Photo: 20th Century Fox
You probably already knew Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, but did you know to get there all you have to do is take an elevator secretly located inside the Empire State Building to get there? I was equally shocked to learn Medusa runs a greenhouse in New Jersey and lotus eaters have taken up residence in Las Vegas. Next thing you're going to tell me is Hell is located in Hollywood. Wait… What? It is?
Based on the popular teen novels written by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is hoping to catch on like Harry Potter at the theaters, so much so the director of the first two Potter features, Chris Columbus, duped Fox into hiring him for the gig. However, Fox must have forgotten this was the same guy that directed I Love You Beth Cooper for the studio only a year ago, proving his talents do have limits, as does the filmed version of Percy Jackson.
"Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" is a 20th Century Fox release, directed by Chris Columbus and is rated PG for action violence and peril, some scary images and suggestive material, and mild language. The running time is 2 hours
The cast includes Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Kevin McKidd, Melina Kanakaredes, Logan Lerman, Brandon Jackson and Catherine Keener.
For more information on this film including pictures, trailers and a detailed synopsis choose from the following menu.
Seeing how the Gods serve as absentee parents, a magical training facility is set up in the woods for their half-human, half-god children (referred to as demigods) to bone up on their sword fighting. What they're training so hard to do is never mentioned, but I guess it doesn't really matter since logic and story details have no real place here. To make up for it the story tries to move along fast enough so you won't notice. So just as soon as Percy joins this band of forest dwellers it isn't long before he learns Hades (Steve Coogan) has taken his mom (Catherine Keener) hostage, causing Percy to set off on the highway to Hell with his half-goat friend (Brandon T. Jackson) and the film's young love interest (Alexandra Daddario).
All of this may sound amusing and entertaining in digital ink and after seeing a couple of trailers I expected it to be just that. Unfortunately it's just boring. Columbus's direction of this picture is paint-by-numbers. Its only interest is in getting from A-to-B and doing it as quickly and painlessly as possible. Should the scene call for a big action set piece filled with CGI Columbus delivers it just as expected and as seen in any number of other films like it. Boring.
While the idea of Gods and their children living secretly among us is a fascinating thought, this film is as straight to the point as it could be. It accepts its silliness, but I can't. Too much goes unanswered and what's left is, for the most part, uninteresting. It all boils down to people battling CGI monsters or hurling CGI weapons at one another. So much money goes into the effects that the studio hopes you'll forgive the plot holes. Even worse, outside of a rather cool water-logged finale the effects didn't do much for me either.
Uma Thurman pulled off the Medusa role with a satisfying bit of menace and charm, but her head of snakes was more distracting than impressive. Steve Coogan as Hades is inspired casting, and I got a kick out of seeing him in the role after realizing it was him, but as the scene progresses he shifts into the fiery God to prove a point and all I could think was Wow, they just wasted a lot of money for a joke that wasn't even funny.
The entertainment factor in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is shorter-lived than its long-winded title. The actors play their parts with such lackluster enthusiasm it's hard to ever get into the story, but perhaps that's because there is so little holding the story together there wasn't much for them to get excited about. I've heard the books are entertaining, good thing, because the movie's not.
For God sake, you don't even have to write a review for this.
You're making Percy Jackson sound like a HP wannabe. Is Disney's Enchanted then a wannabe of the likes of Mary Poppins and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
No matter how good of an actor Logan Lerman is, he doesn't seem to have that star quality. Brad even admits he doesn't add any charisma to the film.
@mfan: Well, he's only 18 so I don't think we can judge him too harshly, he was great in My One and Only.
i'm a percy jackson series fan, book-wise, but i really got disappointed in the movie. yes, it's fast-paced and never a dull moment, but they modify almost huge part of the story. they even removed major characters like ares (mars), oracle of delphi, clarisse la rue et al. sad… :c
They changed everything! From who actually defeats the monsters to how they get where they are going. Honestly had I watched the movie first I never would have read the books. With that said the books are great!
