Saturday, October 4, 2008

Journey to the Center of the Earth Review


Journey to the Center of the Earth is the newest adaptation of the famed Jules Verne novel, this time in 3D. It stars Brendan Fraser as a man searching for his brother, Josh Hutcherson as Fraser's nephew and Anita Briem as their tour guide.

Pros:
- The movie has a great and enjoyable sense of energy and wonder. It's really a theme park ride expanded to full feature length.
- Special effect guru Eric Brevig's touch at director allows the movie to embrace silly VFX to a surprisingly enjoyable effect.
- Fraser, perpetually exuberant and youthful, is the perfect lead for a somewhat absurd story like this.
- This movie has given me faith that 3D is viable. The Real3D system (which uses 3D glasses that aren't uncomfortable to wear) is far more effective than the mediocre displays of the past. The 3D here, though gimmicky, makes the whole experience so much more fun. Dinosaurs, mutant venus fly traps, rocks that float on air and lava explosions are all more fun in 3D.

Cons:
- While it's nice to see someone try to come up with a 'new' take on Journey to the Center of the Earth, the notion of Vernians (yes, people who follow the writings of Jules Verne as true) is pretty silly.
- The screenplay is mediocre and the supporting performances are nothing to write home about.
- I can't imagine this would have been half as enjoyable in 2D.

Verdict:
- It's not a 'good' movie, but I found Journey to the Center of the Earth perfectly enjoyable. It's also a nice showcase for the future of 3D.

Overall Score: 6/10

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