Percy Jackson is a likable, fast-paced fantasy movie based on a series of books for young adults that will no doubt be compared to the Harry Potter series. Percy Jackson plays as a lot less serious (and therefore a lot more fun) than the recent Harry Potter movies. The last few Potter movies are basically dark and endless, with little magic and a villain who just won’t die popping up again and again. Viewers looking forward to moving past the 3 hour Potter-fests should check out Percy Jackson. The movie is exciting, the special effects are good, and there’s a new spin on Greek mythology throughout the 2 hour movie. The casting is mostly spot-on with a lot of veteran actors in supporting roles as famous characters from Greek mythology and some of the gadgets (especially a pen that turns into a sword) are really cool.

Percy (rumored Peter Parker/Spider-man, Logan Lerman) plays a brooding teen with Daddy issues (a recurring theme in these kinds of movies) who finds out his father is the God Poseiden. Zeus’s (Sean Bean’s) lightning bolt has been stolen and Percy is the prime suspect. With the aid of a warrior girl (daughter of Athena, no less) and a protector Percy goes across country to clear his name, get the bolt, and prevent a war involving all the Gods on Mount Olympus. Some of the cooler scenes involve Medusa (played by Uma Thurman as a vain, eurotrash fashion designer) and an ipod used in a clever way so Percy can see her reflection, a trip to the Underworld where Persephone (Rosario Dawson, vamping it up) is under-dressed for a PG movie, and an amusing and drug-fueled trip to Vegas where our heroes accidently eat magical lotus flowers and unknowingly get high. Steve Coogan plays Hades as a burned out goth rocker and Catherine Keener is Percy’s long-suffering mortal Mom. Brandon T Jackson plays Percy’s protector/comic relief and there’s a lot more detail in the story that viewers should discover on their own.

A good, inventive fantasy movie is rare these days and Percy Jackson fits the bill. In what might be the start of a new franchise, Percy Jackson & The Olympians hits the bulls-eye, but also has a complete ending and doesn’t cheat with an easy cliffhanger for a sequel. I wouldn’t recommend the movie for small children as its more violent and scarier than expected, but everyone else will have a blast. As a long-time fan of the fantastical stories of Greek mythology Percy Jackson was an unexpected treat.

Grade: B+

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