As an independent film, I think it's actually quite good. However, as an adaptation of one of my favorite books, I have to say it's terrible and was a massive disappointment.

Pretty fun fantasy/adventure. An enjoyable mix of Harry Potter and Clash of the Titans. You don't see much Greek mythology in these types of movies, so that was refreshing.

A troubled high school student learns he is the lost son of Poseidon when, during a field trip to the natural history museum, his substitute teacher suddenly sprouts wings and tries to chew his face off. He's then whisked away to a summer camp for demigods, crash-coursed on current events atop Mount Olympus, mired in a messy dispute between deities and sent on a whiplash road trip with two friends. A teenaged _Harry Potter_ for Greek mythology buffs, in other words, only I can't tell which age range it's intended for. The main characters' maturity levels, their frequent romantic teases and the plot's dusty historical influences seem to indicate it's geared for early teens, but the simplistic plot and colorless dialogue gives the impression it's aimed at a much younger audience. Either way, it's a misfire. The supporting cast is loaded and Chris Columbus is on-board as both producer and director, so clearly the studio had every intention of mining this as the next big multi-film adaptation, but the effects stink, the story is dreary and there's no sparkle between the core players. Even the author of the source novels, Rick Riordan, has publicly disavowed it. Pretty tough to argue with that.

A great movie for all the family,great seeing Pierce Brosnan...

The Lightning Thief feels like a studio trying to fast-track a blockbuster without understanding what made the books special. The world is fun in bursts, the creature designs look decent, and some set pieces have energy, but the story rushes through everything like it’s checking off a list. Logan Lerman is earnest and likable, but the script gives him a watered-down Percy. Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson do what they can, yet the characters never feel fully lived in. The tone swings between edgy teen adventure and awkward comedy, and the pacing chops out too much from the mythos. Entertaining in spots, but nowhere near the charm or personality of the books, more like a spark notes adaptation with a Hollywood shine.