Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Does anybody care? I didn't know this was a book series until this trailer, which, sadly, had to compete with the Clash of the Titans remake trailer belittled it by its mere presence. The Harry Potter movies can be fun, but a lot of these intermediate adventure books usually make boring movies, I find. Sometimes they're gems, though.

Thoughts? Fans? Meh (Don't care enough to chat about it.)?

I'm actually looking forward to this, because unlike Harry Potter, Percy Jackson actually DOES stuff. He's pro-active about his fate, and has an active hand in controlling it. Potter waited until Book Six to really start to show his commitment.

I just started book Two of the series, The Sea of Monsters, and if they stick to the books as they're written, this could be the next big franchise.

Looks like they've upped Percy's age for this movie. In the first book, he's only twelve, and the kid in that trailer seems older to me.

^ Seems like he's supposed to be 15 or 16. I'll keep it in mind. I highly doubt I'll be seeing this in theatres, just might consider it in the future as a rental. Like the Potter movies.

I'm definitely looking forward to this. Loved greek mythology as a kid.

I've read the first book a long time ago and i found the story pretty good but i feel it won't be a huge box office sucess since Clash of the Titans seems like the breadwinner. Yeah i've noticed the age thing too but it'll probobly work in the film. Not sure if i'll see it in theatres or rent it.

I think it looks kinda cool. I might go see it.

Even though I'll probably still wind up watching it someday...the trailer didn't really impress me.

No hurry to see this one.

The first trailer I saw of it I didn't care to much for it, but other trailers have changed my mind...I will give it a view of dvd.

^ That's how I'm feeling about it. Could be a fun video rental.

Looking forward to it. Loved the books.

love love LOVED the books (though I found the final book a little anticlimactic) and will be seeing this on date-night for heart-day/anniversary in 2 weeks.....can't wait!!!

It was pretty good. Someone sign Alexandra Daddario up to play Wonder Woman.

(._Y_.) wrote:It was pretty good. Someone sign Alexandra Daddario up to play Wonder Woman.

thank god she is 24, cause I did not want to feel like a dirty old man looking at her.

I enjoyed the movie, was it great? no, but it was still very enjoyable, I love greek myths and this did a good job of bringing those myths into the 21 century. I will be reading the books now too after I am done with what I am reading

Saw it last night with the missus. I wasn't looking forward to seeing it, but she was. I was honestly surprised with how good the film was. I've not read the book yet (Gwen, the missus, keeps telling me to), but from what she's told me, the movie was radically different from the Harry Potter clone of the book.

Grover was awesome. As soon as the satyr legs came out to play, I instantly wanted an action figure of him.

Pierce Brosnan kinda annoyed me. The man cannot rock a beard to save his life and his accent was...bizarre. I couldn't place it. It wasn't quite Greek, wasn't quite Scottish, it was... And how the heck could he wedge that nine foot tall, six foot long, three and a half foot wide (spitballing on the measurements, but I think they're close) centaur frame into an electric wheelchair?

And I love Steve Coogan. Dude was hilarious! He had kind of a Tim Burton/Alice Cooper thing going there, a bit of over-the-top absurdity that contrasted nicely with the classic Greek look of Olympus.

I enjoyed the hell out of this film, and am looking forward to a sequel, if the Powers What Is deem it so.

I'll be honest, I never had any real interest in this movie, but on a whim decided to give it a try. I'm a sucker for Greek mythology and thought this movie might be a fun little sleeper hit. Movies based on children's books don't have the best track record, but there's a few gems in the bunch. That being said, I should have trusted my instincts.

The Lightning Thief isn't a terrible movie, in fact, there's some real potential in it, despite being a Harry Potter clone. It's got a likable cast and some real talent, but most of that talent is completely wasted. The script is middling at best; it's never completely cringe-worthy, but it contains all the same sassy and cliched jokes we've come to expect out of movies aimed at a younger set. The story, while familiar, is actually kind of fun. I liked the idea of the demigod offspring of Greek gods coping in the modern world, but unfortunately we never really get to explore that aspect. In fact, for being set in a modern world, the movie never really juxtaposes the old world with the new. Percy is given a "magic" pen that turns into a sword at the click of a button. That makes for a nice toy, but I can go to a local Wal-mart and buy a rifle that will do more damage. Percy can control water as if it's an extension of his body, but he spends the entirety of the movie fighting as if he were in a sword and sandals movie. Short swords and bronze shields are the go-to weapons, despite these kids being the by-product of gods and having comparable powers; they're forced to fight as if they're living in the Bronze Age. When I saw a group of youngsters at an archery range (preparing to battle hordes of magical beasts) my first thought was, "Why don't they just get some guns?" I understand that such things don't exist in Greek mythology, but this movie is set in the 21st century. And that is where the movie mostly fails for me; I felt like it just forced me to make too many leaps of logic. I can handle the fact that minotaurs are real, I can deal with a jive-talking satyr, but I can't understand why the entrance to Olympus is in New York City (among many, many other logical inconsistencies, though I can't divulge them without spoiling the movie).

In the end, the movie is just another bland effort at getting a franchise off the ground. It's certainly not the worst of the lot, but it's completely unremarkable in every way. Not recommended.

I should note, however, that I did enjoy the Las Vegas sequence.

I haven't seen this but I want to.

I thought it was ok but fans of the book will be disappointed. It leaves alot of stuff out and changes a few things. If you never read the books you might find it entertaining. I read the books and was a bit disappointed with how much was left out. I still enjoyed it though. Just don't go into the theater expecting the book.

I adored the books and really liked the movie. I wasn't expecting it to be exactly like the book and I think that's why it didn't disappoint me. I understand why they made Percy at least 4 years older than he is in the books, but I didn't really like all the pop culture references - it dates the movie. One thing (of hundreds) that's so great about Harry Potter is that, while it is set in modern times, there's nothing that really pinpoints a date...which makes it timeless and relatable. Overall it was pretty good.

i heard the first book on CD when i took a roadtrip with my nephews a fews summers back and thought the first book was very good

Saw the flick over the weekend. I liked it pretty well, more than I expected to. My nephew had just finished reading the book as well, he's 9, so I already had a good frame of reference of the target age group. That being said, the movie was fun and if you go in expecting Lord of the Rings, you're gonna be disappointed!

I'm really surprised by the turnout. Let alone that the book series it was based on had fans. On here, no less. I'd never heard of it until the trailer during some movie I saw in theatres.

After seeing the movie I just finished reading the book for the first time. I am torn I liked both even though they were COMPLETLY different! I could not get over the discrpancies in it! it was a completly different story! anyway I have to look for the next book now

Sandman wrote:After seeing the movie I just finished reading the book for the first time. I am torn I liked both even though they were COMPLETLY different! I could not get over the discrpancies in it! it was a completly different story! anyway I have to look for the next book now

yeah the movie is a totally different animal from the book.

supervenom wrote:

Sandman wrote:After seeing the movie I just finished reading the book for the first time. I am torn I liked both even though they were COMPLETLY different! I could not get over the discrpancies in it! it was a completly different story! anyway I have to look for the next book now

yeah the movie is a totally different animal from the book.

The trailer makes it look like they crammed the first three books together into one adventure.