Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (The movie 2010)

Characters Emphasized: Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Chiron



Characters Minimized: Sally, Gabe, Luke, Athena, Medusa



Naration: The movie was in omniscient. The first reason i feel it was in omniscient was because there was no voice over narrator. Another reason is because there were some scenes in the movie where Percy was not present. Even thought many scences had Percy in them, there were not from his poit of view, so it wasn't from first person or third person.



Reoccuring images: An image that kept reoccuring was Percy, Grover, and Annabeth traveling together. The three always seemed to be together throughout the film was because they were on the same quest.



Use of music/sound effects: The music and sound effects varied throughout the movie. When a calm scene was going on, or when there was no fighting, the music was very calm and nothing was going on. When a serious discussion was happening the music was very dark. The dark music would start to get louder when something suspenseful was about to happen. When the suspence happens, the music turned very loud for a moment, then lost its volume again. When fighting was going the music was very loud and suspenceful to make the fighting more appealing. The sound effects were used to match elements in the film. For example the soud of thounder was very loud to symbolize Zeus. The sound of water would also be uses to symbolize Poseidon, and also when Percy would be using water to fight.



Description of shot: One of the shots used in the film was a low angle shot. The shot was used to show the Empire State building, and it was used to show how big the building is and aslo to symbolize its importance as the entrance to Olympus. The same shot was also used as a point of view shot, because it was shown through the view of Poseidon as he was walking towards the building and looking up at it.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan pg 283-375

Summary



Percy, Annabeth, and Grover went to a place called DOA studios where they met with the security gaurd at his desk. They came to find out that he was Charon and in order to pass to the underworld, they had to pay him a coin. Since the three were not dead Charon gave them a hard time. After bribing Charon with Crusty's stash of gold coins, Charon aggred to take them to the underworld.

When the three reached Hades he was not happy at all. After Percy asked Hades to give him the mast bolt, Hades went into an outraged. He claimed that Poseidon had sent Percy to steal not only the master bolt, but Hades's helm as well. He accused Percy of coming to the underworld in order to threaten him on behalf of Poseidon. Confused, Pecy pleeded with Hades and told him that he did not have the master bolt or the helm. After Hades told Percy to look in his backback, and when he did the masterbolt wa in his bag. In shock, Percy realized that he has been set up and tricked. Percy tells Hades that he will find his helm and return it to him. After Percy and his frineds use the magic pearls which turn into bubbles which floats up throught the ground and the sea and brings them back to the surface. After thinking about who would want to start the war if not Hades, they came across Ares. Ares told Percy that he was supose to be dead. Ares also had Hades's helm of darkness with him. He explained that Hades was suppose to kill Percy and take Zeus's master bolt. Then Poseidon would be mad at Hades for killing Percy, Zeus will be mad at Hades for having his master bolt, and Hades will be mad at both Zeus and Poseidon because he dosn't know which one took his helm. After Percy challenes Hades to a fight in attempt to get the helm. Barley surviving, Percy surprisingly defeated Ares. After three of Hades's Furries flew down to Percy and told him that they saw the whole thing, and know Percy did now steal the helm. Percy gives them the helm and tells them to return it to Hades and to tell him the truth. After the fight the local media made up a new story of how Percy was kindnapped by a crazy abductor (Ares) and was taken from New York all the was to California against his own free will. The police then gave the three money for the next flight back to New York city. There Percy told Annabeth and Groover to go back to the camp to tell Chiron the truth, and that he had to go to Mount Olympus alone to return the master bolt. After entering the Palace, The only two gods in the room were Zeus and Poseidon. After Percy told the story of what happended and returned the bolt to Zeus, Zeus believed Percy and was pleases he returned the bolt. Zeus said he would spare Percy's life to show his thanks, but he told Percy he did not like what his arrival ment for Olympus and that when he returned, that Percy should now be present.

Zeus and Poseidon had a descussion about what was in the pit that could have encouraged Ares to try and start a war. All Percy herd was the word "Father" between the two. Then in anger Zeus cut off the conversation and said not to bring the matter up again. After Zeus left Poseidon and Percy talked about what could be in the pit, and Percy suggested Kronos, Titan King and fater of the Gods. But Poseidon told Percy that Kronos still gives men nightmares and evil thoughts and wakens monsters but rising from the pit on Tatarus was another thing. After trying to prove a point Poseidon reminds Percy that Zeus has baned conversation of Kronos and that he has completed his quest and that was all he needed to do and a package will be waiting when he returns home. Also that Hades had returned Percy's mother back home after his helm was returned. When Percy got home he was greeted by his mother. The happy moment was short lived when Gabe threatended to call the police and press charges against Percy for destrying his car. Percy's mom defended Percy reslting in Gabe hitting her. Percy was angreed and was about to pull out his sword on Gabe before his mother pulled him to his room. On his bed was the same package that he had sent to Olympus containing the head of Medusa. Percy offered to use it and turn Gabe into to stone. His mother rejected the offer and said that she needs to find courage to take care of here own problems. Percy said that he will leave the package here and if he was to harm her, to use it. His mother agreed and Percy retuned to camp half blood.

