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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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 Posted - 07/25/2008 : 23:16:21
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Journey to the Center of the Earth
The marketing people are right to feature 3D in the title because it is truly spectacular and is the single most important thing to elevate the film above a solid if unremarkable adventure narrative. Of course, having Jules Verne as your source material doesn't hurt either.
But, in the way of 'boy's own adventures' you can't go too far wrong with a tale that takes the unlikely trio down a volcanic tube to prove Verne's theory that all the world's volcanoes are connected and that a series of air pockets allows not only life to survive but to prosper amid scenery as varied as cave systems and beaches. Some of the vegetation, like some of the sea creatures, are terrifying, and dinosaur fans won't feel cheated either.
Some of the scenes might have been effective in 2D, but 3D - especially a system as advanced as this - renders them extraordinary. I always sit in the front row and believe me, no matter how intellecturally prepared you are, experiencing the illusion is constantly surprising.
The acting from Brenden Fraser as a Professor determined to track his brother who disappeared while on a similar journey, his nephew played by Josh Hutcherson - so good in Bridge to Terabithia, and Hannah �sgeirsson their Icelandic mountain guide, played by Anita Briem, keep the story on track though none is required to do anything challenging.
Apart from Xena Princess Warrior, this is FX guru Eric Brevig's first directorial role, and he doesn't really stray too far from competent. But it's the effects that bring Verne's adventure to life, which is no bad thing.
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Demisemicenturian 
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 07/28/2008 : 00:15:51
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It's a little clunky in places, but a reasonably fun ride. I also liked the fact that it is not a direct adaptation of the novel.
I couldn't benefit from the 3D, as I described when U2 3D was out, though I could tell which moments were particularly designed with it in mind. It must be very frustrating for most people if film looks flatter than real life. |
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MisterBadIdea 
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
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Posted - 07/28/2008 : 01:29:19
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Yeah... I thought it was worthless. I can't imagine what a thinking adult could reasonably enjoy in this movie. It's stupid, stupid, and stupid. Even the 12-year-old I was with didn't enjoy it.
Didn't enjoy the thrill ride aspects either. Any thrill to get out of it is ruined by Brendan Frasher and the chick screaming lame one-liners at each other in the last seconds they have to live. ("I hate field work!" Hilarious.) And you know what, 3-D sucks anyway. Yeah, some objects look closer than others, whoopty doo, but the things in the background are going to remain out-of-focus even if you focus on them. Who's still impressed with this? Early in the movie, Brendan Fraser spits on the camera, and in 3-D, it's like you're right there, being spit on. |
Edited by - MisterBadIdea on 07/28/2008 01:29:58 |
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 07/28/2008 : 11:10:27
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| You seem to watch a lot of films that it's unlikely you'll enjoy, Mr.B.I. |
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silly 
"That rabbit's DYNAMITE."
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Posted - 08/10/2008 : 03:15:52
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I'm not a thinking adult, at least not today.
My favorite bit was the runaway mine train, reminded me of Indiana Jones.
Rather annoyed that my theater charges $2.00 each for the "3d experience" but that's a different thing altogether. I guess they did it because there were only 20 of us seeing the movie today? |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 04/28/2009 : 18:55:45
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| I had fun in the way it was intended: watching the obvious 3-D shots on a flat screen. There is such a thing as "just a popcorn movie," where all brains must be parked by multiplex valets. Brendan Fraser has appeared in about ten of these. SO WHAT? Worth the Netflix rental. |
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 04/28/2009 : 21:07:21
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I'm not in the demographics for this film. My daughter is, however, and she enjoyed it. As for me, I just parked my higher thinking skills (e.g., anything to do with logic, math, and basic physics) and watched all of the pretty colors. To form an opinion on this movie is more of a cerebral investment than I really want to admit having made.
