the wrath of the Gods.
Similarly the story is something akin to Potter; The step-parent is horrible, the lead character realizes his superpowers suddenly and has to go away to a place for gifted kids, he has a guy and a girl for his sidekicks, they, too, consult a magical map, and they never listen to their older guardians yet they always get away with it since all's well that ends well. There is just that instantly recognizable storytelling going on that we have seen before but still love to experience.
So what does the adult cinema-goer of a child flick have left to do? Enjoy the bit parts of its strangely stellar supporting cast. There's Oscar nominee Catherine Keener (Capote, Being John Malkovich) who plays Percy's mum Sally; Pierce Brosnan who plays both his professor and Chiron; Oscar nominee Uma Thurman as Medusa; Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum) as Hades; Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds, Sin City, Alexander) as Persephone; CSI: NY's Melina Kanakaredes as Athena and many more.
The best aspects of Percy Jackson is it's quirky ability not to be original but to be fun and make you laugh. Sometimes it is so fantastical and silly you just have to sit back and enjoy the experience it offers. Don't take it seriously or get all qualmish about the mythology angles; It's an adaptation of some guy's children's book not some technically accurate Greek legend. Sometimes yes, it is Americanized, they say words funny; Such as Minotaur, centaur, Satyr, Medusa...I mean this certainly isn't English pronunciation. The journey the trio take across America is very convenient. If I took the whole affair seriously I could rip it to shreds, but I didn't. I had fun, had a giggle and enjoyed the Chris Columbus effort.
Overall, soundtrack is top grade fun, the cast varied and pure talent, the story what it lacks in originality makes up for in again aforementioned fun and thrills. The effects are the usual coolness we see in these types of films; It's very Narnia WETA styled.
Percy Jackson is a great new start to another franchise which has even encouraged me to start reading the books. A unique blend and insight into the Gods and creatures of Ancient Greece which I have always been very fond of. Perhaps it takes liberty with the legends, but who cares? This is a fantasy adventure with some zany character development and surreal creatures.
Definitely a must see for the whole family, fun loving adults, and easy to please kids. A thumbs up!
''I definitely have strong feelings for you. I just haven't decided if they're positive or negative yet.''
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Greek Mythology with a bit of corn
Posted : 14 years, 2 months ago on 19 February 2010 03:130 comments, Reply to this entry
modern day greek a smash
Posted : 14 years, 2 months ago on 17 February 2010 07:24I liked most of the cast as they played their part very well as i thought Sean Bean played a very good Zeus and the main cast played their roles off perfectly, However i also enjoyed Pierce Bronson as the Centaur Chiron or Mr Brunner Percy's Latin teacher, but i liked Uma Thurman as the Medusa as i feel she played that perfectly but i wished she had longer in the film. 1 thing i didn't really like was that Steve Coogan playing the part of Hades,1 of the reasons why i didn't like it was that he known for his comedy roles so i thought he couldn't pull the part off. Another thing i didn't like was that they made him wear leather, i think that Hades shouldn't wear leather he should have worn armour or something to say that i am king of the underworld.
The main 3 of the cast remind me of the Harry Potter 3 as Percy who is special because of his Dad is also special and you also have Ron in this movie but he is a Satyr but will also help even as far as staying in hell to protect his friends. Then you have Hermione in the movie but she is like Percy as her Mom is special which is different compared to the Harry Potter 3 but she has the knowledge which makes her like Hermione.
Th only thing i wished i saw in the movie was Cerberus the 3 headed guardian to the underworld as i felt that he was needed in the movie to improve the scenes in hell as you have other mythical creatures like furys the Hydra and even the Greek Gods but apart from that everything else was good
The Storyline of the movie was better than i thought it would be where as a boy discovers he a demigod as his father is one of the big three gods of ancient Greece Posideon. He needs to clear his name as he is blamed for stealing the lighting bolt from his uncle Zeus. I dont know how much the Movie follows the book it is based of. for all i know the film could have nothing to do with the book.
overall i enjoyed the film, but i would say study basic Greek Mythology before you watch the film if you are to understand the importance of the characters and gods.
you can read the book the film was based on to see if there was any differences between them
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