The short answer is, it depends on how you look at it. Do you compare them to other movies, or do you compare them to the iconic children’s books they are based on? Compared to other movies of the same genre and target audience, the movies are great. They are simple, easy to follow, and funny. The main character is relatable and smart. The presumed villain is easy to go against, and you root for Percy the whole time.

But when compared to the book series, the movies are a disaster. Right off the bat, The Lightning Thief movie begins with a completely different scene that never even appeared in the books, and on top of that, most of the actors do not look anything like they were described in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. However, to its credit, the first movie follows the plot of the first movie, however loosely. The second movie, Sea of Monsters, does not. It squishes the climaxes of the last second and fifth book into the end of the movie and doesn’t take the correct amount of time to develop everything that is supposed to happen. In addition, the plots of the middle books are completely disregarded.

Overall, do not watch the movies if you have read the books, and do not read the books if you have watched the movies. Comparing the two will lead to disappointment.