Generic Name & The Overlong Stupidly Named Incident That Sounds Awful

Harry Potter imitators return once more in the guise of Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief, from no less than Chris Columbus himself.

However, whilst Harry Potter had shit actors and an overlong runtime, this compresses a silly idea down enough and layers it on with a stellar cast:
Leading the pack is Logan Lerman, now officially breaking out from his small roles in such films as The Number 23, 3:10 To Yuma, Gamer, and his biggest role in the under-appreciated Meet Bill. Here he's a smart-arse teen who gets wrapped up in a silly plot about Grecian gods and Zeus' lightning bolt, but he continues his calm, cool, charismatic ways that's been slowly growing for years. I'm a fan of this kid, and it's nice to see such a big role hasn't stopped him doing what he does best. I honestly hope he does get the Spider-man role, he'll do wonders.

Catherine Keener is his mother, another stint of matriarchal work from the ever beautiful, excellent Keener. Who cares what her role is, it's Keener, and she has some screen-time, enough for me not to get sucked in to the others as well.
And who could play the step-dad scumbag but Joey Pants. the awesome Joe Pantoliano, why would he be in this film? Who knows, but why ask when you can enjoy him in his too short, but good work in this film.

Then there's Alpa Chino himself, Brandon T. Jackson as Percy's best friend and goat footed protector, proving he's still funny without being surrounded by some great comic talent, he knocks it out the park in being entertaining to watch, even if he gets too little time to be really fun, but that's the tonal problem of this film.
Then there's Sean Bean as Zeus, small role, silly really, but it's Sean Bean as Zeus, 'nuff said. Pierce Brosnan is either wheelchair bound or a centaur when we see him, having fun in a silly Obi Wan role, he does little, but it's wild man beard Brosnan with horse body.
Hades is portrayed by a very Russell Brand looking Steve Coogan, who has no where near enough time, and seems to be making a career in small roles in kids films. Wonder when he'll sell Partridge and the Calf family to kids, maybe this Partridge film will be an animated feature set in a CGI 3D Norwich.
Hades has his own Persephone with the ever gorgeous Rosario Dawson, who appears and straight away touches up Brandon T. Jackson, who resists! Which takes you right out of the movie. It's Rosario Dawson, even though it's not, anyone who looks like Rosario Dawson, you don't shrug away. Honestly.

Oh yeah, and Uma Thurman hams it up well as Medusa, light and fun in her scene, wonder if she'll be back in the sequel...

So, that's the cast, one hell of a cast. And it's a shame that such an amazing group of talents can't help a film that takes itself far too seriously, in this case, I was hoping that they'd play along but in a light, sarcastic, cynical nature that the opening 15 minutes contained in full force, it had elements where it was trying to be serious, but also alluded to the idea that perhaps it's too silly to be really serious in all nature, but then the next hour and a bit really nails a serious tone, which I have a hassle with since it's very very much unrealistic, too much for seriousness in real life.

Still, that's Columbus, he'll learn to find his humourous parts again soon, right? Ah well, the CGI was awful, for a film like this it needed better graphics, then again it was dropped into the February slot. I know if they make a sequel I would watch, the cast is impeccable but it needs to be less serious, more comical, the cast is mostly from comic backgrounds of some kind.

Still, it's not a bad film, it has some grand moments, and it showcases Lerman as a talent people will hopefully take note of now.
7/10