Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review: Fun and Exciting Adventure Series That Is Sure To Please Fans
Cast: Walker Scobell, Aryan Simhadri, Leah Jeffries, Threnody Tsai, Jason Gray-Stanford, Jelena Milinkovic, Ryan Cowie, Timothy Omundson, Lance Reddick, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Megan Mullally, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Toby Stephens, Jason Mantzoukas
Director: James Bobin, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson
Streaming Platform: Disney+
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4/5 (four stars)
We have seen the first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, arriving on December 20th on Disney+ in 8 episodes total. A television series, thanks primarily to its duration and a much broader structure from a narrative point of view, is already capable of better satisfying the appetite of fans of a specific literary saga. Percy Jackson, on the other hand, in his remediation of films for the big screen had – due to the need for duration and narration – left some aspects behind, he had only sketched some characters, focusing on some aspects and putting others in the background. The arrival, therefore, of a television series distributed by Disney on its flagship platform could be an opportunity to give new luster to a project that had already attracted good acclaim at the time and now aims to do even more.
We have seen a preview of the first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians and we can tell you about them, We are waiting to see the entire series of 8 total episodes and tell you what we thought of it. Percy Jackson & the Olympians was a fairly forgettable film saga. It was signed by Chris Columbus and launched actors such as Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson. Now the remake has arrived on Disney+, a television series more faithful to the series of children’s novels by Rick Riordan, with a new cast, new packaging but a style that is perhaps too hybrid.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review: The Story Plot
Percy Jackson is a 12-year-old boy who faces the daily routine of his life targeted by bullies and harassed by the fact of being an atypical person. A slave to those classic American school dynamics, where the strangest are often put aside, Percy does nothing but, day after day, confirm to everyone that something about him just isn’t right. In reality, it is all justified by his being a demigod, without him having yet been able to discover it. The only friend who starts to stay close to him, strange too, is Glover, a boy who will soon manage to break into Percy’s heart and establish a very strong relationship, until he too – out of necessity – ends up betraying him, introducing him to a world that, as his mother will tell him, he didn’t expect would open up before his eyes.
The plot of Percy Jackson retraces in a very faithful manner what had been the narrative of the literary saga and which instead, as we had anticipated earlier, the film had been forced to revise to compact the whole as much as possible initial story. With eight episodes available, the first two focus on the revelation of Percy’s nature and feature the methodical end-of-episode cliffhanger (all around the mid-point mark) hour long) about revelations that shake Percy’s character and the viewer himself. As long as you arrive as virgins with any experience related to the saga, because if you were already aware of the nature of the young Jackson you will not find any type of change in this series. The much longer timescales and the possibility of having an hour available for the first two episodes alone allowed the showrunners to work much more on the characters, starting from the protagonist and those around him.
The one who undoubtedly benefits from this operation is Glover, who, after having peeked into Jackson’s life and revealing his true nature, will come to enjoy a screen time of his favor already in the second episode, embracing not only an internal conflict that will lead him to some reflections on what he has done but also to create possible parallel branches with other characters. Among these certainly Dionysus, the first deity shown to us in the second episode, to whom Jason Mantzoukas manages to give that haggard and arrogant attitude that is so befitting the god of ecstasy and intoxication. Among those who make their – justified – return also in the series, we find Chiron, the centaur who in New York has the appearance of Professor Brunner and who will guide Percy in what is his self-determination, targeted – also at the camp of half-breed – from bullies.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review and Analysis
Starting from the rather contrasting, and generally negative, reactions inspired by previous film adaptations, a general interest, and perhaps even fear, towards a new adaptation of Percy Jackson is consistent and The Gods of Olympus. Historic fans of Rick Riordan’s books (in this regard, if you love reading and want to delve deeper into Percy’s adventures beyond the small screen, we would like to point out that given the new TV series, the Mondadori Ragazzi brings the famous saga back to bookstores in a hardcover edition with the translation by Loredana Baldinucci and the dust jacket illustrated by Victo Ngai, spectacular, unmissable and perfect for immersing yourself in the magical world built by the American writer) know well the world created by their favorite author and over time they have developed a particular affection for both Percy and all the other protagonists, difficult to replace with something that does not you respect its main characteristics or at least its soul.
Based on what we saw in the first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, it seems that there is no reason to fear in this sense, given that the introductory part of the serial project for the small screen moves hand in hand with what can also be read in the first book of the saga. Of course, we are still talking about two different languages with very different creative and expressive possibilities. Referring to a more general audience, it is normal that one does not limit oneself to a copy and paste from the original but… in terms of fidelity and coherence, the first two episodes work great. As also happens in the first volume, the presentation of the protagonist follows a precise and direct path, without too many turns. So, we get to know Percy (played by Walker Scobell), Grover (Aryan Simhadri), Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), and all the other main protagonists of a fantastic tale that is just waiting to be discovered again and again.
Starting from the daily events in the life of an ordinary boy, a story with magical and fantastic features will develop in which family origins and identity in this sense will fuel a journey of self-discovery and of the world beyond things, with the most famous Greek divinities and all the epic and heroic stories studied at school ready to take on a different, more direct, adventurous and even frightening meaning. In the first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, it is already possible to begin to breathe that air of adventure typical of the paper counterpart. There are many things to introduce, both to the spectators and to the little protagonist himself, and in this, the series chooses to move nimbly by mixing some cards and notions that fans know well, without distorting the story too much #39 original. The interpretations of the small cast, for example, convince, even if there is still a lot to see in this sense (some purely aesthetic choices are interesting and, as also happened with the film adaptations, rather distant from the original ones in the books), given that Percy Jackson’s great journey has yet to find its profound reasons.
