| Directed by | Chris Columbus |
| Produced by | Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, Karen Rosenfelt |
| Written by | Craig Titley, Joe Stillman, Rick Riordan (Novel) |
| Starring | Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Melina Kanakaredes, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Catherine Keener, Kevin McKidd, Joe Pantoliano, Uma Thurman, Ray Winstone |
| Music by | Christophe Beck |
| Cinematography | Stephen Goldblatt |
| Editing by | Peter Honess |
| Studio | 1492 Pictures, Imprint Entertainment |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | February 11, 2010, February 12, 2010 (United States) |
| Running time | 121 minutes |
| Country | United States, Canada |
| Language | English, Greek |
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a fantasy-adventure film directed by Chris Columbus. The film is an adaptation of The Lightning Thief, the first novel in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series by Rick Riordan. It stars Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson alongside an ensemble cast which includes Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel, Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Uma Thurman, Catherine Keener, Kevin McKidd, Sean Bean and Pierce Brosnan. It was released to theaters on February 12, 2010.
Plot
In the top of the Empire State Building, Zeus (Sean Bean) tells his brother Poseidon (Kevin McKidd) that his master bolt has been stolen. He blames Poseidon's son for the theft. Despite Poseidon's claims of his son's innocence, Zeus tells him to return it by midnight on the summer solstice in 14 days or a war would begin between the Olympians.
Seventeen year old Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is shown underwater in the opening credits, implying that he can stay underwater for long amounts of time (seven minutes) and he doesn't know why. His step father, Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pantoliano) is a disgusting man who treats Percy's mother wrongfully. Percy, while walking into the musuem for the field trip, mysteriously hears someone's (Poseidon's) voice in his head warning him that everything is about to change.
During the field trip to an exhibition of Greek and Roman art, Percy is lured away from the crowd by a Fury, disguised as his substitute English teacher, who then attacks him, questioning him about the lightning bolt. The incredulous Percy, who has no knowledge of what it's talking about, is rescued by his Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan). After dispatching the Fury, Brunner gives Percy a sword disguised as a pen. On Brunner's instruction, Percy's best friend, Grover Underwood (Brandon T. Jackson), takes Percy to a training camp for demigods, Camp Half-Blood, along with Percy's mother, Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener). Although Percy and Grover, who is revealed to be a satyr, make it to the camp, its defenses prohibit entrance to Sally, who is captured by the Minotaur attacking them, and she turns to golden dust before Percy. Percy engages in a small battle with the Minotaur, using the pen, which turns into a sword, eventually killing the creature with one of its horns after it gets stuck in the tree it rammed trying to get Percy.
Percy passes out and awakens in the infirmary, with Grover informing him he'd been unconscious for 3 days. In touring camp Half-Blood, Percy learns that Brunner is the mythological centaur Chiron, and the camp's trainer, and that his (Percy's) father is the god Poseidon. He also meets Luke Castellan (Jake Abel), a son of Hermes, and Annabeth Chase (Alexandra Daddario), a daughter of Athena. While at the camp, Percy learns from Poseidon's voice that water has the power to heal his injuries, and allows him to manifest his magical abilities.
Hades later appears and reveals that Sally Jackson is his prisoner, and proposes she be traded for the master bolt. Chiron instructs Percy not to bargain with the god, but to go to Olympus to convince Zeus of his innocence. Percy sneaks away from the camp to travel to the Underworld, along with Grover and Annabeth, who secure for him from Luke a portable shield, flying shoes and a map to Persephone's (Rosario Dawson) pearls, which allow them to exit the Underworld.
The trio is attacked by Medusa (Uma Thurman), but manage to decapitate her, and take the first pearl from her bracelet. They also take her head, which they later successfully use against the Hydra, which attacks them during their acquisition of the second pearl from the crown of a giant statue of Athena at the Parthenon replica in Nashville, Tennessee. They acquire the third and final pearl from a roulette wheel at the Lotus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The place ends up being the lair of the Lotus Eaters. While there, Annabeth, Percy Jackson and Grover eat the lotus flower, as served by attractive waitresses. The flower dulls the senses and makes the eater not want to leave the hotel. It must be eaten every once in a while to renew the spell. When the trio of hereos first eat the flower it makes them act like they are drugged or drunk, and never wanting to leave. Eventually Percy is warned not to eat the flowers by Poseidon, who wakes the other two and they escape from the casino in a car they stole from the "win a car" display. They realize they've been there for 5 days and only have until the next day to get the bolt. The map reveals an entrance to the Underworld in Hollywood, beneath the Hollywood Sign.
