Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
If the Harry Potter movies are a rich and nutritious feast, this mythological romp is more like mac & cheese—tasty and fun, but lacking in much substance.
When it comes to pre-teen/teen fantasy, the Harry Potter universe is a rare treat of relatable characters, emotional storytelling, exciting adventures, and fairly complex ruminations about life, death and growing up. It's a full feast.
In comparison, the new film Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is sort of like macaroni & cheese. And honestly, who doesn't like macaroni & cheese? It's tasty. But nutritional, decadent, rich, satisfying, and lasting? Maybe not so much. While this new flick may not have Potter's complex world, deeper themes, and multiple layers, it also doesn't have the angst, heaviness and darkness. Instead, it replaces them with one thing in bulk: Fun.
Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson
Harry Potter's saga clearly influences Percy's story, but this film is not some cheap rip-off pushed by a studio to rake in money. It's actually an adaptation of author Rick Riordan's No. 1 New York Times bestselling book from 2005 (the final installment of the five-book series, The Last Olympian, came out last spring). The award-winning books were written by a former Greek mythology teacher after reading the sagas of the ancient Greek heroes as bedtime stories to his son. The result is a quickly-paced, action-heavy, exciting movie that melds the Harry Potter series with a dash of National Treasure and a whole bunch of Clash of the Titans. (This film, like the first two Potter flicks, was directed by Chris Columbis.)
Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is a normal high-school student who's convinced he's a loser. His learning disabilities and ADHD have him feeling low and discouraged. How can he ever achieve anything? But everything changes during a school field trip. While discussing Greek mythology, an attack by a mythical beast reveals to Percy a much bigger world of adventure and heroism.
As Percy recovers from the bizarre attack, his teacher (Pierce Brosnan) and a friend reveal to Percy that he's no loser but actually a demi-god (half-human, half-god—like Hercules), and his dad is Poseidon (Kevin McKidd). After a childhood of his true lineage being hidden, he is now hunted—falsely accused of stealing the lightning bolt of Zeus (Sean Bean). With an epic clash of the titans on the horizon, the world's only hope is Percy's quest—with his protective satyr Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) and fellow demi-god Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario)—across America, into Hades and to Mount Olympus.
Pierce Brosnan as Mr. Brunner, Brandon T. Jackson as Grover
Fans of the book should know that this is not a literal, page-by-page adaptation like the first Harry Potter movie. A lot of details are changed. While the book is from Percy's point of view, the movie pulls back to show the bigger picture—even starting with a discussion between Zeus and Poseidon. Instead of the paced unfolding of Percy's identity, the set-up is blown through so that we can get right into all the fun of the Percy's journey. The movie sprints from big set-piece to bigger set-piece in a world full of satyrs, furies, hydras, centaurs, and more. My favorite moments: When the heroes confront Medusa (played with delicious abandon by Uma Thurman) in a genuinely intense sequence, and when they pull into Vegas for a truly inspired modern riff on the myth of the lotus eaters.
While there is not much time spent on story themes, a few messages surface. Percy learns that what seem like challenges and handicaps can actually be gifts that help to make you who you are. Percy's relationship with his mother is, for the most part, healthy and inspiring. He learns how much parents sacrifice for their children—and how it can be taken for granted. Still, I couldn't help but feel like some of these lessons were a bit too easy. Complicated and complex relationship issues (like why Poseidon abandoned his love and their son) feel airbrushed and skated over. In fact, as you think about the film's plot, you not only see story holes but also some serious issues that are not really dealt with. For instance, heroic and good Percy seems to set a deadly trap to kill his mom's slimeball boyfriend—and it's played for laughs.
Uma Thurman as Medusa
As far as the Greek mythology central to the film, it's presented very much like modern tellings of The Odyssey or any Greek myth. Percy's world is one where the Greek gods and goddesses (and all their assorted minions and creatures) exist behind the scenes of human life. Some young viewers may be confused by the relation of these gods to our God, but the gods and goddesses here are more or less a legion of giant superheroes with great powers. They are not worshipped or even particularly liked by anyone.
Looking at works like C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, I believe Christians can view Greek myth as a way to talk about humanity, the longings inside us for something greater than ourselves, how we've historically seen our place in the world, and real biblical truths. And while discussing Scripture is not the intention behind Percy Jackson, after-movie conversations could certainly go in that direction (see the Talk About It section below). One line that really made me think of the true God was when Poseidon affectionately tells Percy: "Just because you didn't see me, didn't mean I wasn't there."
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Talk About It
Discussion starters
What does the existence of these Greek myths about gods and goddesses say about how humans have viewed the world and their place in it? Why tell stories about powerful gods and goddesses like this?
Think about how the gods in this film interact with and view humans. How is that similar and different from how you think God interacts with and views humans?
A character in Hades says "All lives end in suffering and tragedy." Do you agree? Why or why not? Why would Greek myth have contended that?
A character says "All gods are selfish." What do you think of that? Why would the ancient Greeks have crafted tales about flawed gods like this? What does that say for our view of the supernatural?
The Family Corner
For parents to consider
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is rated PG for action violence and peril, some scary images and suggestive material, and mild language. There is a lot of action, violence and fighting. Some sword fighting between humans results in blood and cuts. Characters die; one is decapitated and the severed head is shown many times—without blood. There are several scary monsters including Hades who appears as a big, Satan-like fiery, winged beast. The mild language is pretty much limited to a profane reference to being a horse's rear-end. A character drinks a lot of beer. A male character is very girl-crazy and frequently jumps into what seem to be sexual situations, including staying with an older woman who is seducing him and getting into a hot tub with Aphrodite's daughters. There is also discussion about the gods "hooking up" with mortals.
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