The movie proves the perfect showcase for 3D. I can't say that it does the same for Fraser.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:149
Fresh:91
Rotten:58
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: Modern visuals and an old fasioned storyline make this family adventure/comedy a fast-paced, kitschy ride.
Australian Rating: PG [See Full Rating] Action adventure and some scary scenes
Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Australian Theatrical Release:
Sep 25, 2008 Wide
US Box Office: $101,653,320
Synopsis: This 2008 movie update of Jules Verne's classic sci-fi/fantasy novel uses the 1864 tale as a template, with its hero, scientist Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser), referring to his missing brother's... This 2008 movie update of Jules Verne's classic sci-fi/fantasy novel uses the 1864 tale as a template, with its hero, scientist Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser), referring to his missing brother's notes on the novel. His nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) in tow, Anderson travels to Iceland to investigate his sibling's theories, enlisting a fellow scientist's daughter, Hannah (Anita Briem), as a guide. Soon the trio's Icelandic mountain trek descends into a cave and, then deeper still to, naturally, the center of the earth, where dinosaurs and other strange prehistoric creatures still dwell. After many dangerous encounters with the native flora and fauna, Trevor, Sean, and Hannah must find a way back to the surface or face being stranded miles below the earth's crust. Directed by Eric Brevig, a veteran Hollywood visual effects supervisor (MEN IN BLACK, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW), JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH clearly delights in unveiling eye-catching CGI creatures and landscapes. Presented in some theaters in 3D format, the film features lunging beasts and vertigo-inducing visions, which are effective even in 2D, while Fraser, working in the same amiable vein as the MUMMY movies, provides a human focus amidst the special effects. For fans of the ever-likable Fraser and/or the JOURNEY story, there is plenty to enjoy in this effects-heavy adventure film. [More]
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Jane Wheeler
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Jane Wheeler
Director: Eric Brevig
Director: Eric Brevig
Screenwriter: Michael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin
Producer: Charlotte Huggins, Beau Flynn
Composer: Andrew Lockington
Studio: New Line Cinema
Reviews for Journey to the Center of the Earth
Giant fossilised mushrooms, flying fish with massive teeth, glowing bluebirds, a rollercoaster ride on an underground mine railway and magnetic floating rocks are some of the ingredients of this 3D adventure take on Jules Verne's classic sci-fi novel . .
The utopian ecosystem setting - dominated by lush rainforests and vast oceans - is magnificent to gawk at, and the 3D cinematography makes fine use of the prehistoric wildlife and unexplained phenomena.
Poor Brendan Fraser, he must have known he had nothing to work with here, he looks as if he’s sleepwalking through the role, not a career highlight for him.
Fraser salvages his reputation as a solid, matinee-style action hero in this family-oriented fantasy.
The stars here are the novelties of 3D, which certainly make it fun %u2013 just a tad repetitive for anyone over 25, I suspect
It's all curiously uninvolving, and it's only Fraser's goofy grin and slapstick physicality that hold any character interest whatsoever.
Brevig does a barely competent job of imitating the Indiana Jones movies, and seems more hindered than helped by his chosen format...
Instead of collapsing under thunderous CGI and fart jokes, Brevig crafts a delightfully retro entertainment, light and funny and summery.
Probably has the highest screams-per-capita ratio in the history of action-adventure pics, and a better thrill-per-minute deal than most.
It's harmless fun, and it makes for an often impressive display of the latest generation of computer-wizardry.
Fraser does his Mummy best to save us from the true disaster--the script.
Make sure to catch this latest iteration of the Jules Verne novel on a screen projecting it in 3-D format because without all the fun visual effects of stuff 'comin' right at ya,' this journey's center will not hold.
If you can turn off your mind, and I know that is pretty easy for most of us, then you'll get a kick out of this 3D journey.
In 3D, it's a knockout -- you'll think you've experienced the greatest tooth-brushing scene in movie history.
The story is slight and predictable, the character development pretty much nonexistent, and though the effects are generally solid, without 3-D the movie would be pointless.
In generating what amounts to a 90-minute theme park ride, the filmmakers lost track of the need to tell a compelling story to supplement the eye candy.
If you plan to see this movie at all, see it at a 3D engagement, because the spectacular computer-generated imagery - as often as not flying out of the screen and into your face - is the only reason for the price of admission.
The first summer movie that is both: a) truly comparable to a roller coaster ride; and b) significantly worse than a roller coaster ride.
Latest News for Journey to the Center of the Earth
March 13, 2009:
Brevig Plots Another 3-D Journey ![]()
Thanks to a $240 million worldwide gross and some healthy DVD numbers, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" will be getting a sequel, with Eric Brevig back in the director's chair. More...
February 25, 2009:
Eric Brevig Directing Yogi Bear ![]()
One 3-D project deserves another, so Eric Brevig will go from directing "Journey to the Center of the Earth" to Warner Bros.' 3-D live-action/CGI "Yogi Bear" feature. More...
January 06, 2009:
Academy Names Shortlist for Visual Effects Oscar ![]()
The Academy has narrowed its choices for this year's visual effects Oscar, naming "Australia," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D,"... More...
October 27, 2008:
RT on DVD: Zombie Strippers, Meet Kit Kittredge!
For the week leading up to All Hallow's Eve, there's a surprising dearth of new horror releases hitting DVD. Rest assured, though, titillation and scares can be found in a trio... More...
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