Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (PG)

Alison Rowat's Review

Harry Potter and Home Alone director Chris Columbus trades wands and slapstick for Greek mythology in this fun fantasy adventure based on Rick Riordan’s mega-selling novels.

Logan Lerman is Percy, a young New Yorker who discovers the father he has never met is Poseidon, god of the sea (there’s one to try on the Child Support Agency). When lightning fails to strike in the gods’ universe, Percy is accused of pinching it, and must clear his name.

Kevin McKidd, Sean Bean and Steve Coogan, channelling Russell Brand, do a lot of shouting, there are plenty of scary monsters to go with the gods, and Lerman is a likeable lead.

The star turn, though, is Pierce Brosnan, who plays a half-man, half horse, as opposed to his singing role in Mamma Mia where he was half-man, half scalded cat.

Paul Greenwood's Review

Any resemblance to Harry Potter is entirely intentional in this sprightly fantasy adventure. Based on a hugely successful series of novels by American writer Rick Riordan, it’s the story of a neglected teen discovering his true heritage and being taken to an enchanted school where he is guided by magical mentors.

Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) has a troubled family life and is struggling at school when he learns that he’s the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Poseidon (Scotland’s Kevin McKidd) is at the centre of a beef with his brothers Zeus (Sean Bean) and Hades (Steve Coogan), who think that Percy has stolen a powerful lightning bolt.

Hades kidnaps Percy’s mother (Catherine Keener) in a bid to make him return the bolt, setting Percy and his pals on a quest to rescue his mother and find the real thief.

Despite the intriguing prospect of melding ancient Greek legends with a modern day setting, Percy Jackson ends up creating a rather goofy mythology of its own, with nothing like the heft of Harry Potter.

All manner of ropey elements means it treads a very fine line between utterly ridiculous and actually being quite good fun. Director Chris Columbus helmed the first two Potter outings, both of which were exercises in dull reverence. But at least he’s learned from the experience, toning down the faithfulness to the source material and casting an impressive young actor in the key role.

It looks great, the special effects are first rate and a game cast fills out the minor roles, including Uma Thurman as Medusa, Rosario Dawson as Persephone, and Pierce Brosnan, who generates some unintentional giggles as a centaur come substitute Dumbledore.

But there are also too many silly jokes, most of them falling flat, and an A to B plot that fails to grab.

There are many far worse kids’ adventures out there, but there are also significantly better ones.