Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief on DVD

This film got my attention almost right from the start!  Out of the pages of Greek mythology, mystical creatures walk the earth, revealing themselves to mere mortals amid gloom and impending catastrophe  A dark, stewing cloud looms over earth.  And people are not whom they seem.  (should have been a dead give-away when the subtitute teacher introduces herself as such and then calls upon Percy immediately)

  Poseiden and Zeus meet atop the Empire State Building.  Zeus confronts Poseiden, blaming Poseiden's son for his missing lightning bolt.   A warning is issued.  Should the bolt not be returned within 14 days, war shall ensue among the Olympians with earth as their battlefield. 

Who is Poseiden's son?  Percy Jackson, that's who.  A teenage dyslexic boy with ADHD who is at odds with his life, his stepfather, himself.  How can this be? 

  When Percy is attacked on a field trip to the Museum of Metropolitan Art, his life takes on a new reality.  His friend Grover Underwood, identifies himself as his protector and reveals the truth.  Percy is a demigod, the son of a Greek God and a mortal. 

They, together with Percy's mother, go to Camp Half-Blood in an attempt to keep Percy safe.  Percy's mother is taken by a Minotaur outside the protected entrance to the camp, thus providing further motive for Percy to end this feud.  In camp, Percy is trained and learns of his powers and his relationship with water.  He befriends the daughter of Athena, Annabeth, and together the three of them take on this quest.  Four days after entering Camp Half-Blood, the three must go to Mount Olympus.  Zeus must know he does not have the lightning bolt!  Or does he?

Directed by Chris Columbus, the director of the first two Harry Potter movies, the scenes of this movie tend to be a bit darker.  Well directed and acted, I enjoyed this movie as a refreshing change from the usual fare directed to the middle school/teenage audience.  However, I noted a lack of real emotion, especially fear, in the lead characters, especially in Percy's case when he faced Hades and numerous other creatures.  I mean, wouldn't you be afraid?  How do you defeat something like that?

I give this movie a 4/5.  PG13 rating is well-suited as younger children will find the mythological creatures quite frightening.  (Graphics were very good!)

The main characters of the cast are as follows: 

Logan Lerman ... Percy Jackson

Brandon T. Jackson ... Grover Underwood (the protector) 

Alexandra Daddario ... Annabeth

Jake Abel ... Luke

Sean Bean ... Zeus

Pierce Brosnan ... Mr. Brunner / Chiron

Steve Coogan ... Hades

Rosario Dawson ... Persephone

Now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.