Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

PG

Released Feb 12, 2010

1h 59m

Kids & Family

Adventure

Fantasy

List

49%

Tomatometer

152 Reviews

53%

Audience Score

250,000+ Ratings

Always trouble-prone, the life of teenager Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) gets a lot more complicated when he learns he's the son of the Greek god Poseidon. At a training ground for the children of deities, Percy learns to harness his divine powers and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime: he must prevent a feud among the Olympians from erupting into a devastating war on Earth, and rescue his mother from the clutches of Hades, god of the underworld.

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Critics Consensus

Though it may seem like just another Harry Potter knockoff, Percy Jackson benefits from a strong supporting cast, a speedy plot, and plenty of fun with Greek mythology.

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Amy Nicholson

I.E. Weekly

The Greek gods had outsized powers and petty grievances. These Gen-Y demigods are no different - it's a whole generation of kids with daddy issues

Rated: C

Feb 18, 2010

Full Review

A.O. Scott

At the Movies

I thought it was mischievous and witty and amusing and I was just sort of drawn into it.

Feb 16, 2010

Full Review

Time Out

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.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 16, 2010

Full Review

Anton Bitel

Projected Figures

Chris Columbus’ tale of teen empowerment finds Greek mythology in the modern world

Dec 27, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

This is a by-the-numbers fantasy adventure that merges the modern world with a magical one.

Rated: 1.5/4

Aug 22, 2023

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

The Lightning Thief is good juvenile entertainment. [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 19, 2022

Full Review

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Christine M

I saw this movie before I read the book and loved it at the time. Yes, it was a bit cheesy at times, but it was still a good movie. It would have been better if Disney had decided to create their own movie using the themes from the books, but with different character names. Do not compare this to the books. There are very few similarities between the two.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/21/24

Full Review

Marius K

I watched it with my partner. I read the book, he didn't. We both didn't like the movie, for several points. Trying to just rate the movie is difficult as I liked the books. It got too cheesy, sexualized and predictable. The acting was not really nicely done. The screenplay, the effects and sound (although often also cheesy) were largely good. I wanted to finish the movie as I liked the book. Otherwise I would have stopped somewhere and spent my time better Comparing it to the book is difficult. A lot of the content is missing, the story changed....

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

07/13/24

Full Review

Smaug Z

Very good as movie alone, just don't compare it with book.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/08/24

Full Review

Guy M

Really enjoyed the movie! The Greek gods are such a cheap thrill, very easy material for stories, and how the writers mixed it in to the modern world so seamlessly was very impressive. Then again the acting and some plot points felt awkward. Like when the mother disappeared and Percy was completely unfazed.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/03/24

Full Review

Hargie M

Reflecting on the movie, I couldn't help but wonder how Chris Columbus, who did such a stellar job with the Harry Potter movies, managed to falter with this adaptation. The Percy Jackson series has a unique charm and complexity that seemed lost in translation.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/30/24

Full Review

Alex R

Most of the the characters and scenes aren't in the movie that are from the book.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/10/24

Full Review

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Chris Columbus

Director

Logan Lerman

Percy Jackson

Brandon T. Jackson

Grover

Alexandra Daddario

Annabeth

Jake Abel

Luke

Sean Bean

Zeus

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Synopsis

Always trouble-prone, the life of teenager Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) gets a lot more complicated when he learns he's the son of the Greek god Poseidon. At a training ground for the children of deities, Percy learns to harness his divine powers and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime: he must prevent a feud among the Olympians from erupting into a devastating war on Earth, and rescue his mother from the clutches of Hades, god of the underworld.

Director: Chris Columbus
Producer: Karen Rosenfelt, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, Mark Radcliffe
Screenwriter: Craig Titley
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Phoenix Film Partners, 1492 Pictures, Dune, Sunswept Entertainment
Rating: PG (Mild Language|Action/Violence|Peril|Some Scary Images|Suggestive Material)
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 12, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $88.8M
Runtime: 1h 59m

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