Movies
Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief
Published Tuesday, Feb 9 2010, 12:59 GMT | By Lara Martin | 28 comments
Director: Chris Columbus; Screenwriter: Joe Stillman, Rick Riordan; Starring: Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Catherine Keener, Uma Thurman; Running time: 120 mins; Certificate: PG
With the Harry Potter saga drawing to a close next year, what better time to introduce a brand new fantasy superhero to the big screen? Step forward Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief, the first instalment in the children's book series by Rick Riordan, which sees its eponymous hero discovering that he's actually half God, half human. With a further four books in the saga, and the potential for a long-running film franchise, can Percy Jackson live up to the standards set by Mr Potter? The answer is yes. From the opening scenes of a 30-foot Greek God emerging from the sea in New York, to the nordic looking battle grounds of Camp Half Blood, to the fiery colour and terror of the Underworld, Percy Jackson sucks you in as the classic Greek myths are retold for the modern world.
Percy (Lerman) is an average kid living in New York City. He doesn't try too hard at school, copes with dyslexia and ADHD and doesn't have the best home life since his mother (Catherine Keener) remarried a useless slob (Joe Pantoliano). But what starts as a normal class trip to the museum turns out to change his life forever, as his quiet teacher transforms into a truly terrifying winged creature and demands that Percy return a stolen lightning bolt. Before he knows it, a confused Percy is being packed off to a secret camp for his own protection, where he discovers that his wheelchair-bound tutor Mr Brunner (Pierce Brosnan) is actually a centaur and his crippled best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) is a Satyr tasked with protecting him.
It turns out that Percy is the son of Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), the God of the Sea, making him a very powerful demigod. Unfortunately, Poseidon's brother Zeus (Sean Bean) thinks that Percy has stolen his lightning rod, which has the potential to ignite a war between the Gods. Matters are further complicated when the evil Hades (Steve Coogan), God of the Underworld, kidnaps Percy's mother and demands ownership of the bolt himself. The only problem? Percy doesn't have the bolt and doesn't know where it is. Nevertheless, he decides to embark on a risky quest to the Underworld in a bid to resuce his mother, before trying to convince Zeus that he is telling the truth.
While the sequences at the surprisingly violent Camp Half Blood, where Percy learns to channel his powers, drag on for too long, his roadtrip across the States accompanied by Grover and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), the warrior daughter of Athena, is pure joy. Their mission takes them from the chill-inducing lair of Medusa (Thurman), to the hedonistic abandon of Las Vegas, and the glory of the Parthenon in Nashville as they battle against the clock to rescue Percy's mother, while delivering an assortment of Greek history lessons on the way. The brief detour to the Underworld is one of the movie's biggest highlights, with a campy Coogan draped in metallics and leather as Hades, while Rosario Dawson oozes sex appeal as the lustful and trapped Persephone. Big names like Brosnan, Bean and Thurman add plenty of gravitas to proceedings, while relative newcomer Logan Lerman shows he is definitely one to watch as he transforms Percy from bratty schoolkid to brave hero, shining in his battle sequences and displaying a knack for comedy.
Sure there are plot holes, and a heap of loose ends, not to mention the fact that no one bats an eyelid at the destruction of the Empire State Building, Parthenon etc. but that aside, Percy Jackson manages to make Greek mythology both fun and exciting and is sure to appeal to its key demographic. With Chris Columbus, the man responsible for breathing life into the first two Harry Potter movies, in the director's chair, we get exactly what we would expect. At the heart of its explosions, violence and awe inpsiring special effects, is a simple story about a boy's devotion to his mother and the importance of friends, which could give that other powerful hero a run for his money...
> What do you think of the movie? Share your views
Percy (Lerman) is an average kid living in New York City. He doesn't try too hard at school, copes with dyslexia and ADHD and doesn't have the best home life since his mother (Catherine Keener) remarried a useless slob (Joe Pantoliano). But what starts as a normal class trip to the museum turns out to change his life forever, as his quiet teacher transforms into a truly terrifying winged creature and demands that Percy return a stolen lightning bolt. Before he knows it, a confused Percy is being packed off to a secret camp for his own protection, where he discovers that his wheelchair-bound tutor Mr Brunner (Pierce Brosnan) is actually a centaur and his crippled best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) is a Satyr tasked with protecting him.
