The Lightning Thief

Saturday, my father, sister and I went to go see the film Lightning Thief. I wanted to go see it because I enjoyed reading the series over the years (way before there was even a mention of a film). I do not think I have ever read a book before I saw it made into a film.* Nor have I watched a film then read the book (minus the ones I watched as a child and then read as an adult- Time Machine, Swiss Family Robinson, etc). If a film was made from a book I pretty much watched the film and never went back to read the book because I already know the plot so why take the time. You have to understand this background of why this makes a difference in my film watching experience.

I really like the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I have read them all and was a bit sad when the last book came out last year. It has what I like in book- mystery, action and humor. So I thought I would take a stab and watch the film.

I think I would have enjoyed the film more if I had not read the book, maybe because I already knew how it would all work out. The water special effects were impressive. I liked that they picked some big names as the adult leads- Pierce Bronson, Uma Thurman, Sean Bean (though I had to hide a laugh that Bond and a Bond villain being in a movie together again). Grover character brought in humor but somehow it was lost to the audience. But then again I was going to a Saturday matinee where kids were kicking the back my seat, throwing popcorn, and kept asking their parents what was going on.

The film did have two story point problems: First, they combined two of the female characters into one which is fine and dandy unless they are planning on making the rest of the books into films and then they are going to run into problem. Second, they forgot another essential element in the film, which I can not mention otherwise it would spoil it for those who have not read the books, once again is fine unless they are going to make more films from the books.

My sister and father said they enjoyed it minus their concerns for the story elements mentioned above and since they do read books before they are made into films and vice versa I would say, give the film a try. But please, read the books, at least the first one.

*I remembered after I posted this that I did read Twilight years before the film, but I didn't expect much from the film.