Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning Thief Review

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is based on the first of a series of books by author Rick Riordan and is aimed at young teens, particularly boys. The series proposes that the Greek Gods are alive and kicking in the modern world, more specifically operating out of a new Mount Olympus in Manhattan.

Well now, here’s the story. A New York teenager Percy (Logan Lerman) who is living with single mom Sally (Catherine Keener) and her no-good boyfriend Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pentoliano). What Percy has never known is that his real father is Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), the Greek god of the oceans. So Percy is a demi-god, son of a god and a human.

Being the son of the lord of the ocean and of earthquakes has some great advantages, like the ability to manipulate and control water. Percy meets with fellow demigods, centaurs, satyrs and other very-much-alive creatures of Ancient Greek Myth and even manages to rub shoulders with a few gods and a rather intimidating prophecy.

The characters are much as you would expect and the film-makers have done a good job casting the trio of young leads, though fans have already expressed their opinions about changes in the ages of the characters and the look of both Grover and Annabelle.

Overall the film is well paced and provides two hours of solid entertainment. There is enough here to warrant a second look and interested viewers are encouraged to refresh their memory about Greek Mythology in order to enhance their viewing experience. Better yet, read on into the series of Percy Jackson books to discover how this prophecy plays out.