A GARGANTUAN bronze bull smashes the forcefield that protects Camp Half-Blood and almost kills Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), son of Poseidon.

Dionysus (Stanley Tucci) and centaur Chiron (Anthony Head) rush to Thalia’s tree, source of the camp’s defences, and discover someone has poured poison into the bark, leaving the camp open to further attacks.

The only artefact that can restore the tree is the Golden Fleece, but this precious item lurks within the Sea of Monsters, otherwise known as the Bermuda Triangle.

Clarisse (Leven Rambin), boastful daughter of Ares, is chosen to lead the quest to retrieve the fleece.

However, an ancient prophecy suggests that Percy might be destined to successfully navigate the Sea of Monsters so he leads a separate mission in the company of best friend Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), daughter of Athena, sassy satyr Grover (Brandon T Jackson) and his clumsy cyclops half-brother, Tyson (Douglas Smith).

Based on the book by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters is an action-packed sequel that will appeal to young adults.

Thor Freudenthal may have replaced Chris Columbus in the director’s chair but this second chapter in the series doesn’t stray too far from the template of the original, reimagining Greek mythology through the eyes of gung-ho teenage protagonists.

DAMON SMITH