Percy Jackson and The Olympians : The Lightning Thief

[Nathan]

The other thing is there's a gaping plot hole because they didn't explain why Zeus thinks Percy is the lightning thief, in the book this is explained.

What was the reason?

 

[TheComicbookKid]

I have to agree. It got progressively worse as the movie went on. They didn't even leave in a major plot point that if they decide to make a sequel is in the other books.

That's why they left it out. If the movie doesn't get a sequel it will stand on its own instead like a tv show that gets cancelled halfway through and you never learn what the hell happened.

What's worse it looks like they cut scenes from the movie and made more changes. One of the previews there's a scene of Percy, by himself, going into the empire state building, asking for a special key, the reluctant doorman giving it to him and then he goes up to mount Olympus. That's how it happened in the book, but that whole scene was cut.

That scene was shot for the teaser trailer. It was never going to be in the movie.

 

[dark_b]

What's worse it looks like they cut scenes from the movie and made more changes.

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=303032&page=51&highlight=rothman

 

[Jennifer Walters]

I think its entirely possible to enjoy the movie if you haven't read the book, if you have read the book I don't see how anyone could it enjoy it there are simply too many changes.

Best friend liked the movie alot. Huge fan of the books and re-read all five before the movie. It's possible.

 

[spider-neil]

Thanks for speaking in such certainty for everyone that read the books.

its only an opinion I haven't stated anything as fact.

 

[spider-neil]

I think they could have condensed the entire introduction right up to when PJ arrives at CHB in a montage, had another montage of PJ's training thus leaving time for the important parts of the book

* the reveal of PJ's father
* the oracle
* ares giving PJ the backpack
* the ares showdown
* the trip to hades and the thing in the pit
* the luke showdown at CHB

the pacing is the movie is all over the place because imho they concentrate on the wrong bit is of the movie and have next to no character developement for any of the characters.

 

[TheComicbookKid]

I think they could have condensed the entire introduction right up to when PJ arrives at CHB in a montage, had another montage of PJ's training thus leaving time for the important parts of the book

* the reveal of PJ's father
* the oracle
* ares giving PJ the backpack
* the ares showdown
* the trip to hades and the thing in the pit
* the luke showdown at CHB

the pacing is the movie is all over the place because imho they concentrate on the wrong bit is of the movie and have next to no character developement for any of the characters.

They could have done a lot of things. The point is, imo, nothing has been ruined to a point that it couldn't be returned closer to the books. Not a situation like Raimi did where there was no chance Gwen Stacy would be thrown from the bridge by the Green Goblin.

This movie reminded me of X-1 a lot. Okay, but great potential. I hope they get a second chance and new screenwriter.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Hell, even the first Potter was like this in a way. An okay movie, with good potential. And the sequels eventually showed that potential.

 

[spider-neil]

They could have done a lot of things. The point is, imo, nothing has been ruined to a point that it couldn't be returned closer to the books. Not a situation like Raimi did where there was no chance Gwen Stacy would be thrown from the bridge by the Green Goblin.

This movie reminded me of X-1 a lot. Okay, but great potential. I hope they get a second chance and new screenwriter.

the annoying thing is the changes they made were simply to move the characters from a to b, none of the changes actually improve the story or add any depth. I could at least UNDERSTAND it if PJatLT was a massive book but it isn't.

 

[spider-neil]

Hell, even the first Potter was like this in a way. An okay movie, with good potential. And the sequels eventually showed that potential.

there is hope as you say, I thought HP1 was absolute rubbish but absolutely love the heck out of HP2 so it is possible to start badly and go from strength to strength.

 

[javphonic]

I agree that it has potential to be a good series

I don't think the changes in the film ruined the series, I actually think they're all quick fixes if all the books are made

 

[TheComicbookKid]

the annoying thing is the changes they made were simply to move the characters from a to b, none of the changes actually improve the story or add any depth. I could at least UNDERSTAND it if PJatLT was a massive book but it isn't.

I understand. They moved way too fast through the New York section of the movie.

But the movie and book had different considerations. The first book explained a lot character dynamics and world building necessary to the future chapters. Unfortunately, we aren't guaranteed those future movies so they tried to make it self-contained. They still could have done some character development, but with a small budget, you have to make choses.

I read the script for that Ares scene and man I'm pissed it didn't make it.

