Movie

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Name: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Released: 2010

2010 • Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Woke Score

out of 10

Plot

When his lightning bolt is stolen, Zeus accuses Poseidon's son Percy Jackson and gives Poseidon's son fourteen days to return it, otherwise he will initiate a war amongst the gods. Meanwhile the teenager, Percy, who is dyslexic and has ADHD is visiting The Museum of Metropolitan of Art and is attacked by a Fury disguised in his teacher. His physically handicapped best friend Grover reveals that Percy is a demigod and that he is his protector and his teacher Mr Brunner gives him a pen telling him that it is a powerful weapon. They go to Percy's house and together with his mother Sally they drive to the Camp Half-Blood. However Sally is attacked by a Minotaur and vanishes before Percy can help her. In the camp, Percy befriends the gorgeous Annabeth; when they are attacked by Hades who wants the lighting bolt for himself, Percy discovers that his mother is in the Underworld with Hades. Percy decides to travel on a dangerous quest to retrieve the lightning bolt and save his mother. Grover and Annabeth join him and Luke gives a powerful shield of his own to protect Percy. Will they be able to succeed?

Overall Series Review

The film centers on a traditional fantasy quest structure with a focus on heroism, loyalty, and the discovery of divine heritage. The narrative explicitly links the modern setting (America) to a continuous line of Western Civilization, positioning it as the divine, protected center of the world. The central trio consists of a male hero and his two loyal sidekicks—one male, one female. The movie largely avoids modern political identity themes. The female lead, Annabeth, is a powerful demigod, but the narrative often reduces her role and includes elements of overt sexualization. The movie focuses on the strength of a hero's divine bloodline and his ultimate loyalty to his mother and friends. The primary conflict is a clear good vs. evil struggle among the gods, not a deconstruction of religion or morality.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The hero, Percy Jackson, is a white male who proves his merit through classic heroic action and loyalty. The film's primary cast of demigods is predominantly white. The portrayal of Grover, a black actor playing a sidekick who is part-goat, relies on comedic and physical stereotypes, which is a historical issue of representation, not a manifestation of the modern intersectional critique of 'whiteness.'

Oikophobia1/10

The plot's central conceit is that the Greek gods have followed the 'heart of the West,' establishing their home in the United States, which is celebrated as the pinnacle of Western Civilization. The film views institutions like the family unit (Percy's mother) and mentorship (Chiron) as foundational and positive forces of good, not as systems of corruption or oppression.

Feminism2/10

The female lead, Annabeth, is the daughter of a goddess and intellectually gifted, but the movie diminishes her book character's strength, giving her a more sexualized appearance and placing her in a 'Damsel in Distress' situation at a key plot point. The film features traditional tropes of men ogling women and a focus on the male hero's journey, running counter to 'Girl Boss' messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

No characters, plot lines, or dialogue are dedicated to centering alternative sexualities, gender ideology, or the deconstruction of the traditional nuclear family. The film operates entirely within a normative framework regarding gender and sexuality.

Anti-Theism1/10

The story takes its mythological source material literally, portraying the Greek gods as real, flawed, but transcendent beings who establish an objective moral order in the world. The narrative champions the values of objective truth, heroism, and loyalty, without any critique or hostility toward traditional religion.