‘Journey’ in 3-D is quite a trip
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, July 18, 2008
When Pat Boone and James Mason went on a journey to the center of the earth in 1959, kids were thrilled to see what might be at the planet's core.
Looking back, the film was pretty silly -- and overdone.
The new version of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" isn't much different, but it's juiced with the kind of special effects that make things like dinosaurs and glowing birds seem utterly believable. In 3-D, they're even better. And, one suspects, that's probably what prompted this redo - a chance to test Real-D, the new 3-D format, in something other than animation.
On many counts, the experiment works. The film looks great and moves quickly. It's like a Disney theme park ride -- brief, but filled with enough stuff to keep you occupied.
Brendan Fraser stars as a professor who leads his nephew (Josh Hutcherson) and a mountain guide (Anita Briem) into worlds unknown.
They encounter all sorts of creatures (and simple geographic phenomena) as they journey to find Fraser's missing brother. Once they learn his fate, it's a matter of getting out. Using a little ingenuity and a lot of strength, they never seem destined to die, but the trek does have its tense moments.
Director Eric Brevig never lights on any concept too long, suggesting this is a film meant for pre-teens. He keeps his effects pretty elementary, too, and surprises in 3-D with things like spit and sticks.
A train ride, taken from the passengers' perspective is particularly thrilling. It's something even Spielberg and his "Indiana Jones" crew might admire.
Fraser is hardly a mental giant in this, but he does provide enough common sense to convince us he's the right man to lead the journey. Hutcherson is standard-issue kid actor and Briem is a typical leading lady. Together and individually, they get into enough trouble to make the time fly by.
While Jules Verne might think his book has been gutted, it's just enough to drive audiences into theaters for something that might have seen a bit musty.
In 2-D, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" is a mildly pleasing adventure. But in 3-D, it's a hint of better things to come.
Rated PG, "Journey" features some intense scenes - particularly one with a dinosaur.
On a scale of four stars, it gets:
2 1/2 stars in 2-D
3 stars in 3-D
Looking back, the film was pretty silly -- and overdone.
The new version of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" isn't much different, but it's juiced with the kind of special effects that make things like dinosaurs and glowing birds seem utterly believable. In 3-D, they're even better. And, one suspects, that's probably what prompted this redo - a chance to test Real-D, the new 3-D format, in something other than animation.
On many counts, the experiment works. The film looks great and moves quickly. It's like a Disney theme park ride -- brief, but filled with enough stuff to keep you occupied.
Brendan Fraser stars as a professor who leads his nephew (Josh Hutcherson) and a mountain guide (Anita Briem) into worlds unknown.
They encounter all sorts of creatures (and simple geographic phenomena) as they journey to find Fraser's missing brother. Once they learn his fate, it's a matter of getting out. Using a little ingenuity and a lot of strength, they never seem destined to die, but the trek does have its tense moments.
Director Eric Brevig never lights on any concept too long, suggesting this is a film meant for pre-teens. He keeps his effects pretty elementary, too, and surprises in 3-D with things like spit and sticks.
A train ride, taken from the passengers' perspective is particularly thrilling. It's something even Spielberg and his "Indiana Jones" crew might admire.
Fraser is hardly a mental giant in this, but he does provide enough common sense to convince us he's the right man to lead the journey. Hutcherson is standard-issue kid actor and Briem is a typical leading lady. Together and individually, they get into enough trouble to make the time fly by.
While Jules Verne might think his book has been gutted, it's just enough to drive audiences into theaters for something that might have seen a bit musty.
In 2-D, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" is a mildly pleasing adventure. But in 3-D, it's a hint of better things to come.
Rated PG, "Journey" features some intense scenes - particularly one with a dinosaur.
On a scale of four stars, it gets:
2 1/2 stars in 2-D
3 stars in 3-D
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