Based on the kid's novel by Rick Riordan and directed by tween-friendly filmmaker Thor Freudenthal (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Hotel For Dogs), Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters picks up from 2010's origin story and introduces us to a new world of half-bloods: products of their mum or dad doing the nasty in the pasty with a Greek god. Seen as outcasts in the normal world, these children have taken refuge at Camp Half-Blood, where they live in harmony under the protection of Zeus' magic dome. But when evil forces find a way to penetrate the barrier, the ambush stinks of an inside job, forcing Percy and friends to recover the mystical Golden Fleece and restore peace.
The franchise loses some star power in the sequel (Sean Bean's Zeus, Steve Coogan's Hades and Uma Thurman's Medusa are all gone), but it compensates with cheeky cameos from Nathan Fillion and Stanley Tucci, on top of an unfair amount of impossibly good-looking young thespians. Tucci is particularly fun, hamming it up as Dionysus, connoisseur of fine wine/borderline alcoholic, and reluctant caretaker of Camp Half-Blood. His running feud with Zeus – who keeps using his powers to turn wine into water – delivers cheap laughs, none more so than when Dionysus threatens to turn to Christianity because "their guy can do that in reverse."
The film isn't all cartoons and comedy, because when the series of events actually kick into gear, it develops into a pleasantly absorbing adventure. Pieced together on a spare change budget of $95 million, a series of thrilling set pieces allow the SFX department to flex their muscles. The bloodless, PG action and truckloads of CGI can only take the experience so far, but the film never feels like it's cutting corners, instead showing a del Toro-esque patience to wow the crowd while deftly keeping the novelty from wearing off.
Consideration is also given to weaving in some of the finer points of Greek mythology. Anyone familiar with the quasi-religion knows it plays out as some sort of ancient Jersey Shore; a rich tapestry of backstabbing, double-crossing and one-night-stands, all arguably stemming from Zeus' inability to keep it in his pants. Again, things aren't quite that graphic, but family films have traditionally manufactured lamer villains than one who gains strength from eating his own children.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters proves a surprisingly enjoyable romp, delivering a story naturally tailored to an established audience, but doing just enough to keep things fresh and exciting for big kids too.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*
The franchise loses some star power in the sequel (Sean Bean's Zeus, Steve Coogan's Hades and Uma Thurman's Medusa are all gone), but it compensates with cheeky cameos from Nathan Fillion and Stanley Tucci, on top of an unfair amount of impossibly good-looking young thespians. Tucci is particularly fun, hamming it up as Dionysus, connoisseur of fine wine/borderline alcoholic, and reluctant caretaker of Camp Half-Blood. His running feud with Zeus – who keeps using his powers to turn wine into water – delivers cheap laughs, none more so than when Dionysus threatens to turn to Christianity because "their guy can do that in reverse."
The film isn't all cartoons and comedy, because when the series of events actually kick into gear, it develops into a pleasantly absorbing adventure. Pieced together on a spare change budget of $95 million, a series of thrilling set pieces allow the SFX department to flex their muscles. The bloodless, PG action and truckloads of CGI can only take the experience so far, but the film never feels like it's cutting corners, instead showing a del Toro-esque patience to wow the crowd while deftly keeping the novelty from wearing off.
Consideration is also given to weaving in some of the finer points of Greek mythology. Anyone familiar with the quasi-religion knows it plays out as some sort of ancient Jersey Shore; a rich tapestry of backstabbing, double-crossing and one-night-stands, all arguably stemming from Zeus' inability to keep it in his pants. Again, things aren't quite that graphic, but family films have traditionally manufactured lamer villains than one who gains strength from eating his own children.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters proves a surprisingly enjoyable romp, delivering a story naturally tailored to an established audience, but doing just enough to keep things fresh and exciting for big kids too.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*