It was a few months ago when I first saw a preview for Journey to the Center of the Earth. I thought it looked like the movie would be entertaining, so I decided to see it.

Trevor Anderson was a scientist that was trying to continue the research his brother Max had started before he had disappeared ten years ago. He was facing losing his lab when his thirteen year old nephew Sean came to visit. Sean’s mother gave Trevor a box of his brother’s belongings that included notes that got Trevor thinking he could finally discover what had happened to Max.

Sean, who hadn’t been happy about being there, decided that he was going with Trevor to Iceland to search for answers. Trevor hired Hannah as their guide and the three of them ended up on an unexpected adventure after being trapped in a cave. They discovered a world filled with dangerous creatures at the center of the earth.

Journey to the Center of the Earth was sort of based on the book by Jules Verne. I have not read the book or seen any previous movie versions of the story, though I have heard of the book. From the research I have done, it does seem the plot was similar. It was set in modern times and the actual book was mentioned several times, along with how some people believed that the book was accurate in describing the center of the Earth. Trevor travelled to Iceland with his nephew where they, along with a guide, discovered the strange world. That seemed to be a lot like what happened in the book.

I thought that the plot to Journey of the Center of the Earth was very interesting and entertaining. Some of the earlier scenes that introduced Trevor and Sean did move a bit slower, but I didn’t think they were boring. It really didn’t take that long for the pace to pick up. Once they were in Iceland, a lot of things started happening that did pick the pace up quite a bit. I never thought that things were rushed. Certain things were predictable, but I did think there were a few small surprises here and there throughout the movie. There was a little bit of non graphic violence in a few scenes that could upset or even scare younger children. Humor was added in several scenes, usually through things that Trevor said or did. The humor was on the silly side at times, but that worked for the movie. There really wasn’t any of the gross humor that has been used in so many other movies aimed at children.

Journey to the Center of the Earth is being shown in 3-D in some theaters. The theater here has never shown a movie in 3-D and I have never seen one either. I think it would have been really interesting to see this one in 3-D, though I’m sure I would have been jumping and swatting at things. I jumped at a few things even without the 3-D effects. During some sequences, it was very clear that they were done for the 3-D element. There were even some things shown during the credits to take advantage of 3-D. I believe that special effects were used to create the different creatures and unique settings in the center of the earth. Those things all looked like they were well done. There were just one or two spots when I noticed something that didn’t look that good.

Trevor, Sean, and Hannah were the main characters and the only ones who had anything to do. There were only a few other characters, like Sean’s mother Elizabeth, who turned up briefly in one or two scenes. Trevor was a scientist who could be a bit absent minded at times. He still believed in the work his brother Max had been doing. He managed to handle the strange situations fairly well. Brendan Fraser handled the part well, though he did go a little overboard in a few scenes. Max was only briefly shown in one scene that was basically a dream.

Sean was a bit distant at first since he wasn’t exactly thrilled about spending time with Trevor. They hadn’t seen each other in a long time, so they were basically strangers. That slowly changed as the movie progressed. Josh Hutcherson was fine in the part. Hannah was the guide that Trevor hired in Iceland. She also had a connection to Max’s research, though she didn’t believe before they ended up in the center of the earth. She was very capable and wasn’t always needing to be rescued. Anita Briem, who is actually from Iceland, was fine in the part.

Main Cast

Anita Briem - Hannah
Brendan Fraser - Trevor
Josh Hutcherson - Sean

Eric Brevig - Director

Journey to the Center of the Earth was a fun, entertaining adventure movie that is mostly family friendly.

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Recommended: Yes