Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief soundtrack-01 Prelude

:ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK: Album:"Percy Jackson and the Olympians 'The Lightening Thief" Song:"Prelude" :Music Composed and Produced by: "Christophe Beck" :Track: 01

Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief Review

Greek Mythology has given Hollywood filmmakers some great ideas to build exciting films. Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans, (the 1981 and soon to be the 2010 remake) The Odyssey. The list of course goes on and on. So a film based on the novel, Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief takes an idea of Greek Mythology and attempts to capture a younger audience. The film is directed by Chris Columbus and the screenplay is by Craig Titley. The cast includes Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Sean Bean, Jake Abel, Pierce Brosnan, and Uma Thurman.

The plot of the film involves king of the Greek gods, Zeus (Bean) accusing the son of Poseidon (Kevin McKidd) of stealing is most powerful weapon, his lightning bolt. Now Poseidon son has 14 days to return the bolt before the summer solstice or there will be a war between the gods that would spill onto the earth. Cut to teenager Percy Jackson, (Lerman) who is living a typical life of high school and putting up with a deadbeat step father, Gabe (Joe Pantoliano) He hangs out with his best friend, Grover (Jackson). One day while on a field trip, he discover that he can be able to read the Greek letters on an exhibit. His discovery is cut short when he is attacked by a monster from ancient mythology, accusing him of stealing the lightning bolt.

Grover and his teacher pulls him out of the museum and leads him to a secret camp for demigods, half human, half gods where they trained to hone in their powers; but this is not without Percy's mother being capture by one of the hades minions and is held prisoner in hell. Now it is a race against time as Percy hurries to find the lightning bolt of Zeus, clear his name, and rescue his mother before the summer solstice or the earth is be destroyed by war.

While the idea of a Greek mythology film for kids sounds like a great concept, after viewing this movie, I have to say that this one failed in execution. One thing that I did dislike was the fact that within the first half hour, you will know who actually stole the lightning bolt (not spoiling the ending, but for avid movie goers, the plot is very easy to see through). Plus, throughout the film, Jackson faces many monsters of the film who are searching for the bolt, including Medusa (Thurman) a hydra, and various minions of Hades. Each time, there encounter him, there sound off the same thing, "Where is the lightning bolt?" I may be digressing on this one, but on what grounds do they have that Percy really did steal the thing? I mean for all we may know, Hades could have taken it, but know one is saying that he did it. Even Zeus in the beginning of the film is labeling Percy Jackson as guilty, but know one seems to be challenging the king of the gods on what grounds that Percy really did do it.

The acting throughout the film is mediocre at best. This one was intended as a family film, so it succeeds by having a balance amount of action and suspense, with more than enough one liner's inserted throughout the film, and an occasional fact of Greek mythology inserted to keep the film educational. I wouldn't be surprise seeing this one on ABC family one is theatrical and DVD releases are over. Bottom line, if you haven't seen it yet and are curious on what it may be like, you may be better off waiting to see it on DVD as a rental or even at a dollar theater if it's already on it's second run.

Final Verdict: 2 out of 5 stars.

If you like this review, check out my blog, http://www.moviegamelounge.co/ for other film and DVD reviews

Percy Jackson & the Olympians - The Lightning Thief Movie

The Lightning Thief is a movie adaptation of the book with the same name by Rick Riordan. Percy Jackson is the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. He has spent his whole life up until this point not knowing the truth, but that suddenly changes.

When we meet Percy he is just a normal high school kid going on a field trip. This trip is to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. While looking at an exhibit on Greek Mythology he is compelled to walk into a closed room. All of a sudden fantastical creatures are attacking him and accusing him of stealing Zeus's lightning bolt, the most powerful weapon in the universe. Of course Percy has no idea of what they are talking about since he thinks that he is a normal boy.

His best friend turns out to be a Satyr (mythical half goat, half man) and is his assigned protector. Together, they escape to a camp for half breeds. There Percy meets other half-gods and mythical creatures and begins training to become a hero. Hades arrives one night to tell Percy that he has captured Percy's mother and is holding her hostage for the Lightning Bolt. Percy decides to go on a quest to free his mother.

