Review Of Percy Jackson And The Olympians – An Easy Family Watch

(CTN News) – The realm of young adult adaptations is Percy Jackson filled with unfinished franchises. While The Hunger Games and Twilight achieved success, there were disappointments like Artemis Fowl, Eragon, and City of Ember.

Initially, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series showed promise, with director Chris Columbus at the helm for Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief in 2010.

However, the sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters in 2013, failed to impress both at the box office and with critics, leading to the abrupt end of the franchise, despite four more books remaining unadapted.

Fortunately, fans of the teenage demigods’ story need not lose hope. Disney+ is reviving the series, with plans to adapt one book per season.

This new adaptation shows great potential. The talented newcomer, Walker Scobell, portrays Perseus “Percy Jackson” Jackson, a socially awkward and unpopular 12-year-old who discovers his demigod heritage.

We are introduced to him as he endures bullying at school, but his mother encourages him to explore Greek mythology, providing him some solace.

Eventually, he befriends Grover, played by the equally delightful Aryan Simhadri, who shares his fascination with the ancient world.

The bond between Percy Jackson and Grover is heartwarming, as Percy earnestly explains, “Something changed when I met Grover. We had a lot in common, and not just because we were both at the bottom of the food chain.”

Young Percy faces challenges beyond school hierarchy when his powers emerge, attracting Greek mythological beings. His mother reveals his absent father is a god, leading to witty remarks. To ensure his safety, Grover and Mr. Brunner take him to Camp Half-Blood.

The show’s visuals and performances are charming, with Mantzoukas as Dionysus and Turman as Chiron. However, the show feels familiar, conforming to archetypes and relying on a well-worn trope. Despite this, it is an improvement over previous adaptations and a delightful watch for Disney+ subscribers.

It is yet to be determined whether Percy Jackson will achieve his heroic potential or if this adaptation will faithfully follow Riordan’s source material.

The cancellation of the remarkable YA adaptation Lockwood and Co after just one season, along with the lack of news about a second season of the star-studded American Born Chinese, suggests that this show will face an uphill battle to survive.

However, based on the two episodes available for review, it appears that we are off to a promising beginning.

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