Most Percy Jackson fans will ignore the two films that were released in 2010 and 2013, and they are right, because there’s no connection between these movies and the books.
Based on the popular books (that sold millions of copies), the movies completely changed the plot, removed important characters, and aged up the main characters.
Even the author, Rick Riordan, spoke about it, and he actually never watched them. He said that he felt like his life’s work going through a meat grinder.
But now, with the new Disney plus show, fans finally got what they wanted all these years – a faithful adaptation, full of heart, that captures the essence and magic of Rick Riordan’s beloved books.
Disney released the first two episodes on Tuesday, and together they work really well as a way to introduce this new world, especially for the new viewers, who didn’t read the books at all.
I will say that the episodes, especially the first one, are fast-paced, and sometimes too fast, but in the end, it works and doesn’t distract you from the characters and the plot. There’s no dull moment, and I think it will work very well with kids.
There are actually some changes to the source material, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved them. For example, Percy’s relationship with his mom is much deeper than in the book, and actually she is the one who tells him about the Greek Gods.
The other changes actually work well for the medium, and you can feel that they were made with care, and not just change for nothing.
There are also tons of small details from future books that fans will love and appreciate.
When it comes to the cast, Walker Scobell IS Percy Jackson. The way he talks, the way he moves, I really felt like Percy himself was in front of me.
Aryan Simhadri really captures the spirit of Grover Underwood, and every scene with him was incredible.
And while we haven’t seen much of Leah Sava Jeffries who plays Annabeth Chase, I already felt Annabeth in her acting. Especially the way she interacted with Percy.
The rest of the cast is also incredible, not to mention Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus / Mr. D – one of the best casting choices ever.
The directing is also pretty good, and the VFX shots look very real, which also adds to the overall atmosphere of the show.
The cinematography is incredible, and most importantly – bright! These days, most fantasy shows are way too dark, but here, it’s bright and colorful even in the night scenes, and for me that’s already a big bonus.
Oh, and Bear McCreary did a great job with the score, which gave us lots of wonder and magic.
Overall, this is a fantastic start for the show, and I really hope more seasons will come!!
The first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians are available on Disney+. New episodes drop every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
