We can never escape history. It's presence in our lives will never vanish, whether it be from the past few centuries or the past few millennia, in our country or in another. Thus we return to Camp Half-Blood, an ancient Greek hero training camp set in modern day New York, for the next installment in the Percy Jackson series:The Sea of Monsters. Percy returns to camp with the rest of his demigod comrades, feeling the success of his first quest diminish as he continuously fails at camp activities against Clarisse, daughter of Ares. Believing that he accomplished his first quest on beginner's luck, he attempts to contact his father Poseidon for guidance, and when his father still seems absent Percy begins to lose faith. When the camp is attacked by monsters, however, Percy must fight his doubt to help save Camp Half-Blood from the son of Hermes, Luke, who is bent on taking over Olympus. Now teamed up with his friends Annabeth and Grover and also with his newly discovered Cyclops half-brother Tyson, Percy must journey into the Sea of Monsters in order to find a way to save his home, and face his most challenging opponent yet.
While the books are very popular to consumers, the first film The Lightning Thief did not have an impressive US run at the box office. In fact, the only reason a sequel was made was because the first movie did very well overseas. Though many were unimpressed by The Lightning Thief, it did possess one thing that this film sorely lacks: Greek mythology.What's brilliant about this story, created by author Rick Riordan, is that it is the myths that are still studied and discussed today set in our modern times with characters and situations that allow today's generation to understand and appreciate Greek myths. The first movie incorporated this with the presence of Medusa in a statue store, the presence of a hydra at the Parthenon in Tennessee, the lair of the lotus eaters in a Vegas hotel, and the entrance to the Underworld located in Hollywood. These myth tie-ins, along with many others, kept the film grounded in the mythological theme.
Now we turn to Sea of Monsters. Due to the extreme lack of Greek references, and the few that are present being seriously doused out with the modern world, it's extremely difficult to remember that this isn't just some sci-fi, but is actually supposed to be Greek myths. Only one god ever makes an appearance (if you count Mr. D then it's two, however, since it's never mentioned clearly enough who he is, those who have not read the books are going to be lost), and the one god who is present mirrors nothing of his Greek self, and just seems to be a very talented magician.
The Sea of Monsters itself is very under whelming also. While the book describes monster after monster, only two ever make an appearance. One being Polyphemus the cyclops who lives on his island, which is completely opposite of what the book describes that one must wonder who came up with the idea to add so many unnecessary features, and take away from what was depicted in the greatest Greek legend of all, The Odyssey.
If an audience member has not read the book, then there are many references that they are going to miss in the movie, many of which would help clear things up in the plot. For those audience members who have read the books, they're jaws are going to drop in horrid shock and wonder "What in hades happened?!"
What's probably the saddest part of all, is that the opening scene was the best part in the movie. Filled with amazing demigod action, emotion, and hilarity, it gives the false hope that the film will surpass it's predecessor and make a successful film series based off the books. By the end, however, it appears as if the creators decided to chuck the rest of the series into this one movie and quickly finish it off . . . but then they don't, as if they changed their minds.
If Fox dares to make The Titan's Curse into a movie, then gods help them, because Zeus will fry them with a lightning bolt if they cough out another one like this.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
No comments:
Post a Comment