I never planned on seeing “Percy Jackson: Sea of
Monsters.” After all, I had seen the
first movie in the cinema, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning
Thief,” and not been overly impressed by it.
Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t as
if the film was bad. It had featured a
lot of actors I admire. Sean Bean (Think
Boromir from “The Lord of the Rings”) had played Zeus; Kevin McKidd (Lucius
Vorenus in the HBO miniseries “Rome”) had played Poseidon, Percy’s father; Uma
Thurman (She’s been in too many good movies to count) had played the snake-haired
Medusa, and Pierce Brosnan (“Remington Steele” and James Bond, James Bond,
James Bond!) had played the centaur instructor Chiron. Any movie featuring the above
names would be worth watching. Still, I hadn’t been overly impressed with the first movie, and as Hollywood
hurls so many good movies at us during the summer months, I just figured that
I’d skip the second.
Then I recalled that my wife had gotten into Rick Riordan’s
Percy Jackson novels, that she had read four of them, and that she had seemed
to enjoy them. I remembered a
conversation from a few years previous with my speech therapist, during which
he had said that the books were infinitely better than the first movie, and
that he and his children had spent many happy evenings reading them
together. And finally, I saw the Blu-ray
for the first movie in the store, with an offer for free movie cash to watch
the second one in cinemas, if only I purchased the first. Well, twist my arm, Hollywood, why don’t you?
What I can report is that I really enjoyed “Percy Jackson:
Sea of Monsters.” I mean, I was really
overwhelmed by it. Now don’t misunderstand
me. I’m not saying that the special
effects will compare with “Iron Man 3” or “Star Trek Into Darkness.” Nor am I saying that the second film featured
any of my favorite actors from the above list (although Nathan Fillion has a small
role, and as with most things he does, he’s awesome in it). What I’m saying is that I really liked the
story. I bonded with Percy and his
friends. I enjoyed his struggle to prove
that his first quest wasn’t a fluke, and that he deserved to be a demigod. I loved how he found out, suddenly, that he
had a half-brother, that it wasn’t someone whom he and his friends could
readily accept, but at least, in human familial terms, it meant that he wasn’t
alone any more. And along with and above
all that, I really enjoyed how Rick Riordan’s knowledge of (and love for) Greek
mythology undergirded the entire story.
Greek myths and legends have been retold and reinvented
endlessly. The recent “Clash of the
Titans,” and “Wrath of the Titans,” serve as two contemporary examples. But there’s something infectious about a
person who has fallen in love with a particular field of knowledge or storytelling,
and desperately wants to share it with you in any way he (or she) can. That’s what I got out of “Percy Jackson: Sea
of Monsters.” The film not only made me
want to read Rick Riordan’s novels, but also to delve into the old myths,
legends, plays, and stories that had informed them. Why?
They were powerful stories that connected strongly with people for
hundreds of years. In the ancient world,
nation frequently fought against nation.
Empires rose and fell. But Hellenism
(Greek culture, religion, and outlook) became a dominant force that influenced
cultures all over the world. So okay,
Zeus, Poseidon, and all the rest of you up on Mount Olympus: I’m amazed by your
enduring impact on humanity. Okay, Rick
Riordan, I’ll read your novels. Okay
Olympians, I’ll make it a priority to read more of your ancient myths, legends,
plays, and stories. I know I’ve made
similar vows in the past, but really, I mean it this time. Just give me one more chance!
Dragon Dave
P.S. In Greek
mythology, Zeus was the god associated with lightning and thunder. In Norse mythology, Thor was the god
associated with lightning and thunder.
Has anyone noticed that the director of “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters”
is someone named Thor Freudenthal? I
mean, that’s got to be just a coincidence.
Right?
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