Monday, July 19, 2010

"Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" [B+]

I was surprised by how much I liked this movie. It had very mixed reviews from critics and was not a big hit at the box office. The issue with the critics is probably that it's a genre film. The box office may have only to do with marketing, because there's really nothing here that Harry Potter didn't have:
  • Popular source material (book series)? Check (OK maybe not as popular)
  • Appealing young stars? Check
  • Bankable stars in supporting roles? Check
  • Action and adventure? Check
  • Chris Columbus directing? Check (he did the first two Potter films)
Some of the problem may have also been timing. Percy Jackson came out while there was a lot of buzz about another movie about Zeus and Olympus Clash of the Titans. Too bad, because Percy Jackson seems to be the better film. By bringing the story into modern time and making it more accessible and less obscure, the story is quite fun and the directing moves it along with alacrity. The visual effects are effective support for the story, rather than the focus of the story.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (IMDb)

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