Percy Jackson Sea of Monster: really kiddie show, but that's not half bad

I was standing in front of the counter deciding what to watch. MIB rip-off or Harry Potter rip-off. Hmm..RIPD or Percy Jackson. Well, both garnered generally negative reviews, so might as well watch something newer. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monster is the second movie in the adaption of the young adults books series. Though the first movie is thought to be uninspiring, I thought of the idea of Lightning Thief was quite cool, having all the human children of the Greek Gods in the contemporary settings, completing quest. I could still recall the introduction to Luke, son of Hermes in the camp when he was playing video games. (I could not recall the rest of the story though)

But I did have my reservation about the second movie. Somehow the first movie was forgettable. I did not expect the sequel to do anything different. The whole story weigh down on the young cast to carry the movie. It is rather simple quest story. Camp Half Blood was protected all these while by a tree named Tahlia, which in turn grew on the dead daughter of Zeus. So, one day, the villain was smart enough to poison the tree, which in turn weaken the shield protecting the camp, leaving all the half blood (referring the children with half Gods-half human nature) vulnerable. But the story did not explain vulnerable to what. Anything, someone came out with the idea to search for the Golden Fleece which looks more like a welcome mat, which can cure almost anything. Thus, onward with the quest which lead them to the Sea of Monster (which is just one big giant monster which like to swallow ships, totally NOT scary at all). Throw in some villain with the same quest to use the fleece to resurrect No 1 baddie, Chronos. Throw in also some new character especially a Cyclops half brother for Percy. (How did Poseidon who got horny with a nymph produce a cyclops?)


The acting was bearable. The chemistry was not bad. The jokes was OK with some funny one liners though those are far in between. The pace of the whole story was not bad, at least it kept the toddler beside me quiet. The action, however, has one of the poorest CGI in this year summers blockbuster. If this was shown last 5 years, probably it is still passable but this year, after so many great action movies, the CGI here is unforgivable. They all look very fake. The last monster with a scorpion tail looks like one of those from Power Rangers show. Chronos.... ouch, it look like Lego monster went wrong. The whole storyline felt very kiddie with so many moral advice. Be true to yourself. Do not judge a book by its cover. Write your own destiny. Family comes first. Do not give up. Blah, blah, blah. And the worst thing is noone dies in the whole story. Not that I am sadistic, but when one decide to kill any character, I would prefer them dead. But they kept coming back. Much like the death in any comic which will be resurrected one way or the other. It makes the whole story felt.... sterile. One can draw the similarities between Harry Potter. Kid with great potential and power. Prophecy that the boy will save the world. Study in a special school (or camp). First 2 movie felt totally childish.


It was not half bad, just I just felt the whole movie is meant for children rather than a young adult. It felt like those weekend TV movie they air for Disney or Nickelodeon channel. Hopefully, if they decide to make the third movie, they will make it darker,( at least Prisoner of Azkaban felt that way), or at least, more memorable.

ratings: 2 poink!
comments: if I am less than 18 years old, I probably will enjoy it more.