Reviews & Ratings for
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief More at IMDbPro »

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147 out of 197 people found the following review useful:
Chris Columbus should be ashamed!!!!, 12 February 2010

Author: buckeysooz from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

When this movie first arrived in trailers, I like so many adults, who have become fans through our children was excited. We could overlook Pierce Brosnan playing Chiron which gets both the age and nature of the character wrong. We could overlook the character of Percy obviously being older than the books stated age of twelve, however almost everything else was so far removed from the books that have become so popular including storyline, that this movie should not even be allowed to carry the "based on the books" tag. The characters were completely miscast, the storyline was a weak abominational blend of books one and two..... kind of..!

He (Chris Columbus) invented places for the movie to go that have nothing to do with the story in its origination, he omitted too many details that are so pertinent to the actual storyline that it may be impossible for any new director (and I believe if future films are to take place a new Director IS NECESSARY) to repair the damage that has been done.

For a story that has millions of fans who will be buying tickets to movies for a very long time, this does heavy damage to Chris Columbus's reputation as evidenced by post movie chatter in which most if not all was incredibly negative. Negative both to the movie as a whole and to Chris Columbus personally. Many there seem to believe he did the same to the Potter movies he has been involved with and feel at this point anyway that they will think twice before seeing another movie with his name attached to it. Lets' face it, as one young fan said, "not sticking completely to a Potter book...understandable, they are 1,000 pages each...Not coming close on a book 350 pages long...not forgivable."

So, if you are going to see this movie because of the wonderful scenes in St. Louis, Denver, The Santa Monica pier, or to see his step father get his, etc etc etc etc save your money, they are not in there. Neither is Clarissa, Lukes scar, Mr. D, Aries, Kronos, and so on. If you would like to see a movie that completely rewrites the creation of Rick Riordan, then by all means, spend your money on a mildly entertaining theft of a wonderful idea.

83 out of 113 people found the following review useful:
Did they even read the book? Worst Movie of the YEAR! If not Ever!, 14 February 2010

Author: emiele4 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The first question I must ask myself is if Chris Columbus can even read... Because obviously he never read the books. Well maybe he read the back cover summary, its the only reference to the book in the movie.

As for the book, Rick Riordan should be ashamed for letting anyone slaughter, I take that back, Massacre, his artwork in such a way. Not only were critical details left out of this story but the entire story was altered in such a way that a remake and an refund should be in place for all readers.

The story line itself may have needed a little touching up for the big- screen but leaving out Kronos, Mr. D, Clarisse, The Oracle, blaming Hades, and everything else (I can go on for 375 pages) is unforgivable. If the plan was to make one lone movie and never touch Percy Jackson again, they were successful. I will never again be able to attend a Chris Columbus movie. Not even a free one.

In their defense, if you had never read the books the cast did a good job on a kids movie. The amount of money spent to screw up a story this awesome is mind boggling. Please do not support the future career of the screen writer and director by spending your money. They should both be banished to Tartarus for such a crime!

Long story short It is difficult to even write a review as it makes my blood pressure skyrocket to unhealthy levels.

Signed,

Devoted, Story loving readers of Rick Riordan

78 out of 108 people found the following review useful:
Nothing like the book!!, 13 February 2010

Author: laurieclooney from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Last night I took my 2 daughters and a friends to see the movie. All of the girls had read all the books in the series (including me) and had been anticipating the release of the movie for over a year. The book is fabulous!! I taught 4th grade for 4 years and read it to all my Language Arts classes every year. I never had a student not like the book. It contains humor, action, friendship themes, and characters that contain quite a bit of depth and growth throughout the 5 books in the series.

The movie was nothing like the book. The characters in the book are 12 years old. How are the next books to be made into movies if the culminating event of the series happens when Percy turns 16? The plot was totally changed. In the book the quest that Percy, Annabeth, and Grover embark on IS NOT to find 3 pearls so they can escape from the underworld after rescuing Percy's mom. In the book, he doesn't even know that she is alive. It is understandable that not all the adventures on the way to the underworld could be put in a 2 or even 3 hour movie, but don't make up new adventures that aren't even in the book.

The true villain in the book is not even mentioned in the movie and several main characters vital to the plot and character development of Percy and Annabeth are missing. My 13 year old daughter-who waited in line for hours to get Rick Riordan to sign her book- wanted to leave in the middle of the movie because she though it was the worst movie she had ever seen. If the director had stuck to the book, it could have been an amazing movie and people would not be comparing it to Harry Potter want-to-be.

75 out of 106 people found the following review useful:
I Suposse It's Chris Columbus Fault!!!, 12 February 2010

Author: Angelafterglow from Colombia

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

OK, so where to start? I had like the biggest expectations for Percy Jackson's first movie,I for one loved the book, and thought that it would be a great movie based on the trailers but WOW was I gonna get a surprise.