Oh yeah and Annabeths hair is blond
nevertheless, i love logan lerman! ;p
@raymie: Yeah, when I walked out of the theater, I realized that the Oracle of Delphi wasn't in it. They probably should've kept that in. Plus, as you said, major plot points were changed. I still liked it, as a fan of the book series.
Well, my son and my daughter (8 and 10 years old respectively) love the Percy Jackson books. I took them to see the movie and they really enjoyed it, and may I point out, so did all of the other kids it would seem. They did tell me that apparently many things were changed from the way they were in the book, but they still liked it. As an adult, I pretty much just sat through it, but I still found it entertaining enough. I wouldn't be too harsh on this movie.
I read all the books and they were amazing!!!!! This stupid director left out too many parts ecspecially the good ones. This movie was horrible except 4 Logan Lerman.
The books are fantastic but my entire family three boys and a girl were disappointed by the drift from the book. We know this always happens, but Nashville Instead of St. Louis? That Chihuahua was hysterical. And no Kronos? You can't do a sequel without him. But the most unforgivable omission had to be Clarisse and the toilets!
I saw this movie because my friend wanted to. While parts were entertaining, Percy Jackson undergoes no character change. He just goes with the flow. "I'm a demigod? OK, sounds good."
My biggest problem with the movie. Lerman was easy on the eyes, not too inspiring though for a son of Poseidon.
its like harry potter not in hogwarts and without voldemort. i was disapointed i this one coz i thought it will be a lot better
i thought the movie was pretty good. the specail affects were great. although the movie did not play along with the story. hopefull there will be a sequil with better details and a better view of the story.
ya…theyre not going to be able to make another one. didnt you notice how kronos wasnt in it? totally shot the only seque to the second book. good thing too cause that was the most painful thing i have ever seen in my life. i want my money back.
i agree and i hope they include characters like cronus, clarisse, etc. in the sequel (if they make one)
The plot is evident throughout the whole movie! There were definitely some major details left out of the movie that should've been included, but the extra effects were brought to be more important due to the lack of movie watchers these days. The attention is drawn more away from the plot to see the hot actress or the car explosion. Hollywood has given up on trying to show america a movie with a good plot that they head for what will grab attention. Sorry to disagree, but this movie was good.
no it wasnt..
OMG this movie was horrible i was a huge fan of the books i fell in love witht hem after i read the first book and i dont read very often im a big sports kinda guy i play football wrestle and baseball but i hd to read a book for my english class so ipicked that one and i instantly could not put it down so then i ha to read the rest of them and they were great, then i heard the movie was coming out and i was excited beyond words but then i went to see it opining day and was so dissapointed to find out that they added stuff that wasent in the book took out parts that were deleted some EXTREMLY major characters and change the entire story plot they took out clarise and ares percy dosent sneak out of camp to go on his quest he is given the quest and thats when he gets his sword pen (which is supposed to have a cap not be a click pen and is named riptide) also luke had no scare on his eye these things and SO MUCH MORE made me upset and dissipointed to see that movie im not even looking forward to seeing the next one if the make another one which i dont see how the could after the destryoed this one so bad. I really wish that someone would make a more accurate movie so i could see what it would have really been like.
i loved the movie!!!! i think the people who played annabeth and percy looked good together!!!!! i liked the way it got to the point!!!!! the reason why it went fast is because its the first book in the series and they didnt have a lot of money to make it long. i thought it was funny and interesting and i loved groover i thought he was so funny!!!!!! it was a great movie and my friends thought so too!!!! i really hope they make the hole series!!!!!
wrong.. it had a fairly large movie budget..
I hate my friend who forced me to read the book before watching the movie. I hate the movie translation. everything was a mess. everything. from start to finish. really sorry for the movie fans. I did like the movie effects and all, but it's the translation that's a mess. i don't think money is the question here. even the simplest parts were changed, like Annabeth having blond curly hair, or Mrs. Dodds wearing leather jacket… that's no too expensive for their money to be wasted. I understand cutting parts off but changing the whole story? >.< bummer!