The overall story of this movie feels like a young adult version of Clash of the Titans. There are many similarities between the two movies. The main difference being that Percy is the son of Poseidon and Perseus was the son of Zeus. The other obvious difference is that the Lightning Thief is set in modern times instead of ancient Greece.

The acting was a little better than most teen movies. The special effects were all gorgeous and appropriate for each scene. I would say the production quality was top notch which is surprising for these types of movies.

Overall, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting a lot less than what I got when I watched it. The fresh spin on Greek mythology was refreshing and very interesting. The movie has made me want to go read the books, which is high praise indeed. It's Geektime gives Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning an 8 on the d10 of mythology.

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"Percy Jackson & the Olympians - the Lightning Thief" Movie Review

"Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief"
My 0-10 rating: 8
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Chris Columbus
Screenwriter: Craig Titley, based on the Rick Riordan novels
Starring: Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Melina Kanakaredes, Jack Abel, Catherine Keener, Kevin McKidd, Joe Pantoliano, Uma Thurman
Time: 1 hr., 59 min.
Rating: PG (for action violence and peril, some scary images, suggestive material, mild vulgarity)

Hey, big surprise. "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief" is almost totally fun for everybody, with enormously imaginative and spellbinding digital effects, has a pretty decent script and is terrifically educational while being never less than top entertainment.

Critically, it's being compared unfavorably to Harry Potter. Unfair. This is not Harry Potter and isn't supposed to be. It has its own singular delights and its concepts of what Greek gods do are often very humorous. Granted, by virtue of its attractive and appealing leads, it's pitched hard to teenagers, but its attractions are numerous and never cheap.

In fact, if one wants to push the Harry Potter qualities, it must be said that "Percy Jackson" is more intellectually accessible and won't bother you with attracting pseudo-sophisticated analysis. It's just easy, visually jolting fun with solid family values and worthwhile ancient mythology elements. It's another of those many movies which you pick apart afterwards but you know darned well you were spellbound through most of it.

In ancient Greek mythology -- which here in the film turns out to be not mythology at all -- the gods walked among ordinary people and even bore them children, called demigods. Three of the gods, the big honchos, were the brothers Zeus, Poseidon and Hades.

Well now, here's New York teenager Percy (Logan Lerman) who is living with single mom Sally (Catherine Keener) and her no-good boyfriend Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pentoliano). What Percy has never known is that his real father is Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), the Greek god of the oceans. So Percy is a demi-god, son of a god and a human.

Although he has been aware of some strange personal talents, like being easily able to exist underwater for over seven minutes, he'll presently find out about his demi-god status during a museum field trip on Greek antiquities. Turns out that up in the celestial world, the gods of Mount Olympus, headed by chief god Zeus (Sean Bean), are quite upset. Seems that Zeus' famed and feared master lightning bolt has disappeared and he seriously suspects that Percy, son of his brother Poseidon, has ripped it off. This bolt, of course, as per the classical mythology, is the ultimate weapon of the universe, perfectly able to rain total destruction.

Percy's teacher is Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan), his friend is Grover (Brandon T. Jackson). They, it will become clear, are hybrid human-animal creatures whose mission it is to protect him in the imminent Olympian showdown.

Complicating matters is that his mom has mysteriously disappeared. It will be learned that she had been kidnapped by Hades (Steve Coogan), the god of the underworld. Percy's mission then involves a double goal: find and rescue his mom, and prove his own innocence to his dad, Poseidon. And maybe find the sword? At a remote, magical camp for demi-gods and centaurs is Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), who is the daughter of Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom (Melina Kanakaredes) and is a martial arts and swordsperson extraordinaire. Percy also finds that Mr. Brunner, a.k.a. Chiron the centaur, and handsome-but-suspicious young Luke (Jack Abel), messenger to the gods, are in charge. Bodyguard sidekick Grover, now also revealed as a centaur, stands by.

As always in such epic tales, they will meet many a monster, like the snake-headed Medusa (Uma Thurman). Strangely, she is peculiarly vulnerable to being hit and demolished by a Ford pick-up. Meantime, Percy's power with water. he being the son of the god of the seas, will come in handy.