First of all let me all say to you guys who have read the books that I actually didn't mind the fact that the actors were way older than the characters in the book, because I think this way it was a little bit more real due to the journey they had to go in their cross country trip from NY to LA, but here are my biggest disappointments in the movie:

1.- Who the hell decided to take Ares & Kronos Out Of The Movie!!!!!!!!!! They should get fired, not to mention getting Annabeth in The role of Clarisse when introducing here in the movie.

2.- A quest for the pearls wasn't such a bad idea in order to justify their cross country trip but, changing events and avoiding facts like the bus explosion and the attack of the Furys, and changing stuff like the arch of Sant Louis for the Parthenon in Nashville... for real??? Nashville???? And The Chihuahua Turned Chimera changed for the Hydra (In Book 2)??????

3.- Hades dressed like Ares was supposed to, and becoming a bad guy when he actually wasn't bad at all????

4.- Dropping The storyline of Hades invisibility Helmet and just making him want the lighting bolt???

5.- OK And lets just make Luke an almighty bad guy who can fool the gods all by himself.

6.- Not To mention that Grover is now a senior keeper he is not a searcher so he ain't supposed to be anywhere else but in half blood camp in the second movie (which I doubt will get made)

7.- Really his mom just kicked her husband out??? what about Medusa's head????

I've had no problems in the past in movies like harry potter where they keep the main storyline and drop some other less important story lines but changing the hall background of the movie and the depth of their problems in general I think It's I huge mistake.

If you have not read any books, U'll probably like it, but otherwise... AVOID THE MOVIE.

57 out of 79 people found the following review useful:
The Worst Movie of 2010, 15 February 2010

Author: davesam1312-1 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I have read the book "Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief" and it is one of my favorite books. The movie just plain sucked. For one, it didn't follow the book and two, the acting was terrible. Pierce Brosnan, Uma Thurman, and Logan Lerman all did terrible jobs. Grover and Annabeth were both badly cast and the whole altering of the plot from the book was a terrible decision. Annabeth looked like she was twenty years old and Grover was like Fresh Prince of Bel Air Part Two. If I hadnt been with friends, I wouldve asked for my money back. We were all making fun of it the entire time.

If you've read this book, or if you haven't, don't see this movie! Absolutely awful!

114 out of 196 people found the following review useful:
Oh my Gods and Goddesses, 10 February 2010

Author: Archetype from Australia

I went to see this movie without any expectations. I haven't read the books and I only read one review in the paper.

Yes, there are parts borrowed from other movies, but what makes this movie different is that it doesn't take itself too seriously, like Harry P. It was as if most of the actors were instructed to 'Ham it up'.

I didn't look at my watch during the movie (two hours), which is a good sign that I am enjoying going along for the ride.

What I didn't like was that most of the mythology was missing. Like it was assumed knowledge. All it did was not allow me to connect to the main characters because I didn't know enough about them (from the film).

The music wasn't overbearing, but went nicely with the film. Nothing memorable except "Highway to Hell".

S/Fx were done to an acceptable level, especially Hades (the place not the God). But the Gods were too human for my liking.

Maybe the producers are hoping this film will fill in the void being left by Harry P. The hero in this movie looks about the same age as Harry in his last film.

I don't think it is a repeat watch (DVD).

44 out of 58 people found the following review useful:
Most ridiculous script ever..., 15 February 2010

Author: ssallazzar from Romania

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

It rarely happens that i go at the cinema and see a movie that i hoped to be good and entertaining and leave not only with disappointment but actually furious that i was tricked by this movie's trailer to waste my money on the ticket and 2 hours of my time.

Its full of cliché , predictable , boring and dumbing , after 30 min in the film the kid finds out why his mother had to put with his step-father " The only thing that kept the wrath of the gods from finding you was his great stench that kept you hidden " , this is the moment i should have walked out of the theater , i was foolish and stayed until the end, and i am writing this review now in the hopes that people don't go and waste they're time on this movie the way i did . Pierce Brosnan expression when he has to tell his ridiculous lines is evidence enough how completely stupid this movie is .

The actors are not bad , the action scenes are OK made and the special effects are nicely done , but i would like to present the script writers of this movie with a new edition of the Spanish Inquisition for what they've done here. Tell your children to read the book , this movie is insulting to human intelligence the way it was written.

51 out of 74 people found the following review useful:
It Numbed My Mind Raw, 12 February 2010

Author: griffolyon12 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I've never been a big fan of Greek mythology, so based upon that criteria I've never been a big fan of movies about the subject. Though I have grown to be pretty fond of the book series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I was astounded at how well Greek mythology was interwoven into the modern day culture as author Rick Riordan told a rip-roaring adventure tale, filled with humor, mystery, and tons of action. Like all things successful, Hollywood likes to get in the game, so it's no surprise that a film has been made of the first of the Percy Jackson books, The Lightning Thief. The film, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief, seems to have lost something in the translation, winding up as a film that really only shares the name of the book and nothing else.

