Psycho's Movie Reviews #281: Journey To The Centre Of The Earth

{Excuse the typo 'Center', Americans obviously can't spell}

Journey to the Center of the Earth (also promoted as Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3-D or Journey 3D) is a 2008 American 3D science fantasy action-adventure film directed by Eric Brevig and starring Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem and Seth Meyers. Produced by New Line Cinema, it is an adaptation of Jules Verne's 1864 novel (which had previously been adapted multiple times, most notably in the 1959 film of the same name), and was released in 3D theatres by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 11, 2008.

The film also introduced the 4DX movie format, featuring "4D" motion effects in a specially designed cinema in Seoul, South Korea, using tilting seats to convey motion, wind, sprays of water and sharp air, probe lights to mimic lightning, fog, scents, and other theatrical special effects.

The film received mixed reviews from critics and earned $244.2 million against a $60 million budget.

Plot

In 2007, Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser) is a Bostonian volcanologist whose 13-year-old nephew, Sean (Josh Hutcherson), is supposed to spend ten days with him. Trevor learns at work that his brother's lab is being shut down because of a lack of funding. Trevor has forgotten that Sean is coming until he receives several messages from Sean's mother. When Sean's mother drops him off, she leaves Trevor with a box of items that belonged to Max, Trevor's brother and Sean's father, who disappeared 10 years before, in July 1997. Sean suddenly takes interest in what Trevor has to say after he tells him about his father, whom he never really had a chance to know. In the box, Trevor discovers the novel Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. Inside the book Trevor finds notes written by his late brother. Trevor goes to his laboratory to find out more about the notes. There he realizes that he must go to Iceland to investigate for himself.

He intends to send Sean back to his mother, but relents at Sean's protest and brings Sean to Iceland with him. They start by looking for another volcanologist. When they get to that scientist's institution, they meet his daughter Hannah (Anita Briem), who informs them he is dead. She also tells them that both her father and Max believed that Jules Verne's books were factual accounts. However she offers to help them climb up to the instrument that has suddenly started sending data again. While hiking the mountain a lightning storm forces the three into a cave. The cave entrance collapses, trapping them, so they have no alternative but to go deeper in the cave, which turns out to be an abandoned mine.

Trevor, Sean, and Hannah investigate farther into the mine until they fall into a deep hole, taking them to the "Centre of the Earth". They all continue until they discover a cave-dwelling that Max lived in. Trevor and Sean find Max's old journal. Hannah and Trevor discover Max's dead body and bury him. Trevor reads a message from Max's journal that was written on Sean's 3rd birthday (8-14-97). Trevor continues to read Max's journal until he realizes from his notes that they must quickly leave, as the temperature is steadily rising.

Trevor figures that they must find a geyser that can send them to the surface. They must do this in 48 hours or all of the water to create the geyser will be gone. They also figure that they must get out before the temperature rises past 135 degrees. They begin by crossing the underground ocean, and then the two adults become separated from Sean. Sean's guide is now a little bird who has been present since the trio entered the Center, and it takes him towards the river. However, he encounters a Giganotosaurus, and Trevor - who desperately is searching for him - saves him. When they arrive at the geyser it is all dried up. All of the water is on the other side of a wall.

Trevor uses a flare to ignite the magnesium in the wall and causes a geyser to shoot them through Mount Vesuvius in Italy. When they destroy the home of an Italian man, Sean gives him a diamond that he had found earlier. Trevor sees that he has many more in his backpack, and he uses them to fund his brother's laboratory. Throughout the adventure, Hannah and Trevor gradually become so attached to each other that they kiss. On the final day of Sean's visit with Trevor (and now Hannah), he is leaving their new home, which was purchased with some of the diamonds Sean took from the cave, and Trevor hands Sean a book titled "Atlantis", suggesting they could maybe hang out at Sean's during Christmas break.

Production

Development and Filming

On September 2001, Walden Media announced that Eric Brevig was hired and set to direct Journey to the Center of the Earth based on the book of the same name by Jules Verne. Michael D. Weiss, Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett wrote the script for the film. Beau Flynn and Charlotte Huggins produced the film with the budget of $60 million for release in 2008. In 2003, Brendan Fraser, Anita Briem, Josh Hutcherson, Seth Meyers, Jean-Michel Paré, Jane Wheeler, Giancarlo Caltabiano and Garth Gilker joined the film. Andrew Lockington composed the music for the film. The development and filming of the film was completed in Canada and Iceland in March 2006, followed by principal photography and production which began on April 20. In January 2007, New Line Cinema acquired distribution rights to the film. The film transposes the novel into the present day and is mostly live action, with only the landscape and creatures supplied by computer-generated graphics. The film is projected using Real D Cinema and Dolby 3D.

Josh Hutcherson's character, Sean, is named after the professor and conservation biologist Dr. Sean Anderson.

