A movie that's faithful to an idea, and to a sense of adventure, more than to a specific work.
Comment
07/11/08
Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
61
%
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.
Theatrical Release:Jul 11, 2008 Wide
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... [More]
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Jane Wheeler
Director: Eric Brevig
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Reviews for Journey to the Center of the Earth
Top CriticI don't know if 3-D could improve all movies (nothing could make The Love Guru funny) but it sure works here.
07/11/08
Top CriticIt's inoffensive and shiny and competent and kids will dig it, and I can already barely remember a single thing that happened.
07/11/08
Journey may be an utterly weightless movie, but in the end it floats rather nicely.
07/11/08
In your face. In more ways than one. That's the twist -- and the appeal -- of Journey to the Center of the Earth.
07/11/08
It has a just-rebellious-enough kid, just-goofy-enough hero, a cute competent heroine and plenty of bumper-car chase scenes and house-of-shocks surprises.
07/11/08
Top CriticUnusual for this genre, the script doesn't insult the audience's intelligence, and it mercifully soft-pedals its message about the virtues of reading.
07/11/08
Top CriticThe cast hits the right notes.
07/11/08
Clean, lightweight escapism with a top-notch gimmick.
07/11/08
As a 3-D film, Journey to the Center of the Earth is a feast for the eyes that you won't want to miss, but in 2-D, I can only confidently guess that it is just another run-of-the-mill action adventure tale.
07/11/08
The last time I saw a 3-D movie in a movie theater I got the glasses from a cereal box. Suffice it to say, the technology has advanced a bit, and the filmmakers use it to impressive effect.
07/11/08
The storytelling is still stuck in the 1950s, but the modern 3-D technology is pretty impressive at times in this family adventure.
07/11/08
A diverting if shallow entertainment, not to mention a glimpse of things to come.
07/11/08
A non-movie that whisks its premise by you with a perfunctoriness that suggests you've been standing in line with cranky kids for an hour in the hot Florida sun, so let's get to it. Even in the era of short attention spans, it is slight.
07/11/08
A virtual theme-park simulation and possibly a milestone of immersive entertainment.
07/11/08
Top CriticThis fun-size popcorn movie packs enough adventure and humor into every bite to please the whole fam. Just be sure to catch it in 3-D.
07/11/08
That dinosaur looks like it's popping off the screen! Cool!
07/11/08
Director Eric Brevig (a special-effects whiz who helped create Disneyland's Captain EO) overuses the 3-D gimmick. A yo-yo bit is repeated so many times it's annoying.
07/11/08
A popcorn movie that delivers precisely what it promises. The dialogue is tepid and the outcome is preordained, but it moves at the brisk pace of a carnival ride, leaving you breathless and ready for another spin.
07/11/08
With crisp images and depth that makes you feel you could reach out and stick your hand into the middle of the action, the movie projected in digital 3-D form actually makes that theme-park ride kind of fun.
07/11/08
Top CriticLatest 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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