Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- adventurous
- playful
- witty
- family movie night
- weekend adventure viewing
What critics said
Critics found the film fast-paced and intermittently entertaining, especially in its use of Greek mythology and supporting cast, but largely derivative and less humorous or faithful than its source novel.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Percy encounters Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, the Fury, the Minotaur, and the Underworld across modern America.
Percy learns that he is Poseidon's son and must understand his divine heritage after living as an apparently ordinary teenager.
Percy, Grover, and Annabeth travel from Camp Half-Blood toward the Underworld to recover the stolen lightning bolt and save Sally.
The Museum of Metropolitan Art, Percy’s home, Camp Half-Blood, and the Underworld connect contemporary American spaces to Greek myth.
Films like Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and why
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
young adult fantasy adventure, chosen adolescent hero, mythic quest, and family-friendly supernatural peril
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
family fantasy adventure centered on young protagonists entering a mythological world and confronting powerful supernatural forces
The Spiderwick Chronicles
teen-oriented fantasy quest combining classical mythology, magical creatures, friendship, and accessible action
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
family adventure fantasy featuring a young hero, legendary beings, rapid quest plotting, and comedic companion dynamics
Movie Details
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Release Date
- 2010-02-01
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (7966)
Cast
- Logan Lerman
- Brandon T. Jackson
- Alexandra Daddario
- Jake Abel
- Pierce Brosnan
- Sean Bean
- Steve Coogan
- Rosario Dawson
- Melina Kanakaredes
- Catherine Keener
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Disney Plus, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief about?
- A dyslexic teenager discovers he is Poseidon’s son and races across modern America with his friends to recover Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt and rescue his mother.
- What is Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as mild.
- What did critics think of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief?
- Critics found the film fast-paced and intermittently entertaining, especially in its use of Greek mythology and supporting cast, but largely derivative and less humorous or faithful than its source novel.
- Which films are like Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief?
- Films with a similar feel include Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
- How long is Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief?
- Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief?
- In United States, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief streams on Netflix, Disney Plus, Netflix Standard with Ads.