At camp the summer was coming to a close, and everyone was packing their things. Percy had not yet decided on wheather or not to stay at the camp, or return home. Percy decided to go to the sword practice field where he found Luke. Luke confinced Percy to go with him to the woods to look for a monster to fight. There after talking Luke said that he was mad that he was always at the camp and wanted to leave. He summoned a scorpion on Percy and told him not the move or it would attack. Luke them tells Percy that he does not want to be used by the gods and he now serves Kronos and that Kronos will soon rise and banish the gods. After Luke disapears, Percy is able to kill the scorpion, but not before he is stung in the hand with its poisonous stinger. After recovering Percy told Chiron what had happened and Luke's plan. Chiron said he'll take the news to Olympus and warned Percy not to try and go after Luke because he is not ready yet. In deciding whether or not to stay at camp, Annabeth tolf Percy that she is going home for the school year, and that next summer her and Percy will track down Luke together. Percy then also decides to go back home to his mother who had sent him a letter saying that she used Medusa's head to turn Gabe into stone, sold it to a art gallery and received a lot of money to pay for her tuition at NYU. Percy pleged to live another year off camp ground and return back next summer.



Quote



"I'll be back next summer...I'll survive until then" (Riordan 375)



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At the end of the story Riordan gives readers a little taste of a happy ending, but at the same time opens up a new conflict of a future war between the gods and the titans. Riordan also does a good job in closing the story with evidence of another story in the serieis of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan pg 188-282

Summary

After fighting with Medusa, Percy and his friends travel by train towars Denver. At the stop before Denver Annabeth wishes to go see the Gateway Arch. After reaching the observation deck the park ranger announsed that it would be closing in a few minutes. At the elevator Annabeth and Grover go down first because there is not enough space on the first ride down. While waiting for the next elevator, an old lady and a little chihuahua were waitng for the next elavator too. The chihuahua starts barking at Percy and the old lady starts talking to it and asking it if "this looked like a good time". (Riordan 207) After the lady agreed with the dog and called it Chimera the chihuahua kept barking, and with every bark it grew bigger and the bark turned into a roar. The chihuahua's head turned into a lion, its tail turned into a serpent, and it grew a diomondback out of its behind. Trying to protect the other civilians at the monument Percy starts to fight with the Chimera. After being bit in the leg by the serpent and his sword being knocked down the ledge, Percy finds himself standing at a ledge a view stories above the Mississippi River. The Chimera sends a column of flame toward Percy's face as he turns and jumps off the ledge with his clothes on fire and poison going through his body.
The impact of the Mississippi River did not hurt Percy. As he realized he was still alive, he noticed that his clothes were not wet, anything he touched would become dry, and he could breath under water. A woman appered to Percy who looked like his mother, and she told him that his father believes in him and that before going to the underworld, he must go to Santa Monica first. The media and local law enforcement reach the scene of the inncident Percy finds out that he his now wanted for the attack on the Gateway Arch.
Shorlty after Denver the three traveled to Las Vegas where they took a cab to head to Santa Monica. At the Santa Monica Peir, Percy starts to walk into the water and comes in contact with a mako shark. The shark i not violent and instead nuzzles at Percy. As Percy grabs the shark's fin and it swims off taking Percy to a woman. It is the same woman who Percy saw in the Mississippi Nereid a spirit of the Sea. Nereid tells Percy that Poseidon watches over Percy, and he is not able to see him in person because the Gods are forbidden to help their children directley. Nereid tells Percy that Poseidon will not have Percy die before his time, and that he must uses his skills when he enters the Underworld. She gives him three white pearls and tells him to break one at his feet whenever he is in need of help. After walking around LA, trying to find the entrance to the underworld, Percy and his friends are surrounded by a group of boys who looked as if they were going to mug them. After getting away, the three run into a store that sells beds. The store owner, Crusty, invites Grover to lay on one of the beds which he gladly does. After he offers Annabeth the same offer but she is hesitant at first. Hw guides her to the the bed and pushes her on it, then says a "Ergo" which makes ropes come out and constrains Annabeth and Groover the the beds. Then the giant man grabs Percy by the neck and inroduces himself as Procrustes "The Stretcher". Percy figures that he would not win a fight alone against Procrustes, so he copliments him on how well he crafts all the beds in the store. Procrustes is pleases with Percy and lets him goes to show him the axe he uses to cut off peoples limbs whenever they do not fit a bed perfectly. Percy then tricks Precrustes into showing him a demonstration of a bed that stabilizes wave motions. As Procrustes lays on the bed Percy says "Ergo" which contrains Procrustes to the bed. Percy than takes his sword and kills Procrustes, and then finds the adress to the underworld behind Procrustes's sales desk.

Quote

"CHIMERA - RABID, FIRE-BREATHING, POISONOUS - IF FOUND, PLEASE CALL TARTARUS - EXT. 954". (Riordan 207)

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I think it is very interesting how Riordan gives places real locations on earth in order to make the story line of Greek Mythology actualy being real seem more realistic. I also like how Riordan uses alot of humor in his writing. The quote above is from Chimera's collar, and if someone was to find a monster like Chimera, the last thing they would try to do is return it to its owner.