A Network of Entertainment: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief*

If you have been to my other blog, then you know that I am a sucker for Mythology, if there is one thing in the world that will probably set me off in a talkative rage, it would definitely be about the supernatural or mythology. I know, I am such a dork!

I love mythology so much that I cringe every time a story is told and it's not accurate. I mean, if you have to tell a story through a book or a movie, at least get the facts straight, sure, it maybe just a couple of stories told the wrong way to some people, but it really strikes a nerve for people like me who understand it better than a normal person.

Anyway, recently I had the chance to watch the movie Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. I must admit, I loved it because even though it was set in the modern world the characters in the story, specifically the Gods, were accurate enough.

I did a little research and apparently, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series of novels written by Rick Riordan and The Lightning Thief is the first book. I haven't gotten the chance to read the book, but judging from how the movie went, I bet the book is a lot better and I just know I will love it.

So anyway, Percy Jackson is set in the real world, and the thing I love about it is that its story is a new story and is not an adaptation of some old Greek Myth. I like it better that way, because there are no room for errors when you create a whole new story. The Gods in the story are the same, as well as some of the mythical creatures in it, and I must say, they were pretty much how I have imagined to see them in the modern world, so I give it a thumbs up on that aspect alone.

The only issues I had with this film were:

1. Zeus and his brothers are fighting to have rule over the earth. They aren't fighting over Zeus' position. Although Zeus holds the position as the chief of the Gods, Poseidon and Hades have no intentions of taking his place. When they have won the war against the Titans, all 3 of them agreed on who should be the chief of the Gods and who should rule which part of the world, and so all 3 of them decided that Zeus can take Heaven, Poseidon the Sea and Hades the Underworld. The 3 of them have no issues between each other whatsoever.

2. I did not like how Hades and his wife Persephone were personified. Most people have this notion that just because he is the God of the Underworld he is evil, but Hades is NOT evil. He is not Satan, and he is not death. You see, in Greek mythology, death is not viewed as a negative thing, it's just what it is, an end to your life on earth and a beginning of your life Underworld. The Underworld is also NOT hell. It can be heaven or hell depending on how you have lived your life. So anyway they portrayed Hades as evil, which he is not and they show Persephone eager to get away from her husband and that she hates him. In Greek Myth, although Persephone felt sad when Hades kidnapped her and forced her to marry him, in time she learned how to love him otherwise she wouldn't have eaten the pomegranate seed which prevented her from permanently leaving Hades' side, and the only reason she felt sad about being in the Underworld was that she was not able to spend time with her mother Demeter, Goddess of the Corn/Harvest. But that was it, she didn't hate Hades, she did love him, otherwise she would have protested and did all she could to leave the Underworld, but the fact is, she didn't. Hades may not be a compassionate or warm God, but he is a just God and is only angered when people try to cheat death or steal souls from his realm but other than that, he's quite the strong, silent type. His weapon is the Cap of Invisibility bestowed upon him by the Cyclops when he and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon challenged the Titans for rule over the world.

In my opinion, Persephone is not how Rosario Dawson portrayed her, I just don't see her as a kind of deceitful seductress, because like I said even though Hades and Persephone had a bad start, in time, they became like the golden couple. Hades wasn't a womanizer like Zeus was. Among all the Gods, Hades was the only God to have no stories about having many children with many different women.

So anyway, on to Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Here's a sneak peek of the movie:

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a story about Percy Jackson, played by Logan Lerman (Gamer, My One and Only) , who is a demi-God because he is the son of Poseidon God of the Sea played by Kevin McKidd (Made of Honor, Grey's Anatomy), but then he doesn't know it, and he's in hiding because other mythical creatures want him dead. He is not aware of his famous father and he is not aware that he has control over the water like his father, all he knows is that he can stay under water for a really long time and that he can think clearer when he is under water.

He soon finds out that he is a demi-God when mythical creatures start attacking him and accusing him of stealing Zeus' master lightning bolt, which he didn't. So after a couple of attacks on his life, he figures out that his best friend, Gorver Underwood played by Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder, Tooth Fairy), is a Sater, a half man half goat, a demi-God's guardian, and his teacher, Mr. Brunner played by Pierce Brosnan (Mamma Mia!, Laws of Attraction) is a centaur named Chiron, famous for being the trainer of heroes. They take him to a demi-God's camp so he can learn to use his powers and learn battle moves so he can protect himself. He then feels attracted to another demi-God, Annabeth Chase played by Alexandra Daddario (The Attic, The Babysitters), daughter of Athena the Goddess of Wisdom, played by Melina Kanakaredes (C.S.I:N.Y.).

Upon learning that his mother is still alive but is being held captive in the Underworld by Hades played by Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum 1&2, Hot Fuzz), he and his friend Grover, joined by Annabeth venture in the Underworld to try and save Percy's mom. They sought Luke's help played by Jake Abel (The Lovely Bones), son of Hermes, the messenger of the Gods. Luke gives them a portable shield, flying shoes and a map to the location of Persephone's pearls, they need these pearls so they can get out of the Underworld. They encounter the first pearl in a Garden shop which turns out to be Medusa's lair, played by Uma Thurman (Kill Bill Volume 1&2). They manage to decapitate her and take the first pearl from her bracelet, but they took her head with her believing that it might be useful to them. The second place they went to was a museum where the Hydra disguised as 5 janitors was guarding the pearl located on the crown of Athena's statue, the Hydra transforms when it sees them and a battle ensues, they use Medusa's head to turn it into stone and they got away. The 3rd and final place they went to was a Las Vegas casino, which turned out to be the lair of the Lotus eaters. When you eat the lotus flowers it makes you forget the things that you need to do and as long as you kept eating it you will be trapped in the casino. Percy heard his father's voice telling him to stop eating the flowers, and so he did and persuaded Annabeth and Grover to do the same, which they did, and they were able to get the pearl which was in one of the roulette tables and they left.

However, they were faced with a dilemma as they had very little time until Zeus rages war against his brothers if his master lightning bolt was not returned to him. They found their way to the Underworld's entrance where they bribe Charon the ferryman with gold coins so they can get across. They were greeted by Persephone played by Rosario Dawson (Grindhouse: Deathproof, Eagle Eye), and was put before Hades, they talk and then Hades produces his mom, they hug, and then Hades catches a glimpse of the lightning bolt hidden in Percy's shield, he claims he had no idea it was there, Hades didn't believe him and was about to strike him when Persephone snatched the bolt from him, and then shocked him with it. She then let them go, however, because they only had 3 pearls, Grover had to stay behind. By now they know that it was Luke who stole the lightning bolt.

They get to the Empire State building where the entrance to Olympus was but then Luke arrives, he and Percy battles it out, Luke loses and Percy was able to return the lightning bolt and prevent a war of the Gods. He request that Zeus returns Grover from the Underworld, he agrees. He then has a moment with his father, Poseidon. They all go back to the camp, where they continue their training.

The End.