Review of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) by Brent S — 14 Aug 2012

Percy Jackson hasn't got the name recognition of Harry Potter but that didn't stop studio bods hoping that lightning could strike twice with this literary adaptation. Unfortunately, this film is only lightning by name.

Jackson is one of those regular, good looking US high school kids in NYC, who's specialist skill is that he can hold his breath underwater for a long while. After his teacher turns into a giant bat like creature at the Natural History Museum, he's quickly whisked off to a Hogwarts style camp where he's told that his dad is actually big time God of the sea, Poseidon. Jackson takes this all in his stride, barely batting an eyelid and pretty soon he's off on some foolhardy adventure with his best pal and gal in tow to get some pearls and stop war on Earth. Or something along those lines.

PJ & The Lightning Thief is at heart a mash up of Harry Potter and Clash of the Titans, sprinkled with a bit of Twilight. The books may well take their time to examine his reaction to this new world but this film barrels along at such a pace that it seems to not have time for such trivial matters as character development when there's the next spectacular set piece to get to. We know this because when the cast do get to speak it's to remind us in short, succinct sentences as to what's just happened and what they're going to do next - "We just killed that monster. Now lets move on because we have to kill another monster to get that stuff to do the thing." - it's some pretty dreadful writing. The script is also painfully predictable so that even if you haven't read the book, you can see what the mini-twist will be coming from very early on.

It's not all bad though - the film is cast well with Logan Lerman making for a decent lead. Brandon T. Jackson provides a few laughs as the loveable sidekick and Alexandra Daddario is given a meaty, Hermione style role. The adults in the film are by a large a list of big names phoning it in. Pierce Brosnan, Kevin McKidd and Sean Bean all puff their chests out and talk in deep voices. Uma Thurman's Medusa evokes memories of her turn as Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin, while Steve Coogan brings a Partridge-esque quality to Hades, which isn't a good thing.

Visually the film has lot's of impressive moments. The Cgi machine has been working over time but it at least feels at home in a film like this. The five headed dragon beast is particularly cool, as it the depiction of Hades' realm. A free fall battle around the Empire State building is the highlight of the action though.

So Percy Jackson has some good stuff and some bad stuff about it but ultimately it fails because, unlike with the Harry Potter films, it feels like it hasn't been made with any care. You don't get the idea that anyone felt there was a lot riding on how the end result turned out, which isn't great but is at least better than the Clash of the Titans remake.