Based on Rick Riordan's novel, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is about a teen (played by Logan Lerman of 3:10 to Yuma) who discovers he's the son of a Greek god and has been accused of stealing Zeus (Sean Bean)' lightning. Along with his friends Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) and Annabeth (The Hottest State's Alexandra Daddario), he sets out on a quest to Hell and back to clear his name and save the world from the wrath of the gods.
Chris Columbus (I Love You Beth Cooper) directs, and while Percy Jackson can be engaging at times (mostly because of the visual effects), the script is inferior to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter 1 & 2, both of which Columbus has helmed movie versions of as well. Similarly, the stepparent is horrible, the lead character realizes his superpowers all of a sudden and has to go away to a place for 'gifted kids', he has a guy and a girl for his sidekicks, they, too, consult a magical map, and they never listen to their elders yet they get away with it since all's well that ends well. There is just not much depth to go around and everyone else feels like a backdrop for what happens next.
So what does the adult moviegoer of a juvenile movie have left to do? Enjoy the bit parts of its strangely stellar supporting cast. There's Oscar nominee Catherine Keener (Capote, Being John Malkovich) who plays Percy's mum Sally; Pierce Brosnan who plays both his professor and Chiron; Oscar nominee Uma Thurman as Medusa; Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum) as Hades; Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds, Alexander) as Persephone; CSI: NY's Melina Kanakaredes as Athena and many more.
Chris Columbus (I Love You Beth Cooper) directs, and while Percy Jackson can be engaging at times (mostly because of the visual effects), the script is inferior to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter 1 & 2, both of which Columbus has helmed movie versions of as well. Similarly, the stepparent is horrible, the lead character realizes his superpowers all of a sudden and has to go away to a place for 'gifted kids', he has a guy and a girl for his sidekicks, they, too, consult a magical map, and they never listen to their elders yet they get away with it since all's well that ends well. There is just not much depth to go around and everyone else feels like a backdrop for what happens next.
So what does the adult moviegoer of a juvenile movie have left to do? Enjoy the bit parts of its strangely stellar supporting cast. There's Oscar nominee Catherine Keener (Capote, Being John Malkovich) who plays Percy's mum Sally; Pierce Brosnan who plays both his professor and Chiron; Oscar nominee Uma Thurman as Medusa; Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum) as Hades; Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds, Alexander) as Persephone; CSI: NY's Melina Kanakaredes as Athena and many more.