Movie Review: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
JULY 2, 2010

Earlier this month I saw “Clash of the Titans.” Huge blockbuster CGI, great performances all around, and Greek mythology to make your head spin. “Percy Jackson” is the “Harry Potter” version of “Clash.” Based on young adult books, rated PG, and plump full of young adolescent actors, Harry Potter’s wand is replaced by Percy Jackson’s pen/sword and Potter’s lightning bolt shaped scar becomes Zeus’ literal lightning bolt. Don’t get me wrong, Logan Lerman & Alexandra Daddario both put on great performance. The scenes involving Lerman and water are much anticipated and extremely aesthetically pleasing. Lerman took a potentially slap-stick concept and turned it into something the audience could potentially care about, handling his part and the extreme nature of the plot with the grace and ease of his older counterparts. However, do not expect deep emotional performances. Everything appears right on the surface.

The blood thirsty Madusa becomes Uma Thurman hanging out in the United States, with her own statue garden. Lotus blossoms become cookies at a Las Vegas casino. And the all-powerful Gods simply hang out at the Empire State Building for fun. The older cast also helps fill the gaps nicely. Sean Bean is a somewhat believable Zeus, Steve Coogan was an unexpected but pleasantly surprising Hades, and Rosario Dawson was a sexy and titillating Persephone. I recommend if you enjoy Greek mythology, see this film. Be warned however, that it is definitely aimed at a younger audience, complete with a dance sequence to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” by a half boy/half goat (satyr) and Pierce Brosnan as a centaur (half man/half horse) which both are bound to make any grown person feel awkward.

RELEASE DATE
February 12, 2010

DIRECTOR
Chris Columbus

WRITTEN BY
Craig Titley

BASED ON
“The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan

STUDIO
20th Century Fox

PG
(for action violence and peril, some scary images and suggestive material, and mild language)

ADVENTURE
FAMILY
FANTASY
118 minutes