Journey to the Center of the Earth

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Seth Meyers
Directed by: Eric Brevig
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
2008

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A geologist (Brendan Fraser) finds mysterious notes in his lost brother's book. He joins his nephew (Josh Hutcherson) and a guide as they track his brother, right to a cavern that leads to the center of the Earth. The question is, can they ever get back?

Review:

Tim: This movie really utilizes the latest advancements in special effects to make up for a lack of sheer quality. The movie manages to slingshot itself into decent film territory, but just barely. I should mention that this movie was filmed in 3-D, but I watched the regular, 2-D version.

For the most part, I enjoyed the movie. It is fun to see adventurers discover an unknown land, right beneath our feet, even if the entire premise of the movie is beyond ridiculous. Still, there is something exciting about the prospect of finding a hidden land. This movie capitalizes on that. It also works because we care at least a little for our heroes. Brendan Fraser has proved he can operate well in an action movie (The Mummy is still one of my favorite films), and he is generally likeable here. Josh Hutcherson pulls off the rare feat of not being incredibly annoying. This is very difficult for young actors in movies like this (see The Mummy Returns or The Legend of Zorro. Anita Briem rounds out the cast with at least a decent performance.

As I mentioned, the entire film is far-fetched beyond belief. Still, it is fun to see our protagonists being chased by a dinosaur or travel in a world where up is still down, and they must climb up to reach the floor of the Earth. I would have liked a few more intense moments and a bit of real danger (this movie is rated PG, after all), but for a kid's adventure movie, it surprisingly works.

Now, I'm not saying I loved this movie. It is deeply flawed in many ways. However, the film set out to tell an entertaining if hard-to-believe story that would appeal to kids and adults alike. I think the movie accomplished this. It will never be referenced in the best acton-adventure-sci-fi movies category, but it wasn't a terrible journey, and I appreciate the quick 93 minute run-time.

Journey to the Center of the Earth is a bit mindless and redundant, but it never tries to be anything other than what it is. Because of this, I can forgive many of the movie's flaws, and I was able to sit back and find some enjoyment in this mostly silly film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, The Legend of Zorro, The Mask of Zorro, Inkheart, Zathura