Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario,, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Kevin McKidd, Uma thurman
Based on the novel by Rick Riordan.
SYNOPSIS
Percy Jackson is a high school student who struggles with school and his ignorant stepfather. He's got few friends, struggles to study at school and has a very low attention span. However, one day he's attacked and forced to confront his actual identity - he is a demi-god, son of the ancient Greek God Poseidon. Unfortunately, he's also falsely accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt and has to travel to hades to rescue his mother and clear his name.
REVIEW
Well, this was a surprise. I'm usually fairly good at predicting the artistic (if not always commercial) success of movies and this has "pathetic cash-in" written all over it. The plot sounds like a mere re-tread of the Harry Potter movies, and it's directed by the man who brought us the first two Potters - frankly mediocre before they got really good with the 3rd movie.
So, imagine my surprise when it turned out to be actually pretty good, and very entertaining! Part of this might be the fact that it's based on Greek mythology. The script has fun rearranging the famous myths for a new setting, and manages to have a fairly light hand at introducing them. They're never heavy-handed - no drawn-out exposition scenes for newcomers to the classic characters - and there's a lot of cameos for famous actors playing them. Everybody seems to be having fun and the film just keeps moving.
There's pretty much nothing that really stands out as not working here. The central cast are capable, the effects are good, there's enough darkness to satisfy the source (e.g. Medusa really does kill people when they turn to stone) and it doesn't drift too far into sentimentality. About the only real downside is that seeing Pierce Brosnan as a centaur is a little strange to say the least!
Overall, a great afternoon piece of entertainment, and I'm hoping a sequel will be forthcoming.
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