For a movie that was so obviously targeted to a younger demographic, Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief came out a pleasant surprise.
With films like Eragon, The Spiderwick Chronicles, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and even the illustrious The Golden Compass bombing and turning out as big flops, would-be pilots that ended up as nothing more than false starts and amazing CGIs, Percy Jackson has proven that it might be one of the few that'll come through to blockbuster heights -- just as the Chosen One has. While it isn't in the same caliber as the Harry Potter films, I think it has a fair chance of giving the Narnia series a run for its money.
Fans of the book might find it a little difficult to take in and accept the changes and plotholes they've made with this film. As an avid reader myself, I expected to be disappointed with the movie adaptation just as I first was after seeing the Harry Potter films (first is the watchword). Coming in to the theatre, I thought I'd be leaving with a sour taste in my mouth; pissed and disappointed with what I would normally consider a ruination and unjustification of the novels.
However, just as I had braced myself, I found that looking past the often unforgiving and unrelenting close-mindedness of readers that are greatly attached to the novels, it was quite an enjoyable film. Sweet, soft fluff akin to cotton candy enjoyment while being cooped up in the dark for 2 barely there hours. Not once did I find a scene too boring, too dragging, too overmade. I didn't check the time, nor had any inclination to get off my seat in pretense of using the lavatory or buying food from the concession stand. I simply didn't want to miss a scene.
Don't get me wrong, there are still reasons to ridicule this movie, and those who go in having already made up their minds that they won't enjoy it, will definitely get what they bargained for. Certainly, it has its faults. Adjustments have been made, some not for the better. Scenes vital to the first book have been cut for no reasons, and added in lieu of them were moments that didn't seem important to the main storyline. I try to avoid spoilers since it's so early on in the release, so I'll just leave it at that.
One of the really great things about this adaptation though is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It dares to add wit and sarcasm to the roles, almost mocking Greek Mythology & modern culture while parodying other fantasy films. The cast, while not perfect for their characters, delivered well.
The verdict? A delight to watch if you're open enough with the changes. 7/10
NOTE: THIS IS STILL A ROUGH DRAFT. TOO LAZY TO EDIT. WILL ADD MORE THOUGHTS TO IT TOMORROW. He he.
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