'Journey' 3-D effects steal the show

By Linda Cook | Friday, July 18, 2008

“Journey to the Center of the Earth”

3 stars

Running time: One hour and 32 minutes

Rated: PG for violence and dangerous situations

Stars: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem

Director: Eric Brevig

Screenwriters: Michael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin, inspired by the Jules Verne novel

There’s no doubt about it: The 3-D special effects steal the show from the human performers in “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” a family film that’s a fun adventure.

The tail is wagging the dog here. Obviously, the movie was created so the special effects could wow the audience, not the other way around. But that’s fine because seeing the movie gives you the sensation that you’re tagging along with the characters. You’re not merely a spectator once you’ve donned your 3-D glasses.

I liked the fact that the screenplay gives several nods, right off the bat, to the classic Jules Verne science-fiction novel after which it is named. The movie doesn’t try to become the classic story, but it certainly encourages readers of all ages to pick up the book again or for the first time.

The always-charming Brendan Fraser stars as Professor Trevor Anderson, who gets out of class just in time for his sullen nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson, “The Bridget to Terabithia”) to arrive to spend a few days with him.

Sean perks up a bit when Trevor discusses his brother, Sean’s dad, who had a theory that Verne’s ideas weren’t fiction. In fact, when Trevor makes a discovery that could lead him to find the real center of the Earth, Sean accompanies him. Leading the way is their guide Hannah (Anita Briem), who takes them to a mountain in Iceland where they find the passage to the amazing world inside a world.

Naturally, all kinds of dangers are lurking in this universe where dinosaurs still roam. And the trio faces certain death unless they can find their way to the surface quickly.

Do we have an Oscar-worthy script here? Well, no, but that’s not why you’re taking your family, is it? What you do get is a kind of thrill ride, with water, boulders, glowing birds and dinosaurs heading for you at full throttle. Some of the story line is just plain silly, but you won’t care because you’ll want to see what’s going to come hurtling at you from the screen next.

It isn’t easy for a movie to entertain grade-schoolers for a full hour-and-a-half, but this one manages to do it. Just for fun, I looked around and saw kids flinching from objects being thrown “at them” and giggling during a roller-coaster-type sequence.

This movie is an old-fashioned summer adventure delivered in a contemporary fashion.