The trio enter the Underworld, where Percy attempts to explain to Hades that he is not the lightning thief. Percy drops the shield that Luke had given him in the camp before they left, and it is revealed the lightening bolt was concealed inside it, and that Luke had set them up. A melee ensues, and although they manage to escape with the rescued Sally, they are forced to leave Grover behind, in Persephone's "care", as they only had three pearls, and it ends up Persephone wanted the bolt to get back to Zeus anyways. They are confronted by Luke, who reveals himself to have been the real lightning thief. Expressing his desire for a new generation of rulers to take over Olympus, he explains that he had hoped that the trio would not have escaped the Underworld alive, and after stealing the bolt from Percy, the two engage in battle. After using his water powers to create a trident and throwing it at Luke, which pins to him and he lands in the lake below, Percy arrives back to the top of the building. Sally, Annabeth and Percy all take a secret elevator to Olympus, where he presents the retrieved bolt, and reveals the truth about Luke. Percy also requests that Zeus retrieve Grover from the Underworld, which the god agrees to. Poseidon explains to Percy the reason why they could not know each other during Percy's childhood, but expresses his love for his son. Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood, where he resumes his training, ending the film in the midst of a clash with Annabeth.
While the credits were rolling, Sally Jackson leaves Gabe with his stuff. He wanted a beer and found a lock and a note on his refrigerator telling him not to open the refrigerator under any circumstances from Percy. Furious, he breaks off the lock only to find Medusa's head. The screen goes black as crackling (Gabe turning to stone) is heard and the credits continue to roll.
Cast
Main characters
Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson, the film's main protagonist, and son of Poseidon.
Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena
Brandon T. Jackson as Grover Underwood, Percy's best friend, a satyr.
Jake Abel as Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, the film's primary antagonist.
Gods
Sean Bean as Zeus, Lord of the Sky and King of the Gods; Hera's husband and brother who blames Percy for stealing his bolt.
Kevin McKidd as Poseidon, Zeus and Hades's brother; Lord of the Sea and Percy's father.
Steve Coogan as Hades, Zeus and Poseidon's brother; Lord of the Dead and the Underworld; Persephone's husband.
Melina Kanakaredes as Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle Strategies; mother of Annabeth.
Dylan Neal as Hermes, Messenger of the Gods, God of Thieves and Travelers; Luke's father.
Rosario Dawson as Persephone, Goddess of Springtime / Queen of the Dead; Hades' wife and Zeus and Demeter's daughter.
Erica Cerra as Hera, Goddess of women and marriage; Zeus' wife and sister.
Stefanie von Pfetten as Demeter, Goddess of the Earth and Harvest; Persephone's mother.
Dimitri Lekkos as Apollo, God of the Sun, Poetry, The Arts, and Music; Artemis' twin brother.
Ona Grauer as Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and Hunting; Apollo's twin sister.
Serinda Swan as Aphrodite, Goddess of Love; Ares' lover, Hephaestus' Wife.
Conrad Coates as Hephaestus, God of the Forge; Aphrodite's Husband.
Ray Winstone as Ares, God of War; Aphrodite's lover. The part was cut from the film.
Luke Camilleri as Dionysus, God of Wine.
Mythical creatures
Uma Thurman as Medusa
Pierce Brosnan as Chiron, trainer of heroes
Maria Olsen as Mrs. Dodds/Alecto, servant to Hades.
Julian Richings as Charon, ferryman of the River Styx.
Chelan Simmons as the Lotus Eater
Mortals
Catherine Keener as Sally Jackson, Percy's mother
Joe Pantoliano as Gabe Ugliano, Percy's stepfather.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Jackson_%26_the_Olympians:_The_Lightning_Thief
American films | English-language films | American children's fantasy films | American fantasy adventure films | Films based on children's books | Films based on fantasy novels | Films set in New York City | Films shot in Vancouver | Films shot in Tennessee | American teen films | 20th Century Fox films | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Greek mythology in popular culture | Films based on Greco-Roman mythology | 2010 films
