JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH Film Review - 5/10/08

Kicking off this basic re-make of the classic original film found me wondering if it was produced by Nickelodeon or Disney in this schmaltzy kiddie lite flick - When it was actually made by New Line Cinema - Strange to say the least? Also be aware we have the US version of Center instead of Centre with parts also filmed in 3D so we get copious shots of fish flying out of the screen, eye poking tape measures and big snapping dinosaur gobs. Even managing to name-check the original Jules Verne source book; our various motley crew of adventurers soon pitch up in Iceland, fall through a crack into the centre of the earth and have various close calls and shaves courtesy of the numerous indigenous monsters and beasties. If I was 9 years old I'm sure it would be a barrel of suspenseful laughs, with the odd jump-out-of-your-seat moment and the occasional element of high-tension akin to watching "The Land That Time Forgot" all over again. As it was; it was a gentle tale of judicious usage of CGI-backgrounds and a Brendan Fraser chockful of humour (even more so) than his usual roles, with it's Indiana Jones Mine Train rip-off to it's "Jurassic Park" moment. A colourful palette but a fairly colourless tale.