Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Nathan Fillion, Douglas Smith

Director: Thor Freudenthal

Writers: Marc Guggenheim, Rick Riordan

Producers: Bill Bannerman, Chris Columbus, Karen Rosenfelt, Mark Morgan, Michael Barnathan

Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: English, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: December 17, 2013

Run Time: 106 minutes

 

 

         The second in the film franchise adaptation of the popular young adult book series, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, has plenty of action and excitement to match the first film. At the same time, it almost just feels like filler material in-between a much larger story. The first film gave us necessary introductions, and while a few significant characters make their appearance within the storyline of Sea of Monsters, little within the plot of this movie seems to hold any relevance by the film’s close. Characters have a way of undying after being killed off, which makes much of the action nearly irrelevant. If each book includes a quest of some sort, this is one which has all of the urgency and none of the relevance from the first film.

 

        The mission this time around isn’t even a quest that has been given to Percy Jackson, but instead to one of the other competitive demigods. There is a barrier surrounding and protecting the camp where the half-human, half-gods train and live, and that magical shield is caused by a tree that grew where one of them was killed many years earlier. After the tree is poisoned by a familiar enemy from the first film, the only hope to save it is with the Golden Fleece, which rests on the shoulders of a brutal Cyclops. Another new addition to the storyline is Percy’s half-brother, another demigod who also happens to be a Cyclops.

 

        Although someone else is chosen to find the Golden Fleece, Percy’s concern that his first accomplishment was luck or a fluke causes him to secretly set out on his own mission to get the magical piece of fabric. The Cyclops is on a remote island, which means a journey across deadly creature-filled waters. Even being the son of Poseidon isn’t enough to save Percy and his friends from the various monsters they encounter, leading up to a surprise visit from their brutal grandfather.

 

      There is plenty of action and excitement, but none of it feels quite as fluid as the first film in the franchise. The effects are a little faster and sloppier, the story is all over the place and the conclusion merely bridges the gap for the next film installment. Even in high definition Blu-ray, however, the spectacle of this film is a bit disappointing. Included in the special features are three featurettes and a motion comic, along with a DVD and digital copy of the movie.  

       

Entertainment Value: 7.5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

Historical Significance: 6/10

Disc Features: 6.5/10