By Rachael Bentley
If seeing Uma Thurman as Medusa isn’t enough to tempt you to see this film, then perhaps seeing Pierce Brosnan as a centaur will. This movie is full of great actors like Sean Bean, Rosario Dawson and up and coming actor Brandon T. Jackson.
Though the script was at times a little dry, the film had no loose ends and was entertaining to watch. Director Chris Columbus had a lot to live up to after he directed both Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets, along with I Love You Beth Cooper, and he did a pretty decent job living up to the same expectations. Though I don’t believe anyone expected this film to outdo either of the Potter flicks.
Percy Jackson, played by Logan Lerman, is a teenage boy who gets thrown into the world of the gods, when he finds out he is a demi-god, and is father is Poseidon. After finding out his best friend is half goat, and being chased around by a flying, featherless demon, Percy finds himself at a camp where Heroes are made. Sound corny? Well it was, but still entertaining and Columbus even hit a few emotional buttons when the young boy gets separated by this mother and finally gets to meet his father.
The effects were very well done and almost believable. Grover (Jackson) had surprisingly realistic looking goat legs, and the audience really loved it. As in any teenage action adventure, there was a hint of romance between Percy and Annabeth, another demi-god and daughter of Athena.
But the best part of the movie, for me at least, was when Percy meets Hades, god of the underworld, and played by the one and only Steve Coogan. My shock and amusement matched that of the characters on screen when they asked, “You’re Hades?” They stood in front of a man with a biker jacket, cowboy boots and an insane hairstyle, but never doubted it again, after he transformed into a horned, fiery and angry giant.
With a pretty good twist to the film and lots of fast paced fight scenes, this movie surprised me. I was not sure what to expect, but what I didn’t expect was for it to actually hit home.
The best thing to do, in Percy Jackson’s case, is to walk into this movie with absolutely no expectations. If you do, I can safely guarantee you will walk out with no regrets on spending that $10. It’s a sure fire way to please young and old alike.
