Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief (2010)

 

Remember a time where every young adult and fantasy series had to be translated to the big screen? And not every one of them was a smash hit?

Well, this one wasn't. Not really. A bit of a shame because at its heart, this sort of story had a lot to offer, but only two films in the studio pulled the plug, even if they should have just finished a trilogy. 

Ah well.

Percy Jackson is a sort of regular kid with ADHD and dyslexia, who lives with his mom and her douchebag husband, but things swiftly take a turn for the weird when it transpires he is actually the son of the Greek god Poseidon. It doesn't end there: apparently, Zeus' thunderbolt has been stolen and he blames it on Percy, which invites a host of creatures and other deities to chase the boy. 

To keep him safe, he is brought to a special camp where only children of deities reside and where they are trained to become heroes. They're demigods, after all. Percy has the good fortune that his best friend Grover is in truth a satyr and was assigned to protect him, but he quickly garners the favour of Annabeth, a daughter of Athena as well. 

Percy desperately wants to get his mother back from the clutches of Hades and at the same time prove that he is innocent, but to do so, they have to set out on a quest across the United States to recover pearls that will allow them to escape from the netherworld and eventually go to Olympus to confront Zeus. 

But of course, nefarious things are afoot... 

This film has a few things going for it. The main characters are likable enough and even though their characterization is a bit all over the place (especially with Annabeth), they will grow on you sufficiently to root for them. 

Yes, you know they will never be in any real danger and the stakes are rather bland (end of the world, of course), but still. The adventure is fun and there are numerous references and winks at Greek mythology, that seemingly all was relocated from Greece to the United States for reasons no one can really fathom. 

No really: why? 

All in all, this is rather harmless fun and entertaining enough. But it does lack that bit of bite and perhaps a better construction of the main plot, as there is a villain (of sorts) but he is honestly never properly introduced, let alone his motives clear. 

Well, he wants to take over from the gods, but once again, this is all a bit bland, isn't it?

Nevertheless: you can enjoy this one for what it is, a harmless and slightly entertaining adventure film that will probably fare better with younger audiences than adults.