Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Based on the popular fantasy series by Rick Riordan, the Disney series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has it all – Greek Gods, shape-shifting monsters, legendary villains, and a whole horde of demi-Gods training to become invincible or go on fascinating quests. It’s a story that brings together age old myths, powerful magic and vengeful deities plotting to go to war against each other.
Directed by Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson, and James Bobin, the live-action adaptation of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, a young schoolboy sent on a mission to find Zeus’ stolen bolt just days after discovering that his father is the Greek God Poseidon. Joining him on the quest are his friend Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) and the ambitious Annabeth Chase (Leah Jeffries), daughter of Athena. If they don’t retrieve the bolt in time, a war between the Gods would break out.
For an episode-by-episode review of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” click here.
For a series with teen protagonists aimed at a younger audience, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” was rather somber and gloomy in tone and atmosphere. While it didn’t necessarily require the casual humor associated with some Marvel fantasy movies and series, it certainly could have benefited from more jokes and light moments.
While Walker Scobell does a decent job as Percy Jackson, particularly in terms of appearance (he does resemble a blonde, handsome half-god), Leah Jeffries exhibits a very limited range of expressions as Annabeth Chase. Annabeth is portrayed as overly serious and stuck-up; she comes across more like a cynical granny trapped in a child’s body than a typical teenager. Aryan Simhadri was charming as Grover, but even his character could’ve used punchlines. Overall, the characters were just underwhelming, almost as if they were asked to hold back their emotions.
The cinematography in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ relies heavily on dimly lit shots, likely used to conceal some of the CGI weaknesses, as many scenes involving magical creatures, gods, or otherworldly elements occur in dark settings. For instance, in episode three titled “We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium,” the legendary Greek creature Medusa appears. While it’s understandable that viewers aren’t given a proper glimpse of her face due to her curse, when she confronts Percy and his friends, the scene abruptly transitions from a brightly colored bakery to a poorly lit basement.
The most visually enjoyable segment of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” occurs when he arrives at “Camp Half-Blood” in episode two. The camp is situated in a beautiful forest, and many well-lit sequences allow viewers to appreciate the intricate details of the background settings. Additionally, the show features some well-executed special effects, particularly notable in episode 5 titled “A God Buys Us Cheeseburgers.” In this episode, Percy and Annabeth visit a magical amusement park, where they must retrieve an item for a powerful god who offers to aid them on their quest. From a Midas-like spell, to a creative animated sequence which was reminiscent of the Grecian animation in “Hercules”, the cartoon show, the episode packs in some fun bits.
Overall, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” manages to be entertaining due to its larger-than-life fantasy story, which also contributed to the popularity of the books. However, the last two episodes of this season fell somewhat flat in terms of scale and excitement, despite Percy and his squad reaching the underworld, where they believe Hades is hiding Zeus’ bolt.
The show concludes on a triumphant note, with several twists, both big and small, keeping things entertaining. I would definitely watch a season two but would hope the creators infuse more energy and fun characters if a second installment comes around.
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ is available to stream on Disney Plus.
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