Journey to the Center of the Earth 
Released: July 2008
On DVD: 28 October 2008
Runtime: 92 minutes
Rated: PG (intense action & scary moments)Okay, we
admit it - give us a Brendan Fraser movie and we're all over it! His
boyish good looks still carry him through his movies (he's 40 now so that really
is acting)!
But Brendan is not the only thing to enjoy about this latest
edition of the
Journey to the Center of the Earth movies and not just because it
uses one of the new 3D technologies, but because it uses 3D not for the gimmick
but to help enhance the story with some very eye-catching photography. And
surprisingly the 3D works best when it is not using gimmicks that we come to
expect.
Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem search for a way
out in Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
Sure we have the obligatory 3D scenes like the yo-yo that is
released above the heads of the audience or the flying fish but for the most
part the 3D effects take a back seat to a high-flying adventure that is both
fun and funny.
Fraser plays Professor Trevor Anderson who sets off with his
nephew, Sean (Josh Hutcherson) to find his long-lost brother who they believe
may still be alive after setting out on his own quest to find the center of the
earth. On their trek they meet up with guide Hannah Asgeirsson (Anita Briem) and accidentally fall through the earth to its
very core. Of course, true to the Jules Verne story, Anderson, Sean and
Hannah meet up all manner of "lost" beasts including killer Venus Fly Traps and
of course a run-in with the obligatory Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The action seldom stops as the trio must ultimately find their
way out of their predicament and return topside. From the underground
railway (although this CGI effect was much better in Indiana Jones) to the final
heart-pounding ride up to the surface the audience is definitely on a "e-ticket
ride" (hmmmm, there's definitely a new Disney or Universal ride in the making)!
We did find the little glowing bluebird a tad contrived though
and wished the tension of Sean being separated from his Uncle and their guide
wasn't ruined by this special little guide. I was so hoping that it would
perhaps be eaten by the T-Rex but ultimately I guess it needed to stick around
for its part in the happy ending at the conclusion of the film (it is, after
all, a family film).
At 92 minutes this is definitely a quickie but that is also a
blessing considering for the most part this is a kid's movie (although some of
the more intense scenes did seem to upset a few of the younger set and I'm still
not convinced the youngest in the audience actually got the 3D idea at all).
Fortunately, there is enough to keep adults engaged here as well even if it is
just to marvel at the lush 3D landscapes.
Journey to the Center of the Earth is definitely some trivial summer fun but is a great way to
spend an afternoon when you just want to escape the heat.
Oh, and the fact Brendan Fraser is in it doesn't hurt either.
We can hardly wait for the next Mummy movie coming in August. Two Brendan
Fraser movies in one summer - at least global warming can't be blamed for all of our little pleasures in life.
