- Film Review
- Reviewed By Trevor Johnston
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3 out of 5
A teenage boy learns he's the son of the Greek god Poseidon, has powers he never knew about and must embark on a quest to stop war breaking out on Mount Olympus in this fantasy adventure, adapted from the first of Rick Riordan's popular novels. Having tackled the first two Harry Potter instalments, director Chris Columbus again sets a franchise in motion, but this time it's hardly an unqualified recommendation for a family treat. The idea of the Greek gods co-existing with the modern world is delightful, of course, but the film gets bogged down in explaining all the legends. Still, with superior effects work bringing the many headed Hydra and Uma Thurman's snake-haired Medusa to vivid life, there's enough thrilling spectacle to keep the clunky storytelling moving along. An entertaining grown-up cast (Kevin McKidd's brooding Poseidon, Pierce Brosnan as Chiron the centaur and Steve Coogan's lord of the underworld) also helps offset Logan Lerman's synthetic performance as the troubled adolescent. Yes, it's evidently Potter-ish, but unashamedly aimed at younger viewers - which makes the emphasis on the junior hero's fighting skills and a clearly misguided Las Vegas casino sequence all the more dismaying.
Plot Summary
Fantasy adventure starring Logan Lerman, Pierce Brosnan and Sean Bean. A school trip to a museum takes an unexpected turn for teenager Percy Jackson when he is revealed to be the son of Greek god Poseidon. He is immediately plunged into a quest to retrieve a lightning bolt belonging to Zeus and prevent a divine war.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Percy Jackson
- Logan Lerman
- Grover
- Brandon T Jackson
- Annabeth
- Alexandra Daddario
- Zeus
- Sean Bean
- Chiron / Mr Brunner
- Pierce Brosnan
- Hades, God of the Underworld
- Steve Coogan
- Persephone
- Rosario Dawson
- Sally Jackson
- Catherine Keener
- Poseidon
- Kevin McKidd
- Gabe Ugliano
- Joe Pantoliano
- Medusa
- Uma Thurman
- Luke
- Jake Abel
- Athena
- Melina Kanakaredes
- Aphrodite
- Serinda Swan
- Hera
- Erica Cerra
- Dionysus
- Luke Camilleri
- Demeter
- Stefanie von Pfetten
- Hermes
- Dylan Neal
- Apollo
- Dimitri Lekkos
- Artemis
- Ona Grauer
- Hephaestus
- Conrad Coates
Crew
- Director
- Chris Columbus
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