Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
It is storming heavily. The rain races down from the sky and you can hear the thunder from miles away. There is every bit of evidence of a thunderstorm, yet there is no lightning. Someone has stolen Zeus's lightning bolt and he not happy.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief revolves around a dyslexic teenage boy named Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman). Percy deals with the normal struggles of high school life and the absence of a father. One day while on a field trip to a museum, his whole world changes. When Percy is taken aside to have a "chat" with his teacher, she suddenly turns into a ghastly creature. She demands that Percy to give her "the lightning bolt." Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan) and Percy's best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) come to Percy’s rescue. They reveal to a shocked Percy that he is actually the child of a god -- more precisely, Poseidon, the sea god. His mother (Catherine Keener) is a human and his father is a god, making Percy a demigod: half human and half god. Percy's love for the water finally makes sense. His learning difficulties are attributed to his brain being wired to read ancient Greek, and his ADHD is his godly instinct to be active. It is the general consensus that the lightning bolt, a symbol of power, is in Percy's possession. As a result of this belief, Percy is put in grave danger.
Because of the threat of danger, Percy is immediately taken to Camp Half-Blood where he can be safe and start demigod training. Along the way to Camp Half-Blood, Percy's mother is kidnapped and taken to the Underworld. An upset Percy also discovers if the lightning bolt is not returned to Zeus soon, there will be a devastating war among the gods. As Grover, half goat-half human, and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), the daughter of the goddess Athena, join Percy in the quest to save his mother and return the lightning bolt to its rightful owner, they embark in an experience of a lifetime.
This interpretation of the first novel in Rick Riordan's saga had a lot more potential. Even though Harry Potter director Chris Columbus helmed this film, it sure lacked the depth and creativity of his former work. Percy Jackson seemed a bit rushed. The obstacles that Percy and the rest of his crew encountered seemed a bit too easy at times. Furthermore, there were a number of somewhat cheesy remarks throughout the film, probably trying to appeal to the younger generation. The film seems to lack an element of danger. When the audience encountered Hades (Steve Coogan), the ruler of the Underworld, they were met with a Mick Jagger persona. As the ruler of such a terrible place, he didn't seem too intimidating. Although the film had an interesting portrayal of interactions among the gods, the movie had room for improvement.
On a brighter note, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the scene where Uma Thurman plays Medusa. This for me was the highlight of the film. As a fan of Greek mythology, it was interesting to see such a vivid and excellent portrayal of Medusa. From the snake hair to Thurman's piercing blue eyes, Columbus could not have portrayed her any better. The storyline and setting of the scene brought the gang's adventure to a great start.
Although the film could have been developed more thoroughly, it was still an interesting film that I do not regret watching. Percy Jackson & the Olympians did not leave me bored. I remained amused by the actors that were chosen to play the ancient gods. They were great matches for a somewhat decent interpretation of the novel.