No, it’s not Harry Potter. Not Narnia. However, Percy Jackson generated little enthusiasm when it was released, following in the footsteps of these fantastic literary sagas adapted for the big screen. The studio behind the film, Fox – now owned by Disney – even hired the first Harry Potter director, Chris Columbus, to recreate the magic.
Instead of a wizarding world, this franchise invests in the realm of Greek mythology. The hero, the son of Poseidon, is accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning. In addition to discovering his identity as a demigod, he must go on an adventure with a satyr and the daughter of Athena to prevent war.
Percy Jackson has not been spared from criticism, but the blockbuster remains an ideal adventure for a rhythmic and well-entertained adult audience.
A four star cast
Around the young actor Logan Lerman, who plays the lead role, many familiar faces appear, such as Pierce Brosnan as a centaur who takes the form of a professor in a wheelchair in the human world; Sean Bean as Zeus; Rosario Dawson as Persephone or even Uma Thurman as Medusa.
If the success in cinemas is not comparable to other similar franchises, a sequel was released three years later under the name Sea of Monsters. Unlike Harry Potter, adaptations of Percy Jackson were not made by its author, Rick Riordan, on the contrary.
On X — earlier on Twitter — the writer responded to a fan of the novels: “I haven’t seen the movies yet and I don’t plan to. I know what I’m talking about, I had read the scripts because the story is very important to me. I have absolutely nothing against very talented actors. It’s not their fault. I am also sorry that he was dragged into this mess.“
To remedy the situation, the novelist produced and signed the first episode of the series on Disney+, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which aims to be more faithful to the original works. The second season is under preparation.
Both Percy Jackson movies are available on Netflix.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