{The animation is 'Sharkboy and Lavagirl' level but this film is a tad bit better just because it has better actors - and it's a whole better story}

Release/Reception/Box Office

The first trailer was shown before screenings of Meet the Robinsons, the re-release of The Nightmare Before Christmas and the release of Beowulf, with the Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, and during the 2008 Kids' Choice Awards. Warner Bros. marketed the film like a theme park attraction. However, the studio had to slightly tweak the campaign (including dropping "3D" from the title) when it became clear that the film would be shown in 3-D in far fewer theatres than anticipated.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 61% based on 158 reviews with an average rating of 6/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Modern visuals and an old fashioned storyline make this family adventure/comedy a fast-paced, kitschy ride". Metacritic gave the film a 57 out of 100, based on 35 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A-" on scale of A to F.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 2 stars out of 4, and wrote: "This is a fairly bad movie, and yet at the same time maybe about as good as it could be. There may not be an 8-year-old alive who would not love it." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave it 2.5 out of 4, but warned "Remove a star from the rating if you take this Journey without wearing 3-D glasses. That’s where the real fun comes in." Owen Glieberman of Entertainment Weekly gave it a B- and said "Journey is just the new version of a 1950s comin'-at-ya roller coaster, with a tape measure, trilobite antennae, and giant snapping piranha thrust at the audience."

Journey to the Centre of the Earth grossed $101.7 million in the US and $142.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $242 million.

The film opened at #3 in North America, behind Hellboy II: The Golden Army and Hancock. The film grossed $21,018,141 in 2,811 theatres in its first week of release with an average of $7,477. 57 percent of the opening gross was taken from theatres which showed the film in 3-D. In second weekend it dropped to $12,340,435 and in third to $9,717,217.

Budget $60 million

Box office $244.2 million

My Review

2008's "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" is a loose adaption of Jules Verne's classic book set in modern times. Here, the story involves Professor Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser), his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) and Hannah, an attractive Icelandic mountain guide (Anita Briem), and their many misadventures as they stumble upon a an old mine and "volcano tube" that drops them deep into a marvellous subterranean world. Can they make it out alive?

One glance at the poster or DVD and the viewer will instantly know what s/he is in for -- a fun, mindless adventure in the spirit of "Indiana Jones", which is understandable in view of the fact that the first Indiana Jones film ripped-off two scenes from the 1959 version of "Journey" (the 'guiding light' and huge rolling stone sequences). This 2008 rendition even features a thrilling roller-coaster-like rail-car sequence a la "Temple of Doom," although it's done better here IMHO. There's also a t-rex sequence reminiscent of "Jurassic Park," but the oversized reptile is more cartoony here (interesting how filmmakers still aren't able to outdo that t-rex sequence a full 15 years later!).

I won't compare this version to the 1959 rendition with James Mason, Pat Boone and Arlene Dahl since that film was made a half century ago! Needless to say, these are two totally different movies from two totally different eras. I will say, however, that it's not as long & tedious and there's no pet duck -- lol (not that I dislike that one).

Normally I'm not into mindless "blockbusters" like this but if they're done right and I'm in the proper mood for mindless fun adventure I'm usually able to acclimate and enjoy them for what they are. Such is the case here. Brendan Fraser is the perfect actor for these types of films (e.g. 1999's "The Mummy); he's got that likable, benevolent 'everyman' charm. In addition, Anita Briem is easy on the eyes. It's surprising that there are only three main characters in the entire film, but they have great chemistry and you can tell they had a fun time filming; it transfers to the viewer.

This is a family-friendly misadventure with the requisite goofy humour, which caused me to bust out laughing numerous times. I think it's better than the three Indiana Jones sequels ("Temple of Doom," "Last Crusade" and "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"). The only reason I detract a Star is my mind started wandering a bit after the t-rex sequence late in the film. Other than that, this is a highly entertaining zany adventure flick full of spunk and wonder. That said, I'm glad it only runs an hour and a half as films of this ilk should stay around the 90-minute mark so as not to risk overstaying their welcome (e.g. the five "Pirates of the Caribbean" flicks).

I also enjoyed the desolate, mountainous Icelandic locations seen early in the picture.

One last thing: The DVD features the option of viewing the film in 3D or regular (one side or the other) and provides four pairs of 3D glasses for the former. I tried the 3D version and wasn't impressed; the 3D gimmick just doesn't do much for me and I especially dislike the dingy overall picture it offers. Needless to say, I recommend viewing the film in non-3D.

Starting with the pros of this film, it looks fantastic. The scenery is imaginative, the cinematography is inventive the costumes are well-designed and the 3D is absolutely mind-blowing. The score is excellent, and the direction isn't too bad either. The acting is pretty decent, nothing great, but nothing awful. I liked Brendan Fraser in the first two Mummy movies and he is good enough in the lead, while Josh Hutcherson who was so good in Bridge to Terabithia is even better. Also the pacing is pretty brisk.

Don't expect a brilliant script or a big, complex plot though. The script can get a little lame and clichéd, while the plot is rather predictable with one too many silly and dumb moments. The ending felt a little rushed too, and the characters are lacking in depth.

Overall, not a masterpiece, but fun enough in perhaps a mindless sort of way. 6.3/10