Journey to the Center of the Earth
Rated PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments.
reviewed by Chris Lyon
"Journey 3D" isn't the best movie of the summer, but it's the best-looking 3D movie I've seen. I used to dread 3D movies. The nausea and headache were not worth the "coming right at you" moments. ("Shark Boy and Lava Girl" about cost me my lunch.) But "Journey" uses a new, digital, flux capacitor technology or something that makes the effects kind of sick without also making you ill. And the story is good enough to get you through 90 minutes of family-friendly air conditioning.
The Story
Brendan Fraser stars as Trevor Anderson, a geology professor carrying on his late brother Max's research into volcanos and seismic activity. When Trevor's 13-year-old nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson), Max's son, arrives for a 10-day visit, his mom also drops off a box with new clues to Max's disappearance. An old paperback copy of Jules Verne's classic book is filled with notes on Max's research.
Trevor realizes his brother was hoping to discover a volcano tube to the center of the earth. Realizing his last stop was in Iceland, Trevor and Sean hop a flight and quickly find themselves at the remote home of an expert in Jules Verne/Center of the Earth research. Only he's dead. And his tough-and-beautiful daughter Hannah (Anita Briem) doesn't buy into the crackpot theory that Verne's book was not fiction but a real-life account of the real prehistoric middle of the planet.
Still she agrees to guide them into the mountains, where the odd trio quickly find themselves trapped in a cave. Looking for a way out they discover an abandoned mining operation and a hole that drops a long, long way down to a toasty tropical paradise full of dinosaurs, flying fish, and rising thermometer readings. Now that they've made the discovery of the century, they must. get. out.
The Verdict
What we thought of the movie on its own terms.
What Works: The 3D works pretty well most of the time. It often really does look like water, birds, and dino's are headed straight for you. For me, the smaller effects worked better, as when Trevor spits into a sink with the POV in the drain. Ah! I also caught myself once or twice thinking an object was in front of the side of the screen when a plant or something was "popping out" in my peripheral vision.
Other than one moving scene in which Trevor and Sean take a moment to mourn the death of Max, the biggest challenge for the cast is the running and yelling and falling through the computer-generated chaos. All three are good and likable doing exactly that. Brendan Fraser is still perfect for this kind of nice-and-funny-guy-in-a-quick-paced-action-story material, which is why he's also starring in "Mummy 3" next month.
It's become clichŽ to call a movie like this an amusement part ride, but I had some serious dŽjˆ vu of sitting in a little car being whisked through some high-tech video-driven adventure in Disney World as a kid. That's not a bad thing if that's what a movie sets out to be. For a fun, family-safe adventure ride, "Journey" is pretty good.
What Doesn't Work: If you're looking for good "cinema," however, cool 3D effects are not a substitute for good writing, interesting plot surprises, or a little depth (so to speak). "Journey" is always headed in just one direction at the quickest pace possible, and there will be no detours on this trip. But please keep your arms and legs inside the car until it comes to a full and complete stop.
Also, it cost me a $3 surcharge on top of the ticket price to cover the theater's risk that I would steal or break the reportedly $50 digital 3D glasses. That made for a $9.50 matinee screening. (Ouch.) They're banking on the fact that 3D fans won't want to wait for the DVD and miss out on the best part of the experience.
Worldview
Okay, 3D thrill rides don't come packed with huge worldview messages. Mostly they're just about having fun and getting to the end. Still, in spite of a little romance between Trevor and Hannah, the film's emotional core is found in the connection between Trevor and Sean. Together, they share the unresolved loss of Max, Trevor's brother and Sean's dad.
Both find what they've been missing in life by learning to trust and enjoy each other. With Trevor's help, Max learns to be proud of his dad and discovers that his dad truly cared about him. Trevor lets Sean help him find the answer to a lifelong quest Ñ and solve the riddle of his brother's disappearance.
God's Word also urges us not to go looking for answers to life's great mysteries on our own. We need our spiritual family of believers. It's not by accident that God offers those who trust in Jesus the right to be His sons and daughters, instantly giving us millions of brothers and sisters around the globe. He knows that we long for those family connections to bring a place and purpose to our lives, to make the journey with, and to celebrate the big discoveries along the way. Nobody needs to ride alone.
Questions
- Which 3D effects worked best for you? Did you ever jump in your seat?
- Is this the best 3D experience yet? Is it the best 3D story? Are you looking forward to more 3D films -- or not so much?
- Do you care if a movie like this is "just a thrill ride"? Do you expect more out a $10 trip to the movies?
- Fan of Brendan Fraser? Dig the Mummy movies?
- What the point of journeying through life as a Christian with other believers? Does it really matter if we're part of a "church family"? What's the danger of following Jesus on our own?