Thursday, December 21, 2023

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, premiere, review!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians has debuted on Disney+ and brings an understanding of Percy's character before we are thrown into his adventures! Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a popular six book series for young readers by Rick Riordan. The first series is called the Camp Half-Bloood Chronicles, which began in 2005.  It was followed by The Heroes of Olympus, and The Trials of ApolloA film series adapted the first two books; Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013). 

The series is created by Riordan and Jonathan E. teinberg who co-created the post-apocalyptic show, Jericho, in 2006. The first episode is entitled, “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher”, which is also the title of the chapter one. It is written by Riordan and Steinberg. The premiere is directed by James Bobin and he also directed Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019). 

The story begins with Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), explaining that he didn’t want to be a Half-Blood. Scobell played young Adam in The Adam Project (2022). There is of course another fantasy series that uses the term “Half-Blood” with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It was out at the same year as The Lightning ThiefThere is lightning flashing in the night sky as the rain pours down. 


Out of the haze comes Percy aged down from the film’s 16 year old teen to 12, more accurate to the books. Percy warns the viewers about being a Half-Blood. In Greek mythology, of course, they were known as demi-gods. He introduces himself as we see a school hall, a teacher runs up to look out of a window, he races up stairs to the roof. I actually like this beginning that is different from the films and Harry Potter, the magical or in this case mythological at the edges of the real world, instead of everything hidden in a magical world. 



Then, the teacher finds a younger Percy (Azriel Dalman), 2nd grade, staring. As they leave, we see across another building, a black pegasus unfolding its wings! Percy ends up in the office of a counselor (David Beearisto) whose conversation we can’t hear. In class, Percy sees out of the window and armored bull, which he says came from his mother’s stories. This is the Bronze Bull out of Jason and the Argonauts and seems to change into a garbage truck. 


His bullies pass by Percy and he continus to draw the Bronze Bull in his sketch book. His book is filled with mythical creatures that he keeps secret when Percy’s life changes. A minotaur card from a trading card game is placed on his page. This is day Percy meets Grover (Aryan Simhadri). The actor played Hare$h in the Cheaper by the Dozen tv show. He smiles, but gets smacked in the head by a backpack. 


They both laugh at the lunch table. Percy brings up another change on what he says is “the day they decided to come for me.”  At The Met, a teacher, Mr. Brunner (Glynn Turman) says that statues that are the “deepest parts of yourselves.” In the book, it is explained by Percy that Mr. Brunner is the Latin teacher. He  is an older man with a white beard in a wheelchair. Mr. Brunner asks his students to choose on subject. Percy looks at his worksheet and the words waver in a brilliant depiction of dyslexia. Percy looks at the statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa. 


In flashback, his mother, Sally (Virginia Kull) says he was named Perseus. Kull was in Law & Order: Special Victims UnitShe also corrects her son that Medusa may not be a monster. Sally tells Percy that she named him after Perseus because the hero and his mother were cast out by the king. Percy snaps out of it calling his mother. A student, Nancy (Olivea Morton), with red hai like the book, mocks him. His teacher, Mrs. Dodds (Megan Mullaly), tells him that he should control himself. Mullally was in the Party Down comedy series, I almost didn't recognize her in this appearance


Nancy says he is “special” and Mr. Brunner defends Percy telling him to ignore them. He says that he believes in Percy and gives him a pen. Outside by a fountain, Percy is having sandwiches with Grover, and he tells his friend he would like to push Nancy into a dumpster. Grover says they won’t be in the school forever. He is hit by the remains of a sandwich thrown by Nancy! This is the beginning of the first book. Percy has had enough and starts to confront the bully. The novel has the roar of a wave in his ears and Nancy pulled in by the fountain water. Nancy is thrown to the fountain just by Percy reaching out with his hands! 