It turns out that Percy is the son of Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), the God of the Sea, making him a very powerful demigod. Unfortunately, Poseidon's brother Zeus (Sean Bean) thinks that Percy has stolen his lightning rod, which has the potential to ignite a war between the Gods. Matters are further complicated when the evil Hades (Steve Coogan), God of the Underworld, kidnaps Percy's mother and demands ownership of the bolt himself. The only problem? Percy doesn't have the bolt and doesn't know where it is. Nevertheless, he decides to embark on a risky quest to the Underworld in a bid to resuce his mother, before trying to convince Zeus that he is telling the truth.
While the sequences at the surprisingly violent Camp Half Blood, where Percy learns to channel his powers, drag on for too long, his roadtrip across the States accompanied by Grover and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), the warrior daughter of Athena, is pure joy. Their mission takes them from the chill-inducing lair of Medusa (Thurman), to the hedonistic abandon of Las Vegas, and the glory of the Parthenon in Nashville as they battle against the clock to rescue Percy's mother, while delivering an assortment of Greek history lessons on the way. The brief detour to the Underworld is one of the movie's biggest highlights, with a campy Coogan draped in metallics and leather as Hades, while Rosario Dawson oozes sex appeal as the lustful and trapped Persephone. Big names like Brosnan, Bean and Thurman add plenty of gravitas to proceedings, while relative newcomer Logan Lerman shows he is definitely one to watch as he transforms Percy from bratty schoolkid to brave hero, shining in his battle sequences and displaying a knack for comedy.
Sure there are plot holes, and a heap of loose ends, not to mention the fact that no one bats an eyelid at the destruction of the Empire State Building, Parthenon etc. but that aside, Percy Jackson manages to make Greek mythology both fun and exciting and is sure to appeal to its key demographic. With Chris Columbus, the man responsible for breathing life into the first two Harry Potter movies, in the director's chair, we get exactly what we would expect. At the heart of its explosions, violence and awe inpsiring special effects, is a simple story about a boy's devotion to his mother and the importance of friends, which could give that other powerful hero a run for his money...
> What do you think of the movie? Share your views
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i think this is the best movie i have ever see its that good
i would have liked it if it wasn't titled PJatO the lightning thief and the characters were'nt rick's characters
I have read the book, and I must say, I LOVED it! I read the book only because I wanted to see the movie, and I am sure glad I did. A few comments on the movie.. honestly, I was disapointed in it, ALOT. I really wanted to see Clarisse and Ares in the film. The cabins at Camp Half-Blood were not correct, and where was the scorpion from Luke?! What about Montauk? And since when was Hades at Camp Half-Blood in the fire? I was also upset to see that Percy didn't even go into the bay or do anything UNDERwater. I wanted to see what Tartarus was like. Where was the monument from the book with the huge dog? The storyline in the movie wasn't right, it was way screwed up. Love the book, disapointed in the movie. I expected better, hopefully Sea of Monsters [if they make a movie] will be so much better. I give the movie some credit though: Logan Lerman is extremely cute and it was funny in some parts. But that's about it.
I try to see the movie as something completely separate from the books, but this movie was so stereotypically "Disney" styled that it failed in the goal of bringing the flavor of Greek mythology to the modern age. By having Poseidon as an all-loving super dad we lose the sense of how the Greek gods related to half-mortal children--favoring them and betting on them but not acting as mortal parents would. Also by having the divine parents provide telepathic instructions to the children when the kids are in peril, we loose the sense of (1) the children learning on their own and (2) why Luke is so p***ed at the gods. The female they called "Annabeth" was simpering and annoying eye-candy. I read that they used a brunette to make her "brainy". You know what makes a female character brainy? Writing intelligent dialog and actions for her! They made this young woman into a sort of weaker, dumber teen Xena who moves around in interesting ways and looks good in leather. I wish Athena would smite them. I know they can't have all the details of a book in a movie, but why do they have to take out all the character development, interesting dialog and meaning plot? I was very disappointed and it was painful to sit through.
It was fantastic. I loved the film and although there are differences between the book and film doesnt every film? not every film is going to be exactly the same as it is in the book.
Very bad movie..what a waste of money..