In any case, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is curiously enveloping from the very first minutes of the story, managing to introduce easily to the narrative material in play and to involve thanks to the general care in terms of sets and costumes. In this sense, the coherence with the original material is almost obsessive, offering new and old enthusiasts a world that is just waiting to be explored, playing with one of the most famous theological iconographies of all time. The mix between contemporary reality and ancient Greece, complete with divinities, works very well and knows how to entertain and fascinate as a whole, returning an adventure paved with symbolism and a dark mystery that must be revealed, with the right courage. From a technical-aesthetic point of view, Percy Jackson and the Olympians are convincing us a lot. Even just in the characterization and construction of Camp Half-Blood (a magical, iconic, and central place in the growth of all the characters).
The TV series has achieved a coherent and interesting, which knows how to transport you into a world that is both fresh and fast, and memorable as a whole. It remains curious to see how fans will react to some changes, albeit minimal, and obligatory, depending on the television language which, to let us remember again, moves differently compared to that of novels. Nothing serious or overwhelming has happened with the films, fortunately, and nothing that affects, at least for now, the good impressions that Percy Jackson and the Olympians left us a preview. With 6 episodes ahead of us and other revelations that will surely soon arrive, we await with discreet interest to find out how Percy Jackson and the Olympians will try not only to change any events that will lead us to the finale of the story but also how it will manage, from the point of view of the VFX infrastructure, any clashes and epic moments that will have to be declined – we expect – with modern abundance, more advanced than that of ten years ago.
At the same time, we trust that we will be able to have more insights into other characters who could have more screen time in these other 6 episodes: think of Annabeth Chase, but also of all the other children of the deities who will be introduced during the series. adventure, from the son of Hermes to the daughter of Ares, also passing through the divinities themselves Ares and Hephaestus, already announced in the cast. The film saga from ten years ago had a captivating aesthetic and a very pop-soul, despite taking liberties that would have left even the slightest connoisseur of Greek mythology scratching their heads. Here it’s not that different though, we have the usual vision of Hades as a villain, heavy changes to symbolism and meanings, quite forced casting, and a diesel engine. Scobell is quite good, although he is surpassed by Simhadri, if only for greater expressive range and for how the character lends itself to greater variations. The rest of the cast is the result of the classic inclusive compromise for today’s Stars and Stripes audience.
And so, Zeus is the recently deceased Lance Reddick, Chiron is the aforementioned Turman, and Annabeth Chase has also become African-American: Leah Jeffries plays her, who moves like a fairly cold version of Hermione Granger. The three boys wander around looking for a solution to Percy’s problem, who in reality is not a demigod like the others, but something much more special. Percy Jackson and the Olympians often become over-dialogued, according to the old defect of explaining rather than showing; an excess of zeal that often makes the whole thing heavy. The tone in Percy Jackson and the Olympians is also often irregular, as it moves from dramatic to teen melody, from almost parody to serious. However, in the end, a more adventure style emerges, more connected to the old “fright” as also seen in Piccoli Brividi, a very enjoyable series by Disney+ released a few months ago.
Here we take ourselves perhaps a little too seriously, but without excessive fuss and that abundance of sugar that made the film cycle truly unbearable at times. It is difficult to understand if and to what extent this adaptation will be successful, given the vastness of the offering that Disney+ offers, but Percy Jackson and the Olympians, if nothing else, try to be faithful to the source, within a certain limit. Of course, the doubt remains that perhaps the latter was overrated at the time. Overseas, the Riordan saga is a modern myth, but the reality is that it didn’t offer much more interesting than a derivation of Harry Potter. Percy Jackson and the Olympians if nothing else also has an interesting aesthetic, and CGI effects that will delight old fans.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review: The Last Words
From what we have seen so far, Percy Jackson and the Olympians seem promising. What they are doing with the new Disney Plus TV series is different from past adaptations. In this case, we perceive that the primary objective is linked to fidelity to the original material, obviously reworked through the language of seriality. Not a copy and paste, but a work that has convinced us for now, despite having seen very little of it. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a fun and exciting adventure series that is sure to please fans of the books and newcomers alike. With its strong performances, action, humor, and themes of friendship, loyalty, and self-discovery, the series is a must-watch for anyone looking for a great fantasy adventure.
- The series is a great way to introduce young people to Greek mythology.
- The series is diverse and inclusive, featuring characters of different races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations.
- The series has been praised for its positive portrayal of ADHD and dyslexia.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Review: Fun and Exciting Adventure Series That Is Sure To Please Fans - Filmyhype
Director: James Bobin, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson
Date Created: 2023-12-15 13:53
4.01
Pros
- Faithful adaptation: The series closely follows the plot of the first book, The Lightning Thief, while also making some welcome changes that flesh out the characters and world.
- Strong performances: Walker Scobell is perfectly cast as Percy Jackson, capturing his humor, sarcasm, and vulnerability. The rest of the cast, including Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, also deliver strong performances.
- Action and adventure: The series is full of exciting action sequences, from Percy battling mythological creatures to his quests across the country.
- Humor: The series is funny, with Percy's sarcastic wit and the cast's great comedic timing.
- Themes of friendship, loyalty, and self-discovery: At its heart, Percy Jackson is a story about friendship, loyalty, and self-discovery. Percy learns to accept who he is and embrace his powers, while also making some great friends along the way.
Cons
- Some pacing issues: The series can feel rushed at times, especially in the later episodes.
- CGI can be uneven: The CGI can be a bit hit-or-miss, with some creatures looking great and others looking a bit janky.
