While it may have a good story and neat special effects, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, seems to just follow the Harry Potter formula.
Artwork by Rebecca Holt
As one who has read the Harry Potter novels and seen all six films, whenever another beloved children’s fantasy novel becomes a film, I doubt it will never live up to J. K. Rowling’s magical saga. After seeing the latest one, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, my skepticism was once again correct. Although the film is based on a different book series, its plot is very similar to that of the Harry Potter books/movies.
Being directed by Chris Columbus who created the first two Harry Potter films (Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets), Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (which is based on the first of the fantasy novel series) has a story that, although original, just seems like one that might be seen in a Harry Potter book. Instead of a boy wizard with a lightning bolt scar, fans are introduced to Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman, Gamer), a boy who happens to be the son of Poseidon (the god of the sea from Greek mythology).
At the beginning of the film which takes place on Mt. Olympus (which is located at the top of the Empire State Building), Zeus (Sean Bean, The Hitcher, 2007) confronts Poseidon (Kevin McKidd, Made of Honor) when he finds out the storm clouds have no lightning as a result of his master lightning bolt being stolen. Zeus blames Poseidon’s son (the gods/goddesses are allowed to venture down to Earth every once in a while to breed with a human and then return to Olympus) despite the sea god’s claim that the boy is innocent. Zeus, being a little frustrated, decides to give Poseidon fourteen days to have his bolt returned or he will declare a war with the humans. I know this film is trying to modernize Greek mythology in hopes of making younger people interested, but I wish they had made it more realistic. Why put Mt. Olympus atop the Empire State Building as opposed to an actual mountain? What would happen if a worker took the elevator to the top floor, would they too be transported to the home of the gods?
After that opening sequence, the audience is introduced to Percy Jackson. While on a school field trip to a museum exhibition of Greek art, Percy is lured away from his class by his “substitute English teacher,” who changes into a Fury (a winged, demon-like creature) and demands he release the bolt. Percy, clueless at what is happening, is rescued by his handicapped Latin teacher Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan, Die Another Day) and best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson, Tooth Fairy). As Brunner instructs him, Percy is eventually taken to a training camp for demigods, Camp Half-Blood (Another Harry Potter parallel perhaps?), as his mother (Catherine Keener, Where the Wild Things Are) tells him Poseidon is his father, and after he left she had to re-marry Gabe (Joe Pantoliano, Bad Boys II) who, although he provides them with housing, is a real jerk.
At Camp Half-Blood, Percy learns that Mr. Brunner is not handicapped, but the centaur (half man, half horse) Chiron, who is the camp’s trainer. While Chiron seemed like a combination of Harry Potter characters – Dumbledore and Hagrid – the camp itself was more like something from The Chronicles of Narnia, as it trained kids in fighting skills. I was not that impressed with the sword fighting, as there was hardly any of it and when there was, it was not that suspenseful. While training in combat, Percy eventually befriends Annabeth Chase (Alexandra Daddario, All My Children), the daughter of Athena (the goddess of wisdom). It seems Chris Columbus did not do much Greek mythology research, as Athena was a virgin who never bore any children.
One night at the camp, Hades (the god of the Underworld) appears in the campfire, holding Percy’s mother prisoner until he trades her for the master bolt. Realizing he must venture to the Underworld and save his mother, Harry, Ron, and Hermione – woops – I mean, Percy, along with Grover and Annabeth, obtain a Harry Potter Marauder’s map-like map that locates Persephone’s pearls (if all three are obtained, one can gain access to the Underworld).
While obtaining the pearls, the trio travels across the nation by car, although they are only supposed to be around fourteen years old. The first pearl’s location is at Aunty Em’s Garden Emporium, which has a landscape of stone statues. Regardless of the name “Auntie Em” though, the place happens to be Medusa’s (female with hair full of snakes) lair. Uma Thurman’s (Kill Bill Volumes I and II) Medusa was, for me, a phenomenal highlight of the movie, as she dressed/acted like a tough biker version of Medusa, and her personality was similar to the character she played in My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006).
While Uma Thurman delivered an excellent performance, there were a few aspects that did not make since to me. One pearl was located inside a casino run by Lotus Eaters (people whose primary food is lotus flowers which cause them to go into a sleep-like trans) and regardless of how special this casino was, Percy and his friends were able to just wander around without being asked for an I. D. When the three finally did arrive at the Underworld, they were introduced to Persephone (Rosario Dawson, Seven Pounds) and Hades (Steve Coogan, Hamlet 2). In mythology, Persephone is forced to live in the Underworld as Hades’ queen but in Percy Jackson, she seemed more intimate (like a Victoria’s Secret model) and Hades, the devious ruler of the Underworld, did not even look evil; instead he looked like an Alice Cooper wannabe rock singer!
While Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief does have a lot of Harry Potter similarities and many downfalls, it also has a few upsides as well. The special effects are really good (especially a New York skyline battle scene at the end) and while there are not as many special effects as one would find in an epic Blockbuster, they do improve the film. However, if one wants an action-packed Greek mythology epic, the upcoming Clash of the Titans should suit their needs, as Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief just seemed like a different take on the Harry Potter series.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