If the movie had been about the book it would have been a great movie. Percy is supposed to be 12, Logan didn't come close to looking 12. They changed so much and screwed up so much and left out so much, I don't know how they can even consider doing the second or following books. There was even stuff in the trailers that wasn't even in the movie. If they do I hope they use someone that has actually read the books or change the name and don't relate it to those books which were a great read. Hades didn't want the stupid bolt, heck he was supposed to have been the one that stole it. (as it was thought in the book) If there happens to be a second movie, make sure the director, screenwriter, producer have read the first two books, or get rid of them. I am surprised the author allowed them to make the movie. I'd sue!
agreed.. if i was the author id NEVER let this movie get out..
spoilers!!! movie sucked big time.. i gotta stop reading books and then watching movies on em.. same director who tore up the 6th harry potter book.. took out major characters.. no oracle, no kronos, no clarisse, where the hell was ares? where were the other cabins? it was a joke.. seriously.. biggest waste of time.. ever.. why cant they just follow the book? the script is right there!?!? they had a fairly large budget.. took monsters from the second book and put it in the movie.. tore up the plot.. changed who the bad guys were.. hated it.. if u liked it then u probly didnt read the book..
there was so many things for me in this movie that was not right. firstly its no a clicky pen for Riptide its a pen u uncap i dont care if the director is trying to modernized this film it wouldnt be that hard to make it a cap pen for Zeus's sake, Annabeth let me say this clearly SHE IS BLLOOONNNDDDD, for grover i understand i dont mind that his hair colour had to change cause its hard for an actor to have red curly hair, but as for the story line in this WHO SAID U CAN ADD A PART FROM THE SECOND BOOK AND NOT SHOW CLARISSE! seriously come on! and for camp half- blood where are the strawberry fields the cabins that line up in a HORSESHOE shape, other that all of this, the movie was really enjoyable but nothing can compare to the book for the people who watched this movie and havent read the book READ IT NOW dont go oh but i dont like read- THEN TO FREAKIN BAD the book is sooo much better in the movie it explains things so much more.
spoilers
this movie sucked. for people who saw the movie but didn't read the book you won't understand how crappy this is unless you read it. everyone who did both should agree w/ me that THIS MOVIE WAS AWFUL!!!!!! sorry for under-acting there. anyway, the CGI sucked, major characters were ripped right out of the book, scenes were removed and/or mangled beyond repair, even the little things like percy's pen….. liked the book but want my $9.45 back for the movie.
how could the screw this so bad if the script (book) is right in front of them!!!!!! OMFG!!! they were even too lazy too get off their freaken butts to add annabeth's hat. or the 3-head dog from the underworld. or the scorpion at the end of the book. or the fact percy and co. are supposed to be 6th graders!!!!!!! they shouldn't be driving! luke shouldn't die. no luke + crappy plot and, well, everything else = no sequel & no audiance. people listen to me, DON'T WASTE YOUR $
i have to admit this movie left me stuned…. ABOUT HOW CRAPPY HOLLYWOOD CAN BE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's all i have to say. one more thing, me, my friends, and a bunch of their friends are making our own version of the movie, so watch for it on youtube some time next year!!!! (no lie)
Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting much, but I had fun while watching this. The young actors were alright (Alexandra Daddario kinda looks like Megan Fox, but without the "cunt-ness"), I liked the story and the plotholes didn't bother me. Plus, how great were Uma Thurman and Rosario Dawson? I had tremendous laughs with both women.
I read the book after seeing the movie, cause it was great. And i was surprised to find they were nothing a like. however, despite the diffrence, i found both incredably enjoyable. Granted, if i went back and watched the movie, i may be a little disapointed. but i plan to go see it with my neice on the weekend, and im sure ill find it enjoyable.
