Percy Jackson returns. Why the new TV series about the boy demigod is being hailed as a potential masterpiece

The Disney+ service has launched a new series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians", based on the bestselling books by Rick Riordan. The long-awaited premiere was the second adaptation of the story about the son of Poseidon, so movie fans had high expectations.

Reviews of the TV series have already been published by well-known world publications. OBOZ.UA has collected the most interesting things about "Percy Jackson and the Olympians": why viewers are delighted with the young cast and why the first episodes of the potential masterpiece are criticized.

What we know about "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" from Disney+

The development of the series began in 2020. Riordan, who personally joined the filming, promised that the story of Percy Jackson would get its chance for a high-quality film adaptation. Fans of bestsellers have already seen two movies about their favorite character, released in 2010 and 2013, but many viewers were outraged by inaccuracies and missed details.

"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" is a Disney+ Original series that tells the fantastic story of 12-year-old demigod Percy Jackson, who accidentally discovered his superpowers. At the time, the god of thunder Zeus accuses him of stealing lightning. With the help of his friends Grover, the satyr, and Annabeth, the daughter of the goddess Athena, Percy embarks on an adventure to restore order to Olympus.

The first two episodes are already available for viewing on the platform. Episodes are broadcast every Wednesday, so the next one will be released on December 27.

The cast

Although at first the public was skeptical of the new cast, the attitude changed instantly after the series was released, writes the Daily Mail. In the previous films, 12-year-olds were played by older actors: at the time of filming the first movie, Logan Lerman, who took on the role of Percy Jackson, was 18 years old.

Instead, in the new adaptation, the characters more or less look their age, which was good news for the audience. The lead role went to 14-year-old actor Walker Scobell, who will demonstrate his character's journey from an ordinary boy to a demigod. His faithful satirical companion Grover Underwood will be played by 17-year-old Ariane Simhadri, and the role of their friend Annabeth Chase, Athena's daughter, will be played by 14-year-old Leah Jeffries.

In its review, Forbes draws attention to the pleasant performance of the main characters. Despite the fears of fans, the emotions of the actors, especially the younger ones, are extremely accurate, especially in the more dramatic moments.

The atmosphere of the mythological world

Film critics note the lightness and cheerfulness of the story. Although the plot is extremely predictable, it does not detract from the magical charm. The movie is full of great action and special effects. A nice musical score adds to the drama.

Forbes was particularly impressed with the depiction of dark scenes in the episodes, as usually at such moments it is difficult for the viewer to see what is happening on the screen. "Thanks to the production team and cinematographer Percy Jackson for making it happen. I like the night scenes where I can still see the characters and the action," the review says.

Criticism

One of the biggest drawbacks of the first episodes is the accelerated pace of the development of events. The first episode tells the story of how Percy learns about the existence of magical creatures, as well as his true identity. Avoiding spoilers, we can only conclude that the creators of the series tried to show as much as possible to bring the viewer up to speed.

Despite this, fans were impressed with the premiere. Fans highly appreciated Percy Jackson and the Olympians: 96% of users liked the series on Rotten Tomatoes, a movie review and news website, and IMDb gave it an 8.3/10 rating.

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