PLOT

Plotwise, 3-D movies have long passed their time. Since the 80’s, when movies like Amityville 3-D came out, you’ve been paying to see 3-D effects. They hardly qualify as movies anymore. For example, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over…and Journey To The Centre Of The Earth 3-D is no exception. And sadly, I don’t think that’s a surprise to anyone who payed $10 of their hard earned cash to see it.

The little plot this film has can be summarized in two words: Awkward and depressing. Awkward because Trevor, who is played by Brendan Fraiser, who turns 40 this year, and his 13-year old nephew Sean (Josh Huthcherson), are both vying for the same girls attention. Depressing becuase they find some goodbye notes from one of their close relatives, who is found to be dead. Too heavy for the kids, and the adults aren’t going to the film for themselves anyway, so why bother trying to impress them?

You’re paying to see 3-D effects. They hardly count as movies anymore.

ACTING

Brendan Fraiser did a good job at playing the lead character, Trevor, but I thought he took the role a little too seriously at times. For example, sliding in a T-Rex skull. Don’t act like it’s life or death, have fun with it! I mean, it’s a kids 3-D movie, not an adults drama.

I thought it was a good decision of Anita Briem to play the Icelandic local/tour guide Hannah, because she actually is from Iceland… and, as those who have seen Love Guru know, sitting though a movie where a lead role has an obviously fake accent can feel like torture.

Brendan Fraiser, Josh Hutcherson, and Antia Briem exploring

A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND

Journey To The Centre Of The Earth 3D was based on a book of the same name (minus the 3D) written way back in 1864 in French by Jules Verne. And, believe me, you’ll leave the theatre knowing it. Maybe not the date and author, but almost every character in the movie references to or reads the book. It feels like a product placement ad.

based on a book of the same name from 1864.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Pirannah-like fish atacking the boat, a T-Rex chase, Sean jumping across magnetic rocks floating over a steep drop, sliding down a hill on a T-Rex skull, and the roller-coster-like mine-cart ride stand out, but only because of the 3-D.

FORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Whenever a 3-D effect was sudden, my eyes watered a bit (I’ve seen 3-D movies before and that’s never happened… my eyes aren’t sensitive by any standards) because it wasn’t in typical red/blue 3-D, it’s Real D 3-D. I don’t know what their opion of “Real” is, because it looked only slightly better, and the only thing more “real” about this new technology was the water coming out of my eyes.

As for scenes, Brendan Fraiser spitting on the screen (in 3-D, no less) was disgusting, and I felt unnecessary. There wasn’t too much wrong with the scenes, except the glowing blue bird. It’s fine to see for a minute, but glowing blue birds guiding you to whatever you ask and helping you out of tight situations… it simply took you out of any moment you really “got into” the movie. I felt it did to Journey what the monkeys did to the new Indiana Jones, or what Jar-Jar Binks did to Star Wars.

the only thing more “real” about this ‘new technology’ was the water coming out of my eyes

VERDICT

I could say Journey was a bad movie, but that isn’t the case. Like I said eariler, the problem wasn’t that Journey was a bad movie, it’s that it isn’t really a movie. It’s Hollywood’s excuse to show you how far we’ve come in the 3-D world. But really, how far have we come? I mean, sure, it’s a little more realistic 3D, but in Amityville 3-D there was a frisbee thrown at the screen for no reason. In Journey 3-D there’s a yoyo.

So I have to conclude one’s enjoyment of Jouney will come solely from one’s desperateness to see 3-D. For those who want to see 3-D badly enough that Brendan Fraiser spitting in 3-D sounds like a good time, go. For those who are old enough to not be upset by the death and young enough to enjoy a 3-D dinosaur, go. For the rest of the world, don’t. C-