Featured Review: JOURNEY

For the mini-review of the similarly apathetically received CGI family film The Spiderwick Chronicles, click HERE


Journey To The Center Of The Earth



Starring- Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Seth Meyers, Jean Michel Pare.


Directed by Eric Brevig



Grade: C+





"So, do you come here often?"

Journey to the Center of the Earth is proof that a full-blown CGI film can be made on the cheap. Granted $45 million isn't exactly cheap in a recession crisis when many Americans are struggling to pay $4 a gallon for gasoline, but compared to the astronomical budgets of other recent summer movies, Wall-E ($180 million), Hancock ($150), Iron Man ($140), and Kung Fu Panda ($130), Journey is small potatoes. But that's not to say the film's effects doesn't have its drawbacks.

Since the main gimmick for the movie is to watch it in 3-D, it may depend on how the viewer experiences the film in order to get full enjoyment out of it. We screened it without the 3-D projection, and at times it did feel like we were missing out on a key element. Several of the sight gags that the movie nearly went into a complete halt in the story for were quite obviously made specifically to give the 3-D audience a scare. Without the 3-D aspect, Journey just came off cheesy at those points.

The scenery for the center of the world is pretty enough, but also because of the extensive use of green-screen imaging going on, seems completely out of touch. Part of the wonder and amazement other worlds had on the effect of kids in the past was the hard work the crew put into making these set pieces. CGI can render some amazing things beyond people's wildest dreams, but Journey was second-rate at best. Nice to look at, but kind of a yawn to appreciate.

Rather than opting for a straight re-telling of the Jules Verne book, Journey attempts a quasi-parallel story involving the real book as a guide for the characters. Trevor Anderson (Fraser), a down-on-his-luck, largely ignored volcanic science professor, is in charge of his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson), the son of his deceased brother for the week. The two don't get along very well, but soon Trevor discovers an anomaly in one of his field research stations in Iceland, and is forced to bring his nephew along. After connecting with pretty mountain guide Hannah (Anita Briem), daughter of a prominent scientist who had connections with Trevor's brother, the three set off to check on his geological marker. What they end up with is a whole new adventure.

After apparently burrowing underneath the surface for a couple years, Brendan Fraser has re-emerged in 2008 with two family friendly big-budget action flicks over the summer, the first of which is Journey. He is largely in the mode of his piqued Fraser-ness, playing up the sappy good guy with corny one-liners and an exasperated mug. After hit or miss performances the past several years in less widely exposed films such as Crash and the neanderthal Crash wannabe The Air I Breathe, Fraser is found right where his true niche is; the American father figure with the heart of gold in family-oriented action comedies.

One plus going for the film is the fact it is central on the three characters, and not solely on random supporting cast or the CGI creatures that prey on them. In the beginning we see a cameo by Saturday Night Live chum Seth Meyers, but for the vast bulk of the film there are only the three of them, which gives the viewer a chance to spend more time developing a bond with each one. Granted, they are all more or less stereotypes of their respective age/gender/nationality, but for a family film it could've been much worse.

Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of the those mid-sized, middle-rate, mildly enjoyable films that are entertaining to watch, but will never be remembered for any one thing in particular. They go down, fight dinosaurs and venus fly traps, they come up, they want to explore the Lost City of Atlantis in a hopeful sequel. Pretty much standard fare for a hot summer day in July.

Since it topped out at 115 degrees deep in the mantle of the earth, perhaps next time they should consider having a journey to the center of Phoenix, Arizona. Play some golf, go hiking, get chased by snowbirds in dinosaur Buicks. It might make for just as an interesting adventure.