Well...the true is that the movie and the book are really different...I was waiting to see the same andventerous that do the book so excited to the film...but I didn't saw anything of this.the sure thing is that the movie is better than harry potter,but I have seen and better
well the only reason that i like the movie is becouse i prefer those movies...(ancient greece, science fiction)...the movie it's good but i have seen and better...the sure is that it is more good that harry potter
well the only reason that i like the movie is becouse i love logan lerman...the movie it's good but i have seen and better...the sure is that it is more good that harry potter
I dislike this movie from the start. This movie starting going down hill for me once I seen Poseidon come out of the water at the start of the move. The only thing the movie and book have in common is the name. If you like the books then I would advise you not to see this move because it will only make you upset. I think this movie was chessy and the acting was awaful. I could only stand about an hour of this movie before I walked out.
i would say the special afect were preaty good but the story line was way off from the book it was a discrace to the book they rushed the scence to much and kinda messed up the meeting of luke and Annabeth.It so stupid how they cut parts out from the movie that were in the book (key parts!!!) those parts made the book make sence the movie is just mashed up scence that kinda make sence but not realy thats why i say the movie sucks and the book is better!!
Excellent film, although there are many differences betweeen the novel and the film, the film holds on it's own :-)
Well since everyone else seems to hate the fact they changed things but I personally didn't care too much. The film was, in my opinion, seriously good (and I have read the books, numerous [way too many] times). Though Annabeth was basically Clarisse in that film which was annoying
i thought the film would have been enjoyable if i hadnt have read the books but they kept on missing loads out and changing soo much! me and my friend where getting really frustrated and were cursing at the screen. in the end i decided to forget the book and think of it as a seperate story. it was a good film though
Never read the books so can't comment on the similarities and differences there but it was a good laugh and Logan Lerman is a bit of a dish so two hours were well spent. Also, did anyone think Logan sounded EXACTLY like Zac Efron at points?... Bizarre.
I waited three years, since I read the book, for this movie. Went with a friend he got mad at me cus I complained about everything, I gave him the book, he read the first chapter, and he told me, wow Ima read this book, even the first chapter is ten times better. The movie Sucked, the only thing, in the whole movie they got right was the Lotus, besides that, everything sucked. you have NO clarise in the movie, and anabeths personality in the movie IS Clarise's, instead of being all wierd like, she is the cool strong well fighter one. there was no Oracle or prophecy, and oh remember at what age the prophecy was to be completed? I do 16!!! the age they start off at the movie!!! Also there is no pine tree at camp half-blood, Percy does not keep the Minotaur horn, an actual element in the cover of the book! Also the cabins and the god chairs sucked, none of them represented anything, there was only one cabin in the movie, Percy's, and luckily it at least showed the ocean. Also everyone in the book thinks and believes that Percy is the lightning thief, not only the gods. The journey in the book is only about saving Sally, Percy's mom. For those fans of the book, who luckily, have not watched it yet, take my advice, do NOT watch it, it will shatter your idea of the book, f-u Chris Colombus, you ruined my favorite book, I thank you for that.
It was alright but having read the book which was a million times better it was very disappointing. The whole movie felt rushed and a lot was very different form the actual book. Finding the three pearls was ridiculous. They left out important things like The Oracle, Thalia, Clarisse, and especially the Prophecy. I was disappointed in the camp set as it looked way different from described and shown in the handbook. I was also upset that they didn't show when Poseidon claimed him as his son. Percy is supposed to be able to go under water without getting wet also. I think the minor things like hair color shouldn't be pushed to the side. Like Annabeth's hair, it is supposed to be blond. I really liked the face and body look to the girl who played Annabeth but a simple wig would have made it soooo much better. Also Chiron was a white stallion. Why was it that much harder to make the Centaur the way he was supposed to be. Overall very disappointing as a fan of the books.
honestly i don't know why everybody has to compare this book to harry potter!!!!! i read these books and absolutely loved them:p if you think that this is just some kind of movie that is a cult than your wrong! i love the books and i will stand behind the movie 100% so if you have a probelm with this go #%@*&
Iīm so disappointed! I read all the books and I just couldnīt wait for the movie. I saw it last night and have to say omg how awful is that?? Where is Clarisse, Mr. D, the Oracle?? Why are there so many half-bloods? And they couldnīt even get it right that Miss Dods is his maths teacher. I know that you always have to make changes to a book to make a movie out of it, but do you have to change the whole story line?? In my opinion the only thing that the movie and the book share are the title and a few plot ideas.
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The moment he realizes that his mother has been killed and then the scene cuts to going for a walking tour of the camp area I knew this was the dumbest screenwriting I've ever seen.