Movie Review of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is an adaptation of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series by Rick Riordan. The screenplay was written by Craig Titley and directed by Chris Columbus who also directed the first two Harry Potter films.

According to 20th Century Fox, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief movie is about the gods of Mount Olympus and monsters coming out of the pages of high school student Percy Jackson's (Logan Lerman) Greek mythology texts and into his life. And they're not happy: Zeus' lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Even more troubling is the sudden disappearance of Percy's mother. As Percy finds himself caught between angry and battling gods, he and his friends, Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) a daughter of Athena and a Satyr named Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), embark on a cross-country adventure to catch the true lightning thief, save Percy's mom, and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves.

There are several differences between Percy Jackson and the Olympians the book and the movie. Depending on the viewer this may or may not ruin your movie viewing experience. I personally found some of the changes bothersome.

Why change the age change?

In the story, the main characters were young children. According to the the FAQ section on imdb.com, the characters were aged due to the difficulties of managing 12-year olds running around with large shields, swords, crashing cars, and working with greenscreen. There was also the possibility of lawsuits if a child got hurt and marketability of the age group.

The way Percy discovers his father's identity

In the novel, when Percy arrives at camp Half Blood no one has a clue as to who his father is until Poseidon claims Percy as his son in the fight for the flag scene.

How did they get cars?

Percy, Annabeth and Grover just seem to come across cars, except when their leaving Las Vegas, without any explanation.

Where did they get the money?

It is never clarified how they can afford the expense of travelling across the country. I would personally love to hop in car after car and travel to the west coast but I simply cannot afford it.

Where was Dionysus?

In the novel, Dionysus was put in charge of camp Half Blood. His unhappiness at being banished to the camp leads way to some entertaining interactions between the characters.

Where was Ares

In the book, Ares not only plays an important role in regards to how Percy, Annabeth and Grover get to Las Vegas but also how Percy obtains Zeus' lightning bolt. In the movie Arles is nowhere to be found as a character with lines.

A quest for the pearls?

The pearls in the book do not need to be found, they are a gift from Poseidon!

These seven differences between the book version and the film adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief are not the only changes contributing to the hack job as anyone who has read the book will find more. If you want to enjoy this movie then do not go into it with the book in mind.