I’ve already read all the comments eviscerating “The Lightning Thief,” which opened this weekend. And I completely understand the complaints and disappointments. But let’s be honest: This movie wasn’t given the time, the budget or the attention that the Harry Potter movies were. Comparing the two is just silly.

I went into this movie expecting a good time with some familiar characters, and that’s exactly what I got. I felt that the casting was brilliant, even with the older actors, and the basic premise remained: The Olypmic gods depend on their children and humanity to keep the traditions of Western civilization alive.

Was I disappointed that the Great Prophecy was ignored? Sure. But you know what made me happier? The fact that they didn’t set this movie up to be an automatic five-picture deal.

They’re giving people a chance to explore Rick Riordan’s world, and if this movie leads to a sequel, than great. (But I should note: Any sequel should include the more complicated villian arc. Hades being the bad guy is too pedestrian, even for a children’s movie.)

If not, we were given an entertaining film that stands well on its own. And what it lacked in plot, it more than made up for in special effects, in my book. In the future, they can bring more complex elements, but if they don’t I’ll still enjoy the gist of the highly imaginative world the author brought to us in the first place.

In my mind, this movie is the perfect example of staying true to the vision without treating the source material like an ironclad gospel. And if you are truly upset that a certain character is brunette instead of blonde, or that another is black instead of white, well …

We’ll always have the books.

Source: The Baltimore Sun

Written By: Nancy Knight