A mother fetches beer from the fridge for the abusive alcoholic stepfather playing cards with his friends. Sound familiar? The back story of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” directed by Christopher Columbus, is one that will resonate deeply with children of single mothers everywhere. Percy is forced to live with his abusive, alcoholic stepfather, Gabe Ugliano (played with delicious savagery by Joe Pantoliano). Although a simple divorce would suffice for most, Percy is, shall we say “blessed,” to be the biological son of the Greek god Poseidon.
Fortunately, Percy, (who is played while straddling the fine line between strength and geek by Logan Lerman) is surrounded by well-meaning beings who have his best interest at heart: his handicapped best friend, Grover (played with award-winning depth by Brandon T. Jackson) and wheelchair bound Latin instructor, Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan). Percy suffers from ADHD, or, as his best friend Grover (in reality a satyr, half human/half goat) later reveals to him, is actually his keen battle reflexes awaiting their awakening.
The plot finally unravels as Percy’s mother is captured by Hades and Percy learns that a war is about to ensue due to Zeus’ lightning bolt being stolen. The bolt must be returned to Zeus by midnight of the Summer Solstice, in order to prevent destruction on a global scale, as the Gods prepare to go to war.
Filled with spectacular special effects, wit and whimsy, “The Lightning Thief” is a movie that is sure to entertain. Don’t worry about the movie spoiling the book, as it is vastly different from it. I found the film to be so beautifully syncopated that it serves as a compliment to the book. Overall, the film enhances the story of the book with elements that are simply not present in the original work of fiction by Rick Riordan. All in all, it is a satisfying journey to the land of Mount Olympus, and one not to be missed.