Oh Ye Gods!

If you know me you know I've been a little obsessed with the Percy Jackson movie. I am a massive fan of the books and of Greek Mythology.

Now, before I get started please don't get me wrong. It's a very entertaining movie but as someone who had loved the books, I was left a little disappointed.

* spoilers* Please don't read on if you don't want to know details of the movie.

I really enjoyed the beginning and the cast. I think Percy, Annabeth and Grover were well cast. What I didn't love was the way the story got going. Once we got to Camp Half Blood things were radically different. No Mr. D, no Clarisse, no big house, no Oracle(!!), no quest (!!!!) were all things that began to rankle me.

I'm not completely unreasonable, I know scripts have to be streamlined and edited to fit things in to a 2 hour movie, but why edit the plot if it doesn't make things any clearer? there wasn't enough background on the Gods. If you had no idea about the story I would imagine it would be a little confusing. The fact that they move with Western power is integral to the story and the fact Mount Olympus is above the empire state building makes people understand it...but none of that was touched on.

The action scenes were great and I was highly entertained most of the time. What I don't think I can forgive is having Persephone in the Underworld in the summer. It's as though the filmmakers are trying to rewrite Greek mythology!

Persephone spends the summer above ground with her mother (Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest)she would NEVER be underground during the summer. I did really like the character (played by Rosario Dawson) and thought she was probably one of the best in it. But come on!

I also missed the fact that we didn't get to see Ares and all the updates Riordan made in the books (the gods in modern clothing etc.)

I thought the story was too simplified. The Gods in the myths and books were notoriously backhanded, meddling in the lives of humans and pulling strings behind the scenes. With the loss of Ares in the quest we lost the confusion about who would want a war between the Gods. I think the worst thing was the idea that Gods were banned from seeing their children. The idea that the Gods really cared stuck me as a little false. They're Gods, and while they have human weakness, they don't cry over the fact that they can't see their kid. Poseidon uses Percy 'cos he needs him, not because he want to see him etc. (btw the talking in the head thing was a little lame too)

In the end I felt the quest was almost easy, and the final battle between Luke and Percy was a bit of an anticlimax.

What also worries me is that they left out the whole Kronos controlling Luke thing. Which is fine if they never plan to make a sequel (and if that's the case then I understand) but it's such an important thing...that something is stirring that can destroy the world. Also, the fact that the plot was so radically different worries me, because if it doesn't so well, then there won't be a sequel, and I'd love to see the Sea of Monsters on film. That way we'd get more character development (I felt that Percy barely said anything!)and get to know the character a little better.

I did enjoy the movie, and if you've never read the books I'm sure you'll be entertained (just ignore the sickly sweet Poseidon/Percy chat at the end.) I'm gunna get some sleep and maybe I'll like a little more later.