There's usually a warning listed with these type of films - where higher thinking, or any thinking, skills beyond that of a 12 year-old really should be turned off; it's in the opening credits portion where it says "Brendan Fraser." |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 04/28/2009 : 21:40:28
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| Then you get something like GODS AND MONSTERS and have to bring your brain back: "Excuse me, wannabe-actor valet boy, mine's parked back there with GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE: could you bring it round please, and right now?" |
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 00:17:20
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quote:
Originally posted by randall
Then you get something like GODS AND MONSTERS and have to bring your brain back: "Excuse me, wannabe-actor valet boy, mine's parked back there with GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE: could you bring it round please, and right now?"
GODS AND MOSTERS DOESN'T COUNT!  (Clearly he was suffering from what-if-I-actually-do-something-meaningful-itis when he did that film). |
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MisterBadIdea
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 00:57:01
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Brendan Fraser has done quite a few "meaningful" films since the very start of his career -- School Ties, The Quiet American, Crash, The Passion Of Darkly Noon, The Twilight Of The Golds.
I simply don't see how this movie is defensible in the slightest. It's not funny, it's not thrilling, it's not good. |
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 01:09:02
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| Why do you watch so many films that are obviously the sort of thing you would dislike? It is extremely bizarre. |
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MisterBadIdea
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 01:52:25
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A number of reasons:
1) I enjoy the experience of watching a movie, even if I don't like the movie. Me and my friends frequently hold Bad Movie Weekends where we all get drunk and watch awful movies. (Last weekend's was Lost in Space.)
2) Your sense of perspective gets skewed if you only watch good movies.
3) Until last December, I was the film reviewer for my local paper, so I was obligated to go see one movie every week.
4) You don't know if it's good or bad until you watch it.
5) Even bad movies can be interesting and worth considering.
Journey to the Center to the Earth I watched because I was visiting a friend and he had to take his 12-year-old brother to a movie. The 12-year-old didn't like it either. |
Edited by - MisterBadIdea on 04/29/2009 01:53:02 |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 05:40:35
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quote:
Originally posted by MisterBadIdea
2) Your sense of perspective gets skewed if you only watch good movies.
I agree with this completely. Even a gourmet needs to have some soggy chips and a burger from time to time - if only to remind them just how good that risotto and prime rib really are. |
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Beanmimo 
"August review site"
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 10:43:27
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
quote:
Originally posted by MisterBadIdea
2) Your sense of perspective gets skewed if you only watch good movies.
I agree with this completely. Even a gourmet needs to have some soggy chips and a burger from time to time - if only to remind them just how good that risotto and prime rib really are.
double ditto!!
This is the argument I have to use with my brother when he says things like
"Why did you pay good money to the cinema to see Alien Vs. Predator 2?" |
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 16:50:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
Why do you watch so many films that are obviously the sort of thing you would dislike? It is extremely bizarre.
That's the part you could have left out. 
There's a perfectly good reason that explains why anyone watched a particular film they would ultimately not remember fondly: because they did not know how they would feel about the film until after they watched it. Nothing "bizarre" there.
I thought "Body Parts (1991)" was abysmal. It was so bad I watched the whole thing to see just how bad it could get (I then got irate when exiting the theater and I got my money back). I watched it: that's not bizarre. If I bought it and repeatedly watched it, loathing every vile second just as I did the first time, THAT would be bizarre. |
Edited by - MguyXXV on 04/29/2009 19:26:23 |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 04/29/2009 : 19:33:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Beanmimo
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
quote:
Originally posted by MisterBadIdea
2) Your sense of perspective gets skewed if you only watch good movies.
I agree with this completely. Even a gourmet needs to have some soggy chips and a burger from time to time - if only to remind them just how good that risotto and prime rib really are.
double ditto!!
This is the argument I have to use with my brother when he says things like
"Why did you pay good money to the cinema to see Alien Vs. Predator 2?"
Could not agree more -- especially since the Netflix model lets you watch terrible movies without feeling guilty for spending so much at the cinema. Some "bad films" are among my most pleasing guilty pleasures. Sometimes I'm just curious: I've gotta see for myself! There are myriad good reasons to check out something about which you may have reservations. For example, I'd be first in line to see THE DAY THE CLOWN CRIED if I ever could, and I'm pretty confident that I know what to expect! |
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Journey to the Center of the Earth
