Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Since three years have passed since the arrival of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief—adapted from the first book in Rick Riordan's bestselling YA fantasy series—early exposition reminds us that Percy (Logan Lerman) is the half-human son of the sea god Poseidon. When Camp Half-Blood, the teenage demigods' woodsy refuge, is suddenly imperiled, Percy and friends Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) embark on a quest to retrieve the fabled Golden Fleece from the Sea of Monsters (aka the Bermuda Triangle) in order to restore the Camp's protective barrier. They're joined by Percy's half-brother, Tyson (Douglas Smith), an insecure, sweet-natured Cyclops with one huge CGI eye. Not surprisingly, the group finds itself in a rivalry with the highly competitive, self-centered Clarisse (Leven Rambin), who has joined forces with Luke (Jake Abel), the roguish, resentful son of Hermes. Combative Luke is determined to use the Fleece's restorative powers to resurrect evil Cronos, the vengeful Titan, who was vanquished centuries ago. Directed by Thor Freudenthal, this second installment sees the return of Stanley Tucci as wine-loving Camp director Dionysus, Anthony Head as the centaur Chiron, and Nathan Fillion as Hermes—the god of travelers, messengers, and thieves, now serving as manager of a UPS store. Notable special effects here include the fire-breathing Colchis Bull, a supernatural taxi ride with three haggling Graeae, a seafaring Hippocampus, and a climactic battle with the Cyclops guarding an abandoned amusement park called Circeland. Overall, however, this is a disappointingly uninspired film that just doesn't live up to the far superior novel. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include an "It's All in the Eye" character featurette (5 min.), the production segment "Back to Camp Half-Blood" (3 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a motion comic (6 min.), the behind-the-scenes featurette "Deconstructing a Demigod" (4 min.), and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for an unremarkable adaptation.] (S. Granger)