Saturday, February 27, 2010

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief


Yes, the title is too long. I lose interest just while listening to it in the trailer; one of the reasons the marketing team appeared to have some trouble with this film. Another big reason you may not know about it is because it came out the same day as Valentine’s Day, which was destined to be the box office favorite. A lot of people may have forgotten about it after opening weekend when any marketing that was taking place seemed to have stopped. But, as for me, I’m glad I choose this film, despite my annoyance with the title.

It’s fun to watch, and when it comes down to it, if a movie achieves that, you can’t ask for a ton more. The characters were extremely enjoyable to watch, and the surprisingly star-studded cast, although adding to the cheesiness, was certainly entertaining. It almost seemed like this was supposed to be a blockbuster, what with the big Hollywood actors, first class director, and epic plot, but somehow it got lost along the way to theaters. I recommend going out and finding it. The younger actors all did great jobs, especially Logan Lerman, who is sure to make teenage girls swoon with his boyish grin and self-confidence befitting a god. The female lead, Alexandra Daddario, was also a pleasant surprise. It’s become ever so rare to have a teenage girl play a character that isn’t a boy-obsessed, princess in distress, but that’s exactly what Alexandra does (You go girl!)

The plot is fast-paced and delightful in it’s recreation and integration of ancient Greek stories into the twentieth century. The setting changes rapidly and the heroes are constantly bombarded with new, if not slightly ridiculous, obstacles. It’s true that some of the circumstances and set/costumes designs are a bit cliché, but it feels okay to laugh at this, like it was planned to add to the comedy of the movie (which is already substantial from the fairly clever script). So, if you’re looking for a laugh and a bit of fantasy, hit it up.

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