 

[spider-neil]

I agree that it has potential to be a good series

I don't think the changes in the film ruined the series, I actually think they're all quick fixes if all the books are made

well you can certainly introduce ares, clarise, thalia and the oracle in movie two but the time spent with the introduction could have been spent to flesh them out if they were introduction in the debut movie.

 

[spider-neil]

I understand. They moved way too fast through the New York section of the movie.

But the movie and book had different considerations. The first book explained a lot character dynamics and world building necessary to the future chapters. Unfortunately, we aren't guaranteed those future movies so they tried to make it self-contained. They still could have done some character development, but with a small budget, you have to make choses.

I read the script for that Ares scene and man I'm pissed it didn't make it.

if I were a director and I were adapating a book I would use the following guide lines

a) move the character as quickly as possible to the place where he is going to meet his friends or companions. i.e. get harry to hogwarts/PJ to CHB as quickly as possible. this is where the main character will be able to grow as a character and the audience can see how he feels because he will tell his friends how he feels.

b) establish the bad guy early
the hero is only as good as his nemesis so introduce the bad guy quickly even if its people just talking about him i.e voldermort is talked about in HP1 before you even see him

c) have three main objectives for the 1st 2nd and 3rd act lose the rest.
time should be spent developing the characters both the main hero and his friends so if you have too many set peices there is no time for any of them to grow, also too much action and the movie becomes soulless

HP1
1. the troll
2. quidditch
3. the tests/voldermort

d) always remember the movie is about characters
never lose sight of that fact. if the audience don't care about your characters then they wont care if the characters live or die so when you finally have action it will be spectacle with no substance

e) take away if you must but don't add anything
the task is to make the apdaptation as true to the source material as possible so why do you need to invent anything? take away or condense the source material. but don't create.

 

[TheDreamMaster]

Saw it last night night. Having never read the books, it was alright. I like d alot of it, some parts not so much though. I don't see it getting a sequel though. Went to a packed movie theater last night to see it...and there were only about 6 people in the theater with my girlfriend and I.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

It was number 2 at the box office and made 38 million. If it does well in it's second weekend. It'll get a sequel. It beat a more proven character at that box office in Wolfman. So that says ALOT.

 

[haephestus]

Thanks for the bonus scene information Tanin!

Cheers.

 

[dark_b]

It was number 2 at the box office and made 38 million. If it does well in it's second weekend. It'll get a sequel. It beat a more proven character at that box office in Wolfman. So that says ALOT.

Percy PG and Wolfman R .

Percy a movie for kids and the whole family and Wolfman is R

 

[hame4479]

It was number 2 at the box office and made 38 million. If it does well in it's second weekend. It'll get a sequel. It beat a more proven character at that box office in Wolfman. So that says ALOT.

Ur comparing a gothic R rated horror film to a family film that was supposed to be the next harry potter, every copy of the books iv seen at stores have that claim branded on the back cover.

 

[matrix_ghost]

It was number 2 at the box office and made 38 million. If it does well in it's second weekend. It'll get a sequel. It beat a more proven character at that box office in Wolfman. So that says ALOT.

Really ?
Come now. Werewolves have come and gone and i doubt that the majority of the moviegoers in the states and in foreign markets know that Wolfman is a remake of the very first werewolf movie. Hell i think that the majority hasn't seen the original werewolf movie. Do they know about werewolves ? Sure they do do. But to them it's just another werewolf movie only with a good cast.
Not to mention that the movie was R rated. And not just soft R ( meaning that the movie can have a lower rating in foreign markets). It's hard R.

Percy Jackson on the other hand has a somewhat original take on the greek mythology storyline , (from what i've seen in the trailer) rather cool VFX set pieces and a PG rating.
It doesn't take a genius to see that the movie would make more then Wolfman. And considering that the budget is 98 million , i do think it's safe to say the movie will get a sequel.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

R Rating has NEVER stopped a film from beating a PG-13 PG film at the box office before. Also COME ON! Everyone knows the Universal monsters, at least the main ones (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Wolfman.)

The Wolfman had EVERY chance of beating Percy at the box office. It's even got a date night formula for adults in that you can take your honey to a scary movie for valentine's day. The thing is it failed to do so.

