Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Here comes the second chapter of this popular series, based on the book by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters. Directed by Thor Freudenthal ("Diary of a Wimpy Kid") whose main job here seems to be to produce Computer Generated Images... A movie based on a book this fantastical HAS to include CGI, so I'm not com- plaining ...this time. Plus I appreciate the fact that kids refer back to books on Greek mythology to read about the Golden Fleece.

The invisible shield that protects the half-bloods' safe haven has evaporated because the tree that created it is dying. Their only hope is the Golden Fleece because of its restorative powers.

Here they are again:

• Logan Lerman ("The Perks of Being a Wallflower") is Percy, our dauntless half-blood (his father is Poseidon, God of the Sea). He can (usually) control the seas...
• Alexandra Daddario ("Percy Jackson: Lightening Thief"), Annabeth is determined to retrieve the Golden Fleece. She is sort of a Hogwarts Hermione: she READS!
• Nathan Fillian ("Much Ado About Nothing") surprises us as a UPS guy/Hermes. His son Luke is mad at him... But he gives our hero some terrific packing tape!
• Stanley Tucci ("Hunger Games") is Dionysus. Zeus is still mad, so he turns his wine into water. He has heard Christians have a god who can do the reverse..."Now THERE is a God!"
• Brandon T. Jackson ("Tropic Thunder") is cloven-hoofed Grover, another half-blood and a loyal pal.
• Jake Abel ("I Am Number Four") is Hermes' son Luke; he looks like a young Kevin Bacon! He has serious daddy issues and goes to the Dark Side.

This has a PG rating, so expect no nudity, no profanity, a bit of vehicular mayhem in a taxi (three hags driving it share one eyeball), lots of sword- play and fisticuffs but no blowie uppie stuff. There is a great storm at sea, though, and I liked the Greek myth depicted with animated stained glass figures.

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Here is a link to a trailer:
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1181132313/
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