Christopher Columbus made the movie too kid-friendly. But I still give it a B
Read the books. Watched the movie. Different. Enjoyed both.
it was a horrible dull movie. ive read the books an waz VERY disappointed. the dialog is bad, the special effects are nothing but a distraction an the constant failed'oh im shocked!' acting by logan was horrible I would give this movie a -D because if it wasnt for Uma thurmans charm as medusa i wouldve given it a F
ya…theyre not going to be able to make another one. didnt you notice how kronos wasnt in it? totally shot the only seque to the second book. good thing too cause that was the most painful thing i have ever seen in my life. i want my money back.
For true i think it sucked. The trident was meant to appear over his head so he knew he was the son of posiedon… they told him. Ares was meant to fight him… NO ARES!
Clarisse was meant to get drenched with water…NO WET CLOTHES!
Everyone who watched it, and read the book you could see there was a big difference. It skipped like 2 chapters in 10 minutes… it would be hard to go by the book but atleast put in the good parts ! Fightin scenes CRAP! They didn't get the pearls from the museum or wherever. The flying shoes were meant to drag grover down to tarturus <– if that's how you spell it. Annabeth is blonde. The movie didn't end in the same way! I COULD DO ON AND ON!
As summed up above, this movie was bad, why? they did not follow the book which was amazing and why did he not follow the book?? THE DIRECTOR IS A IDIOT. seriously, he missed out such key parts of the story and theres no way for a sequel (thank god) and there is some parts people mentioned that i didnt notice that the clip pen or whatever was changed and annabeth's hair, i would have let that slide. But i had hopes for this movie, im really dissapointed they missed the best parts. T_T when will direcotrs learn, follow the book if its so amazing.
Acting: C+ i found some actors with decent performances
Story: C- Im too generous, this story was twisted and not executed well, missing key parts dropped 2 grades
Overall: Whole movie in total : C This movie was bad, not recommended. Please READ THE BOOK, its good, do something the director didnt.
Book: A loved the series
The movie ROCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cant tell if your joking, read the book, grow up 4 years and tell me again what you think.
have you read the book if you have the movie would of sucked
I think if they stuck with the book, it would of been MUCH better. I read the books, which i totally recomand. I was watching it with my freind, she didn't read the book, and she didn't get half of it. I think they speeded way too fast, making some audiances lost. The age diffrences, some VERY important charachters wern't mentioned. Also, Percy and Annabeth don't go all romancy right in the begining. Through the books their relashionship gets deeper and deeper. And when Percy realizes hes Posiden's son, hes like "Oh cool." Not like in the book when it was a big deal. Overall, it was okay but could of been better.
i was so angrey they didnt add clarise i dont think they will ad tyson or nico ethier and the chareckters are way to old and annabeth is blonde
I hated the movie!!! Firstly, they are all 12-13 year olds in the book (besides Grover). Secondly, they made the whole pearl thing a totally different story!? Annabeth has blonde hair in the book! They didn't use what Annabeth called Percy: sea weed brain and seriously that is important, they didn't include Clarrise, Dionysus, Ares and many more!!!!!! There is also a lot more that wasn't featured in the movie. I am so angry.
Read the books but the movie is a complete disaster!!
P.S hjjh and connie are right!!!!!
Bye
The movie was alright, but nowhere near like the book was. I loved the books, and I couldn't wait to watch the movie. And then I saw it. They forgot some major characters. They ruined Annabeth. They forgot about Tarturus. There was no Arch scene. I could go on and on. But one of the things I found the most annoying was they completely ignore Grover getting his Searcher's license. That's how the adventure in the second book starts, and they completely forgot it. I don't think I'm going to go see the second movie if they make it, because they completely ruined it already by not mentioning Grover's Searcher's license.
I loved the book, but this movie was HORRIBLE!
They left everything important out, changed things that NEEDED to stay as they were, and made the actors way too old. In the books they're 12, and they look about 20. Annabeth is supposed to be blonde with curly hair. That was what annoyed me most.