The story of the film follows teen Percy Jackson, who has absent father syndrome. He has never known his biological father and harnesses deep bitterness toward the man who forced him and his mom to live with his demeaning stepfather, Gabe. Then, one day Percy's substitute teacher, Ms. Dodds, transforms into a gigantic winged beast and attacks him whilst on a field trip, to be saved by his best friend and silent guardian, Grover (who turns out to be half human-half goat), and his teacher, Mr. Brunner (who is really hero trainer and centaur, Chiron from Greek mythology). Percy learns that he is a demigod (half human-half God), and that his father is Poseidon, God of the Sea. But trouble is afoot for Percy, because Zeus's lightning bolt has been stolen and Percy is the prime suspect in the midst of a feud between brothers existing long before he was born. Now Percy must prove his innocence if he wishes to keep the world from being engulfed in an all out war between the Gods.

This film just seemed to lack any of the charm that can be found within the book. Screenwriter Craig Titley, did not have a very good handle on these characters. Percy was the smartest of his ring of friends, and not his super smart friend, Annabeth (who happens to be daughter of Athena, God of Wisdom, is there anything wrong with her being portrayed as witless and stupid?). Now, I never consider myself a book purist, I understand things must be amended in order for the book to work as a film, but this adaptation was just all over the place. They changed and cut things that should have been left in, I mean, they cut out the main villain of the entire series in this film, Kronos. Without Kronos in this first film, how can they possibly hope to make any sequels and have them make even a lick of sense?

Director Chris Columbus was the man who brought the first two Harry Potter films to the screen, he knows how to create pure movie magic, but something just wasn't clicking with this film. The film flew at a breakneck pace, never taking any time to breath and let you drink in this fantastic world. Like when Percy believes that his mother has died, he's told his mother's dead, then two seconds later he's up on his feet with a smile on his face. Not to mention, the film dispersed major plot points as if they were just reading statistics off of a teleprompter, making me wonder if someone who hasn't read the book will even be able to follow this movie, or if they will even care when it's all said and done.

As it is, I will not lie and say I didn't enjoy it when Percy and his friends battled the Hydra, or when they got trapped in this hotel & casino in Las Vegas that drugs you with sweet Lotus flowers to where you never want to leave, but these few moments were not enough to redeem this film. Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief, is a mind-numbingly raw experience from start to finish.

I give Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief a 4 out of 10!

34 out of 46 people found the following review useful:
Greek mythology goes Hollywood., 22 February 2010

Author: orankimanki from Finland

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I'm speechless. Truly speechless. If there is a bottom in modern day movies, it lies within the abominable pile of feces that is Percy Jackson the lightning thief. Enter America through the coughed up hair ball that is Percy Jackson (aka. Zac Efron #2), as his immoral adventures lead us through every known America-promoting scene, cliché and famous American destination (need I remind that we are dealing with Greek mythology). I didn't know Olympus resided on the top of the empire state building, or that the underworld was accessible through under the widely known landmark that is the Hollywood sign... This movie has as many flaws as acting careers it will namely destroy. This is what happens when you throw too much money at a dog with rabies and expect it to direct a movie. The leftover money that was thrown at this movie could surely feed the entire world for a century. I'm not sure if I should blame the book, or the movie, for it's inconsistent and illogical storyline. The acting is bad. The characters are shallow and predictable. The editing is horrible, just an example of a scene where Percy's mother is about to tell the truth to Percy about his father, outside being dusk, and then the scene cutting to night time, where she begins the actual explaining. The editors have clearly not watched the movie a second time to bother with flaws, who can blame them, I wouldn't. If you want to have a good laugh with your friends about the movies anus of a presentation, I recommend it. If you want to watch an interesting fantasy adventure about Greek mythology combined with present day, go read a history book and make movie about it with your cellphone cam and toilet paper as a script, and I guarantee you will gain more satisfaction than you would receive from this diarrhea of a movie.

Yours sincerely, Orankimanki.

73 out of 124 people found the following review useful:
A bit of a disappointment, 12 February 2010

Author: nearmiss from United States

My family went to see the movie "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" today. All of us have read the books and are big fans. I do think it's interesting the comments made about how this movie is a ripoff from Harry Potter. If you actually read the book, the movie was nothing like it. I'd say it wasn't a bad way to spend a few hours. My family liked it, at no time was I wondering how long we'd been in the theatre. But where the book was great, the movie lacked...a lot.

CGI was awesome. Medusa & her snakes were amazing.

If you can avoid paying full price (where we live you can see movies on the weekends for $5 per person before noon), you won't feel like you were short-changed with this one.

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