 

[MOVIELORD101]

I'll be seeing this on Friday, so I'll be the judge wether or not this sucks or not. I own all 5 books SIGNED by the author himself (I've met him twice), and here's what it looks like they took out from the book in order to keep this movie self-contained from what I could tell from spoilers I've read *SPOILERS FROM THE BOOKS AHEAD*:

* No mention or appearance of either Ares (who plays a MAJOR role in the first book) or his demigod daughter Clarisse, who plays a major role throughout the series (she's sorta like Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter, but she's not as mean or evil)
* I don't think Dionysus plays as big of a role as he does in the books (as far as I can tell), ESPECIALLY in Book 3 where he saves Percy's life.
* Kronos the Titan is the REAL villain in the books and is seeking to return to full power by gaining followers and tries and fails to seduce Percy into joining him. THIS is the real reason why Luke steals Zeus' lightning bolt in the book. In the movie, it looks like they COMPLETELY got rid of all the Kronos stuff and just gave Luke a different motive in order to keep the movie self-contained.
* Thalia, Zeus' demigod daughter from the books who was turned into a tree in order to prevent her from dying, doesn't seem to be mentioned AT ALL in this, leaving out major character development for both Anabeth and Percy overall.

If anyone who's both read the books and seen the movie can correct me or add more to this list of missing/changed stuff, I'd be very grateful.

 

[matrix_ghost]

R Rating has NEVER stopped a film from beating a PG-13 PG film at the box office before. Also COME ON! Everyone knows the Universal monsters, at least the main ones (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Wolfman.)

The Wolfman had EVERY chance of beating Percy at the box office. It's even got a date night formula for adults in that you can take your honey to a scary movie for valentine's day. The thing is it failed to do so.

Again no Wolfman would never have beaten Percy at the BO.
It is true that the R rating has never stopped a film from beating the PG-13 competition however you say the word NEVER whereas everyone knows that in the majority of cases PG(-13) movies will have a bigger gross then R rated movies. If that wasn't the case why else would studios focus more on churning out PG or PG-13 movies.
Those R rated movies that have succeed are the above-average ones , not your average R rated movies.


Secondly again you are right that people know who dracula is , who the mummy is , who the wolfman is , who frankenstein is.
But i am willing to go so far and claim that your average joe won't say that the wolfman is the first werewolf. To him this flick is "just another werewolf" movie.

 

[Tony Stark]

What was the reason?

In the book, the three brothers Hades, Zeus and Posiden make a bond not to have any more children as their children has spawned many wars on earth. Specifically WWII. Zeus is the first to disobey and had a daughter who is turned into a tree and killed (later in the series she's alive), and Grover is punished because he failed to protect her.

Posiden then fathers Percy who Zeus believes was made to seek revenge against Zeus breaking the pact. Hades is the most upset as both of his brothers have broken the pact they've made. In the book Hades also has his helmet of power stolen. They allude in the movie that no god can ever take another god's symbol of power.

 

[spider-neil]

I'll be seeing this on Friday, so I'll be the judge wether or not this sucks or not. I own all 5 books SIGNED by the author himself (I've met him twice), and here's what it looks like they took out from the book in order to keep this movie self-contained from what I could tell from spoilers I've read *SPOILERS FROM THE BOOKS AHEAD*:

* No mention or appearance of either Ares (who plays a MAJOR role in the first book) or his demigod daughter Clarisse, who plays a major role throughout the series (she's sorta like Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter, but she's not as mean or evil)
* I don't think Dionysus plays as big of a role as he does in the books (as far as I can tell), ESPECIALLY in Book 3 where he saves Percy's life.
* Kronos the Titan is the REAL villain in the books and is seeking to return to full power by gaining followers and tries and fails to seduce Percy into joining him. THIS is the real reason why Luke steals Zeus' lightning bolt in the book. In the movie, it looks like they COMPLETELY got rid of all the Kronos stuff and just gave Luke a different motive in order to keep the movie self-contained.
* Thalia, Zeus' demigod daughter from the books who was turned into a tree in order to prevent her from dying, doesn't seem to be mentioned AT ALL in this, leaving out major character development for both Anabeth and Percy overall.

If anyone who's both read the books and seen the movie can correct me or add more to this list of missing/changed stuff, I'd be very grateful.

correct on all points which is why I was angered by the movie.