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

[Mark R. Leeper]

         PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF
                (a film review by Mark R. Leeper)

     CAPSULE: This film with the cumbersome title is a young
     adult movie from a young adult novel that reminds us of
     precursors like JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS and CLASH OF THE
     TITANS, but is set in a contemporary setting.  A high
     school boy finds out that the root of his problems is
     that he is a demigod in the sense of Greek mythology.
     In this world that mythology was not only true, the
     battles of the Greek gods continue today.  Percy Jackson
     is suspect number one in the theft of Zeus's lightning
     bolt so goes from being an underachiever to battling the
     great monsters and gods of the Greek myths.  This is a
     surprisingly satisfying fantasy adventure.  Director
     Chris Columbus adapts a screenplay by Craig Titley based
     on the popular novel by Rick Riordan.  Rating: +2
     (-4 to +4) or 7/10

The trailer for JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS talked of a story set in a
time of "men like gods and gods like men."  The makers had me right
there.  The film offered special effects genius Ray Harryhausen's
mythical monsters, gods that towered eighteen feet high, and the
story of an epic quest of heroes.  Few films have had films with so
much imagination to grab me.  I was reminded of that first viewing
of JASON when I saw PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING
THIEF.  This is a film that will introduce another generation of
kids to new worlds of gods and monsters.

Percy Jackson (played by Logan Lerman) somehow never fit in at his
high school in New York City.  In fact he does not quite fit in to
our world in general.  Then one day on a school trip to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art a particularly harsh teacher turns into
a harpy.  Literally, she is a harpy with wings and fangs.  His
handicapped best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) turns out
actually to be a satyr.  His teacher Mr. Brunner is actually the
centaur Chiron (Pierce Brosnan from the waist up; digital horse
 from the waist down).  It seems that in the tradition of Greek
myths, Percy does not know his lineage.  His mother is a
downtrodden housewife (Catherine Keener) and the father he never
met was Poseidon (Kevin McKidd).  It seems there is chaos in
heaven.  Someone stole Zeus's lightning bolt.  Chief suspect is
Percy.  This bolt is the key to all political power on Olympus
(moved to hover just next to the Empire State Building).  A rogue's
gallery of gods and monsters want to get their hands on the
lightning bolt.  Nearly everyone thinks Percy has it.  The confused
teen has to learn to fight like a demigod and then go to Hades to
look for the bolt.  But he needs a way to escape Hades.  Percy
forms a team with Grover, and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), a new
friend who happens to be the daughter of Athena--enemy of Poseidon.
The three must go across country and collect three blue pearls, the
key to escaping Hades.  Each pearl is in a different American city
and each is guarded by a peril from ancient Greek myth.

Most people seem to be comparing this film, the first in a series
as the title implies, to the "Harry Potter" films.  Well, Chris
Columbus (who directed two "Potter" films) directs it.  And it is
based on a young adult series and it does involve a teenager with
the supernatural.  Both involve boys with an unknown heritage.
There certainly are parallels, but this film is set in a different
sort of world and one with a little more gravitas since it is not
entirely made up.  The atmosphere is quite different.

Will this film be remembered as fondly as JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS?
Probably not.  In the 21st century it has too much competition from
other CGI films.  And the effects are not as much fun as those of
JASON.  On the other hand they are far more sumptuous.  While Jason
might have an animated monster in a scene, LIGHTNING fills the
frame with visual effects, albeit digital effects.  What surprised
me is that I had some affection for an action adventure film the
way I would have in the days of the Ray Harryhausen's best films.
I rate PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF a +2 on
the -4 to +4 scale or 7/10.

One more comment on the Percy Jackson books: a friend in high
school was very enthusiastic about the series and the Greek
mythology he had learned from it.  I discussed mythology with him
and was surprised how much he knew.  I gave him a gift of a book on
classical mythology and later heard he wrote a report based on the
book.  He came away with a better understanding of the roots of
Western culture.  Had he been interested instead in Wolverine, what
would he have learned of any comparable value?

Film Credits: <http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0814255/>

What others are saying: <http://tinyurl.com/perc-jack-lightning>

					Mark R. Leeper
					mleeper at optonline.net
					Copyright 2010 Mark R. Leeper