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| Released: |
2008 |
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| Genre: |
ACTION
ADVENTURE
MONSTER
SCIENCE FICTION
FAMILY
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| Origin: |
US |
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| Length: |
92 |
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Exciting for kids, but doesn’t dig deep enough. |
Reviewed by Chris Tookey
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Jules Verne’s classic adventure is revisited in this lavish, fast-moving Disney live-action adventure, which is the first to be shot in digital 3D and makes copious use of stereoscopic effects. If ever you’ve wondered what it would be like to have a Hollywood actor spit toothpaste over you, this is the movie for you.
The always likeable Brendan Fraser (pictured left) plays a vulcanologist who, when not grinning boyishly or expectorating over the audience, has to look after his stroppy 13 year-old nephew (Josh Hutcherson, pictured centre), while the boy’s mom goes house-hunting in Canada. Fraser has the none-too-bright or responsible idea of visiting an Icelandic volcano which may be about to explode, but hey – this is a movie.
Uncle and nephew are accompanied by a blonde, Icelandic guide (Anita Briem, pictured right) whose function is to look good in shorts, though in a rare Disney concession to feminism she does less screaming than the men and even does a spot of rescuing.
In less time than it takes to say “Why should we care about these people?” they’re trapped underground by an avalanche and find themselves falling towards the centre of the earth, where they discover an astonishing number of special effects, ranging from humungous fungus to man-eating plants, flying piranhas to plesiosaurs, and the inevitable T Rex, which slobbers over the audience instead of spitting over them, which makes a refreshing change.
Disappointingly, this movie has been engineered as a crowd-pleasing series of effects for children, rather than as an involving tale for all the family. The original writer-director, Paul Chart (American Perfekt), left the project, complaining that his vision was being reduced to a theme park ride, and I applaud his principled stand, if not his commercial acumen.
Director Eric Brevig’s background is very obviously in visual effects rather than dealing with human beings. But as long as you don’t expect humanity, characterisation or originality, you’ll find yourself on an entertaining ride – and children thirteen and younger will be thrilled.
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