She complains about being pushed. Percy notices that there is a humming sound and reaches into his jacket pocket to take out the pen! It vibrates in his hand when he hears in his mind the voice of Mrs. Dodds, “There you are, we’re not fools, Percy Jackson.” She moves through the stunned students. Then, wings unfold from her back! His teacher takes the demonic form of one of the Furies, Alecto! Percy is knocked down, but she is struck by a yellow bolt and is destroyed! I do like this threat, Harry Potter never really seemed to be in trouble until the series got started, and Percy's power is unconscious. Percy comes to with a circle of students around him. 


Mr. Brunner rolls his wheelchair over to him and picks Percy up. Percy wonders what happened and Mr. Brunner says there is no one there named Mrs. Dodds. They are at the headmaster’s office, Percy stesses that he didn’t touch Nancy, Grover sides with Nancy. Betrayal! Percy is alone at a bench, Mr. Brunner moves by him, and tries to tell him that he is special. Percy doesn’t care and just wants to catch a truck to take him home. It is raining when Percy gloomily walks towards an argument inside his apartment home. 


 Inside, his stepfather, Gabe (Timm Sharp) is sitting on a recliner asking him how he got kicked out of school. Percy is angry that Gabe answered his mother’s phone. Sally is sitting outside of a window in the rain. Percy tries to apologize, but she hugs him. His mother knows about the phone call from the headmaster and also Mr. Brunner called her to explain about Grover. Percy says that something has happened and he is scared. Sally tells Gabe, definition of loser, that she is taking Percy to Montauk. She says she will pick up sandwiches for them when she drives back. His mother has Percy pack his bag. 


We pick up again at the night scene, out of the fog is a lantern and the shrouded figures of Charon the Boatman. A spectral voice calls out his fears. Percy wakes up in the car with his mother wiping away her tears! They have reached the cabin and run through the rain to it. A quiet family moment as Sally makes marshmellows and then Percy says they to have a talk. He says he has been daydreaming and Percy starts to talk about the museum. Sally knows that she said something to him. She admits that they go to the cabin every year because she met his father there. Sally tells Percy that he was a god and that he is a Half-Blood! 


Percy is at the age that draws the forces that endangers him. This part of Percy's character is more developed and interesting than what was in the films! He denies being a god. Then, Grover is at the door, he is early. Percy is shocked that his legs are like a goat, a satyr! I like the thin, goat legs. In the car, he says he is Percy’s protector, Grover got him thrown out of school since the forces would attack him. Grover had seen Mrs. Dodds and brings up The Mist that hides the magical world. He says something hid Mrs. Dodds from him. Next, Grover brings up the camp, Sally didn’t quite tell Percy everything he needs to know! He explains that the camp is a Half-Blood sanctuary. There is an explosion behind them in the road and Percy is surprised that it is a minotaur! 


Grover tells Percy that the magical cards were for his training. Sally says they should hold on. The minotaur lopes next to Sally’s window, she slams the car into it, and the minotaur’s horn bashes her window! It has locked onto her steering wheel and then a truck’s horn announces its approach! Sally accelerates pulling the minotaur horn away, the car skids, then darkness. The car has crashed and Percy pulls Grover free. His mother then takes a flashlight to guide them through the rain. Grover has found the barrier and Sally wants Grover to swear to protect her son. She has to leave Percy since she is human and tells him to be brave. 


Sally tells him that he is not broken and to brave the storm. Strong drama in this fantasy show. She takes Percy’s jacket so the minotaur may be confused tracking Half-Bloods. Revealed in the light, the minotaur is an awesome beastie, white-haired and savage. Percy and Grover head to the camp. Sally faces the minotaur and uses Percy’s red jacket like a matador. Percy watches the confrontation. The minotaur holds his mother, Percy screams, and then she fades away! An action moment that drives Percy to take on the minotaur! Percy Jackson and the Olympians has a great blend of young characters in a mythical world, creatures out of mythology, and just enough drama to make an entertaining fantasy series! 


Five Celestial Bronze Swords out of Five! 


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