There was so much immense, earth-destructive power on display in the effects that I never got tired of them.

Marty Meltz, http://www.martymoviereviews.com, was the 30-year films critic for the New England Award-winning Maine Sunday Telegram until his column was terminated for budget cuts on Dec. 31, 2007.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief Film Review

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is based on the first of a series of books by author Rick Riordan and is aimed at young teens, particularly boys. The series proposes that the Greek Gods are alive and kicking in the modern world, more specifically operating out of a new Mount Olympus in Manhattan.

Percy Jackson, the titular character, is the son of the God Poseidon and a mortal woman, and is known as a half-blood or demi-god. Once he comes of age he is exposed to this mythical world that regular people cannot see due to a mist covering their eyes. Shipped off to Camp Half-Blood for the summer he meets others of his ilk and then becomes embroiled in a prophecy that will determine the fate of the world.

The whole thing may sound clichéd and simply a re-hash of Harry Potter but the book's author has embedded enough Ancient Greek Mythology into the story and infused it with both fast-paced adventures and genuinely funny moments that it is hard not to love.

Chris Columbus, director of the first two Harry Potter films and Home alone has adapted the book to screen and succeeded in bringing the feel of the books into cinemas. Given Columbus' pedigree he is no stranger to the target audience of this story and like his first Harry Potter film, he takes a rather literal view of the book, and doesn't infuse too much of his own vision into the film. That is bad on one side, he sets up the world rather too obviously but also quite a good thing for fans of the book, the plot unravels much as the book does.

The characters are much as you would expect and the film-makers have done a good job casting the trio of young leads, though fans have already expressed their opinions about changes in the ages of the characters and the look of both Grover and Annabelle. The supporting cast really sets the film apart with Uma Thurman, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan in highly charismatic roles on both sides of the Greek Mythology. When on screen they shine with experience and bring a level of credibility to the film that young unknown performers simply can't achieve.

The conclusion is very wet but highly spectacular and effectively rounds out the story but also sets the scene for the next film. As with many contemporary franchise movies, you are reminded not to leave before the end of the credits!

Overall the film is well paced and provides two hours of solid entertainment. There is enough here to warrant a second look and interested viewers are encouraged to refresh their memory about Greek Mythology in order to enhance their viewing experience. Better yet, read on into the series of Percy Jackson books to discover how this prophecy plays out. Its like Clash Of the Titans for kids.

Inger loves stories and loves to write. She has been writing words on paper for quite some time so when the Internet came along she started writing online too. You can see her latest website which helps people to find the perfect wok set for their kitchen at http://www.wokset.net.

The Lightning Thief Has Hard Hitting Action and Costumes

Just a couple more weeks until Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief is released to theaters. The young-adult book series, by Rick Riordan, has been a big hit in my family and although it is written for the younger generation, it also appeals to adults. My guess is that with the popularity of the books and a new movie opening up on February 12th, costumes based on this fantasy adventure story will be very popular for Halloween 2010.

The plot revolves around high school student Percy Jackson who really gets a history lesson when the gods of Mount Olympus come to life and walk right out of the pages of his Greek Mythology text book! Turns out Percy, who finds out his father is Poseidon (making him a demi-god), is the prime suspect in the stealing of Zeus' lighting bolt. His mother mysteriously disappears and, with the help of friends, Percy sets out on adventure to catch the real thief, safe his mother and unravels an epic mystery as well.

You can make the story come to life at your own party by dressing up in Greek god and goddess costumes. Zeus, king of the gods and ruler of Mt. Olympus, is known for his white robes, white beard and lightning bolt which he throws about. A toga costume and costume beard will make this Greek costume easily transformable into a Lightening Thief costume. Women might like to dress up as Aphrodite, the most beautiful of the Greek Goddesses. A long column-style gown wrapped criss-cross around the waist, a cascading blonde wig and golden Greek jewelry complete her Greek costume. Other touches for a Greek costume include leather sandals, coin jewelry, arm cuffs that look like snakes and laurel wreath headbands.

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Todd Denning
http://www.costumemachine.com
Costume Machine is a costume search engine.