Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (PG)

Film

Fantasy films

750.fi.x491.percy.jpg

Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>2/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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Time Out says

Tue Feb 9 2010

Following a disastrous incursion into bubblegum high-school romance territory (‘I Love You, Beth Cooper’), Chris Columbus, director of the first two ‘Harry Potters’, returns to his comfort zone for this episodic and mirthless fantasy saga based on the first of a series of fantasy books by US writer Rick Riordan.

Mulching together the angsty teen intrigue of ‘Harry Potter’ and the frigid-and-proud flagwaving of ‘Twilight’, the film sees Zac Efron lookalike Logan Lerman (‘Gamer’) playing an underachiever who turns out to be a sword-swinging demigod when he discovers his birth was the result of the god Poseidon (Kevin McKidd) having a quick fling with dowdy New York housewife Catherine Keener. When his mother is kidnapped by Hades (Steve Coogan in full ‘Saxondale’ mode) as a bargaining chip for Zeus’s lost lightning bolt, Percy is charged with finding a number of trinkets dotted across North America in order to avert a crisis on Mount Olympus (located just above the New York cloud cover, who knew?) and save mom from eternal damnation.

That Percy risks life and limb to preserve the family unit is typical Columbus, and the film works best when playing on the idea that no amount of bravado is enough to mask our desire for parental love. Yet it’s not enough to compensate for the computer-game-style plotting, which is largely based on us picking up narrative nuggets that mechanically slot into place later on. Problematic, too, is the product placement: witness the scene in which Percy battles Medusa (Uma Thurman) and avoids her deathly gaze by craftily using the shiny back of his iPod as a mirror.

Author: David Jenkins

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Release details

Rated:

PG

UK release:

Fri Feb 12, 2010

Duration:

119 mins

Cast and crew

Director:

Chris Columbus

Cast:

Logan Lerman, Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Catherine Keener

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 4/5 (11 ratings)

  • In the toilet scene, clasier (Child of ares,) and Percy get in a fight in the camp toilets. Percy uses his powers to make the water shoot out of the toilet and hit classier so she gives up.

    Ben Sun Oct 31 2010
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  • The movie was O.K, IF you didn't read the books. the movie took away a lot of good parts and added a lot of bull*&%#

    Christian Sat Oct 9 2010
    Rated as: 1/5
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  • I thought the film was AMAZING!! Logan Lerman is SOOOOOO CUTE!!!!! :-) But I do think that they missed a lot of exciting bits from the book, I mean I would have loved to see the ares fight and the toilet scene. I would have loved to see who would have played Clarisse, Ares(god of war) Mr D(Dionysus-god of wine) I also would love to see the tunnel of love scene with the cupid cams and the awkweirdness between Percy and Annabeth(that would av been entertaining. Anyway brilliant film, perfectly timed yet I do think they should have added ares and Dionysus, I would loved to see who played them. Anyway I do think that this film has the makings of being the next Harry Potter, can't wait to see the sequel! Percy battles giant cannibals! and has a friend whos a cyclopes(well a half brother) anyway can't wait!

    janie Wed Aug 18 2010
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • I thought the film was AMAZING! Logan Lerman is SOOOOO CUTE! But I did think they missed out a lot of interesting stuff. I would love to see who would play Clarisse and Mr D(god of wine) But any way I loved the film but I don't think that it compared to the book. I would av loved to see the tunnel of love sequence with the cupid cams and the awkweirdness between Percy and Annabeth. Any way brilliant film not half as good as the book. But I think it has the makings of being the next Harry Potter can't wait to see the sequel!

    janie Tue Aug 17 2010
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  • good film, good story line, great actors overall good film for all the family

    sam Sat Mar 20 2010
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • I love these books. The movie was aswome but they changed it alot from the Book

    Annabeth Fri Mar 19 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • i thought the film was amazing. although im surprised its a pg. i am still wandering what the toilet scene is

    jordan_b123 Sun Mar 14 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • Logan Lerman is sooo fit! I love him! I think the film is ace and even though they missed out some bits it would've made it too long, I have read the books and love them. I especially love the scene in vegas its soo cool. Grover shaking some booty, and Logan. SO FIT!!!and he has no boyfriend. Luv u

    Caitlin M Sat Mar 13 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • I'm reading the books and iI'm on the 4th book.I thought the movie was great but you can't compare it to the book.No Clarisse.No Toilet.Left out too much but still an awesome movie

    HAS Fri Mar 5 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • great film but slow to get started

    sue Sat Feb 27 2010
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