Why I loved Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
- It was so much better than the first movie!
- Kept closer to the book this time (I can’t tell you for sure exactly how close it was because it’s been a while since I read the book, but it wasn’t some dumb quest for pearls that didn’t even happen in the book like in The Lightning Thief. They were a gift for crying out loud.)
- The Firefly reference from Nathan Fillion
- SO FUNNY. There are some excellent one-liners from Stanley Tucci (“The Christians have a guy that can do this but in the opposite direction. Now THAT’s a God.”) and when they started singing “It’s a Small World” I about lost it.
- They ride in a Taxi that was reminiscent of the Knight Bus, which I found really funny
- They kept some of the subplots, like Percy struggling with the idea of a cyclops for a little brother. It brought some depth to the movie that I really liked
- The conflict was well done. I cared what was going on this time.
- My one criticism – it felt kind of violent for a PG movie. There was a lot of punching, kicking and fighting. Even though none of it was gory, it did stand out to me that really young kids are watching this.
- I loved the ending and how (highligh between brackets for spoiler) { Thalia came back }! It left it open for more movies to come.
- Rick Riordan has an uncanny ability to take myths and make them modern. The Sea of Monsters is a very loose retelling of the Odyssey, and the cyclops living on an island with an abandoned amusement park is just funny. Also, I think the reason that the cyclops can’t see well in the movie is because it’s a reference to Odysseus stabbing him in the eye and blinding him.
I went and saw this with my husband (who is not a reader and enjoyed the movie). I had so much fun discussing it with him! We talked about all these things afterwords and it was an awesome date :)
Also – I don’t think it’s really necessary to watch The Lightning Thief before you see Sea of Monsters. They recap the stuff you need to know at the beginning. In fact, I kind of wondered if the backstory of the tree that protects the camp at the start of the movie was actually in the first book but they just didn’t put it in the first movie. You’ll have to tell me if you know :)
Have you seen The Sea of Monsters? What did you think?
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
I really enjoyed the movie as well but maybe it’s just that I really like Logan Lerman’s face and he looked stunning there. But yeah, go Percy Jackson! :p
My husband and I are really excited to see this…although we probably won’t be able to see it until it comes out on dvd. We are just poor like that haha!! I’m really looking forward to it! We have read all the books together so it’s kind of our “thing”.
I’m totally in the minority here…but I liked the first movie. I know it doesn’t follow the book or anything, but really…that doesn’t bother me. I generally tend to like most of the book to movie films that are created, whether they are “true” to the book or not. They are only “based” off books, and are two completely different types of media…so I don’t usually compare them too critically. I’m so weird. ;) Regardless of that though…I ALWAYS read the book first before seeing its adaptation in film. I’m glad to hear this second film is so good!!
You have inspired me to go see it! I’m with Jenny and didn’t think the first one was awful. It had some cheesy parts, but that has never bothered me. The first one didn’t talk about the tree at all. Glad this one has more of the book stuff. :)
Good to hear you liked this better than the first because I wasn’t too keen on that one. Actually, I will hopefully be able to read this series (or at least start the first one) soon!! I’m excited. I really love how RIck Riordan plays with mythology.
I haven’t wanted to see this because I didn’t like the first movie. I think they botched the first one. I’m glad you liked it and mentioned how it is closer to the book and better done. I might see this now.
Yes! I’m so happy it’s better than the first one! I remember being really irritated and sad that the first one was such a flop, it was still…okay but there so much missed opportunity. I might go see this one now.
I hope you do! I think the first one could have been SO good – missed opportunity is a good way to describe it.
I liked this movie too. I thought it was fun and really followed the book. I hope there is a third film too!!!