Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters REVIEW

Written by Matilda Mornane.

percy-jackson

In this fun, yet mostly predictable sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters will satisfy the minds of tweens everywhere. As the trend of fantasy films for kids and teenagers doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, Percy Jackson is just the latest to carry the adventure torch for the young everywhere.

We find our hero now living at a camp for the so-called “half bloods” of the world ““ those who are the children of gods and humans. This story, of course, centers mostly around Percy having to save his camp, being the only safe haven in the world for his kind.

It’s not surprising in the least: Percy is the classic, self-deprecating protagonist, there’s some attractive female friends, a few bad guys, and an overwhelming need for Percy to man up and challenge demons, including his own.

The film has a few funny moments, the kind that make you giggle like a kid and get lost in the action.

There are no complaints about the acting, either. There’s no doubt that Logan Lerman is talented, along with his co-stars Alexandra Deddario and Brandon T. Jackson, reprising their roles as fellow half bloods, acting alongside heavyweights like Stanley Tucci and Anthony Head.

Keeping in mind that this is a fantasy film, Sea of Monsters still swings between believable and not so believable. The camp at which Percy resides appears a bit Medieval, until one of the kids pulls out an iPad, at which point I felt a bit puzzled. The graphics, too, are confusing. At times, the mythical monsters are frightening; at others the computer-generated imagery is questionable. This isn’t a big complaint though: these kinds of graphics seem to be a given in a time where you can barely change the channel on the television without seeing an animated character.

On the whole, though, the action is fast-paced, the storyline is easy to follow, and it’s pretty enjoyable for a movie you will probably have to take your kids or younger siblings to. The filmmakers have easily set this franchise up for a third film too, if they please.

If you liked the first installment, definitely go and see this one. Percy Jackson is comical, the storyline is somewhat exciting, and it’s a fairly easy film to get lost in.

THE REEL SCORE: 7/10

– M.M.