Everything you’ve heard about “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” is true.  It is a poorly acted poorly written kids’ fantasy that borrows in equal parts from Harry Potter and the CliffsNotes of Greek Mythology.  But should people with young teens see it?  Sure.  It’s bad, but not offensively so.

Logan Lerman plays Percy Jackson, a generally average teenager but with the inexplicable ability to hold his breath underwater for ungodly periods of time.  Apparently the bottom of the school swimming pool is only place he can get away from his adolescent troubles, namely, his nagging ADHD, sleazy step-dad played disgustingly well by Joe Pantoliano who does everything he can to make life miserable for him and his mother, and his strange form of Greek-centric dyslexia that earns him the gratuitous ire of his schoolteachers.  Luckily his vaguely crippled, token wise-cracking black side-kick keeps his spirits up and helps him ultimately discover his divine heritage.

You see, Percy isn’t like the other kids.  Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, is not only a living breathing reality but is Percy’s literal father, thus making him the offspring of a mortal mother and an immortal father — a demigod.  The ADHD?  His godly desire for adventure.  Dyslexia?  A supernatural gift to translate ancient Greek.  His strange ability to navigate the depths of the swimming pool?  Well, he is the son of Poseidon.

The narrative of “The Lightning Thief” is your classic hero’s journey.  Average kid discovers he’s special.  Kid becomes reluctant hero.  Hero must complete a series of tasks and overcome increasingly difficult obstacles.  He encounters various helpers along the way who impart him with tidbits of wisdom or special tokens to become critical in future tests.  All your favorites from 7th grade English class are here: Zeus (Sean Bean), Athena (Melina Kanakaredes), Medusa (Uma Thurman), Hydra, Hades, Hell hounds, Persephone (Rosario Dawson), centaurs, satyrs, and so on.

Director Chris Columbus, who directed two of the “Harry Potter” films, brings a nice energy to the film version of Rick Riordan’s beloved book. “The Lightning Thief” maintains a strong pace throughout, likely to keep anyone in the pre-teen range more than entertained. Criag Titley’s adapted screenplay pours on the “Shrek”-style pop-culture shenanigans but pulls back the reins just short of annoying territory. And if all the campy fun isn’t enough to satisfy adults, a ridiculously cast Pierce Brosnan as a centaur (half-man, half-horse) may just do the trick. Its safe, pulpy genre material for kids helps “The Lightning Thief” just scrape by as a passable piece of fluff.

Score: 3.5/5