Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Blu-Ray) (3D)

Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Blu-Ray) (3D)



I don't own many 3D movies. In fact, until I bought this, I didn't own any. With James Cameron's Avatar coming out this year, surrounded by many other 3D productions, it's only a matter of time before we're all watching the action literally invading our living rooms. Sitting with my stylish red and green specs on, was this film really worth looking like an idiot for?

Journey to the Centre of the earth shouldn't be confused with the stop-motion classic from the fifties. This is more a homage to the original than a remake, with quick references to Jules Verne's classic novel.

Trevor (Brendan Fraser) is a struggling college professor who teaches volcanology to a handful of bored students. The head of the department intends to shut down his Lab because his wacky theories remain unproven.

Left looking after his listless nephew for the week, Trevor stumbles on some potential evidence to back up his claim; that you really can travel to the Centre of the Earth. Whisking his nephew off to Iceland and hooking up with a conveniently placed sexy Mountain guide, the three quickly find themselves at the Earth's core. Not a ball of molten magma as you might expect, but a world where extinct species like Dinosaurs and weird Glowing Sparrows still thrive.

They realise that the temperature is going up all the time and must rush to escape the wondrous yet doom-laden fantasy land. So they implausibly construct a twenty foot catamaran from straw and they're on their way. Cue loads of Indiana Jones-esque chase scenes and close shaves. Trevor takes it all in his stride, though, barely worrying his well quaffed hairstyle.

As you may know, some of the great method men like DeNiro and Pacino immerse themselves in the characters they play. Losing their own personalities and actually becoming their screen persona.
Brendan Fraser is a paradox amongst actors. Instead of wasting time like the greats, he reads a script and simply changes the character into... well, Brendan Fraser.

The action more than makes up for Fraser's lack of talent, with some genuine edge of the seat stuff. Watch out for the flying fanged piranha.

For an effects movie, I have to say it has some pretty low tech CGI. The dinosaurs in Jurrasic park were ten times more impressive than this and that film is more than a decade old.
It may not have helped, but the old school Red & Greens I was wearing erased any colours in the film to a blur of both.

Verdict 6/10
For all this film has going for it, almost everything is sub-par