One of the major hooha I heard about this movie was how it closely resembled none other than the infamous Harry Potter franchise. If you have watched the trailer I put above then you'd probably understand why.
The thing is, the movie didn't. Yes, it was adapted from a fantasy series and yes, it was about this young teenage boy who found out he had some serious major super power and that he belonged to a totally different world. But then again, every famous fantasy follows that same archetypic storyline. Remember Frodo Baggins? Remember the Pevensies? This typical rite of passage of a young hero discovering a whole new world and learning that with power comes responsibility is nothing new and Potter fans should stop with this manic obsession that everything that closely resembles Harry Potter is any less original or good. Yes, the trailer will totally remind you of the earlier Harry Potter movies but be reminded that Christopher Columbus, the director, happened to direct the first two Potter movies so that shouldn't come as a surprised really.
But like I said, the movie wasn't similar to Harry Potter, at least not entirely. I wouldn't say this movie was better than any Potter movies but then again, I don't think any Potter movies were that much good anyway as I always prefer books and novels than their screen adaptations (with the exception of The Lord of the Rings trilogy where Peter Jackson did wonders in bringing Middle Earth to life and the novel was just too long and full with litany of songs).
To cut to the chase, Zeus's lightning bolt was stolen and Percy Jackson, the only mortal son of Poseidon, one of the big tree (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades) was accused of stealing it. Now that words were out about the accusation, Percy was hunted by Hades and his minions to retrieve it so that Hades can gain control of Olympus. Along the way, Percy's mother was captured by Hades so Percy went on an adventure into the Underworld to save her yada yada yada...What's new? Nothing.
Typical storyline. But then again, the movie was targeted for kids around 13-17 so if you're some 20-something movie enthusiasts who think the movie was stupid and pathetic for having a storyline that lacked substance, you're probably even more stupid and pathetic for expecting it to be anything more than that in the first place.
Acting wise, it was OK in general. I actually loved seeing Logan Lerman back in the game as a teenage. The last time I saw him on TV was in Jack & Bobby playing a young boy with a complicated childhood who later grew up to become the president of the United State. Having landed the major role in this franchise (I'm sure there will be sequels), I doubt his life would take a turn for the better the way fate has it for Daniel Radcliffe or Robert Pattinson although I wouldn't be surprised if he would, sooner or later, become Hollywood poster boy thanks to the group of silly young girls who probably form the large majority of the movie's audiences. Other than that, you have Uma Thurman of Kill Bill playing Medusa, Pierce Brosnan as the mentor that resembled Hagrid and Kevin McKidd that plays Dr Hunt in Grey's Anatomy (this really made me LOL!)
There are, however, some very interesting things that I really like for you to watch out. One, I loved how the entrance to the Underworld was located at the slope where the word HOLLYWOOD was placed; the irony of it! Second, Hades, the god of the Underworld, exists as a rock star in his human representation. Third, Persephone, Hades wife and the goddes of springtime, was a funny and cheeky woman in a manic kind of way instead of her typical melancholic description. Rosario Dawson really made the character an interesting one to watch.
All in all, I would give it 2.5/5. It was OK if you're bored on a weekend with nothing else to do (or if you have lots to do but just too lazy to do it, like me =p)
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