Reviewed by Neil Davey
Stars Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem,
Seth Meyers, Jean Michel Pare, Jane Wheeler,
Frank Fontaine, Giancarlo Caltabiano
Written by MIchael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett & Mark Levin
Certification UK PG | US PG
Runtime 92 minutes
Directed by Eric Brevig
Trevor Anderson (Fraser) is a scientist struggling with an underfunded project, a chaotic homelife and, for the next few weeks, a nephew, Sean (Hutcherson). Since Max, Trevor's brother / Sean's father went missing, the geological research Max and Trevor were working on has stuttered but, unexpectedly, a sensor in Iceland has come back on line and some handwritten notes in Max's old copy of Jules Verne's titular novel suggests it all adds up to major breakthrough.
And so, instead of looking after Sean at home for a few weeks, the two find themselves in Iceland, along with a local guide (Hannah) looking for a sensor. And then getting trapped in a cave. Only it's not a cave: it's a gateway to a whole new world at the centre (or, indeed, Center as the Americanised posters have it) of the earth, with dinosaurs, man-eating plants and flying piranhas just some of the problems they must overcome, if they want to make it back to the surface.
It's hard to completely bugger up a Verne story although Brevig gives it a damn good try. It's not the self-reverential update that's the problem, or even the fact that Jurassic Park et al have stolen the tale's thunder. The big problem is the use of digital 3D. Brevig, you see, doesn't seem to know if he just wants to use the medium for its novelty value (things waggling out of the screen, pointy objects, etc.,) or just leave it to speak for itself, giving depth to simple conversations and the like. It's actually most impressive in the slower, latter moments, although it is still fun to watch rows of people duck as Brendan Fraser spits out of the screen. However, you can't help but think that either 92 minutes of 3D set-pieces or 92 minutes of straightforward family thriller would have been preferable to this mishmash of shifting tones. Performances are as good as they have to be and it all rattles along in an inoffensive manner, but you'll feel shortchanged by the 3D angle.
• Official Site
• Journey To The Center Of The Earth at IMDb