Jason KingJOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND: A Review
January 20th 2012 20:45
:
Shame shame shame
Category: Reviews
Were you surprised when you heard there was a sequel being made to Journey to the Centre of the Earth ? Me too - who would have thought the B grade action remake of Journey to the Centre of the Earth would have a sequel? Why?
3D family adventure Journey 2: The Mysterious Island begins when young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first film) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It's a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.
OK - it's about as good as the first one but at least this one does not have Brendan Fraser - he just bugs me with his B Grade comedy. What it does have is the most annoying person on film, Luis Guzman, who appears to only be able to do that stupid comedy relief he is known for. Vanessa Hudgens is ok but really only a love interest and support for Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson). Michael Caine is a bit of an idiot in this one and his roles go from superbly amazing to idiotic and this one borders on the idiotic side.
What does work is Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson. Their comedic relationship that really wavers from comedic to loving parental is great. Johnson just appears to get bigger and bigger and the hulking form of Johnson and some of the comedy one liners he pulls out had me cracking up. Also not a bad singing voice
Then there is Hutcherson - he has grown up in the last few years and has become incredibly fit and quite the little spunky lad - it was great seeing him in this fit fine form as this film is his lead up to my most anticipated film of this year, The Hunger Games! Cannot wait for that one. I honestly think he will become a HUGE movie star following on from the Hunger Games - not so much for this one
I failed to see why they couldn't have hired a decent director for the film and then even a decent writer but then it hit me - this is a studio fodder piece for the kids and the holidays. The director, Brad Peyton, has directed one film you may have heard of "Cats and Dogs 2" and then the writer has no bio - this is his first project, Seriously? Work experience kid? That low on the talent available? It is such a shame because I love how the stories are based on Vernians and the belief that Jules Verne's stories are real - it could have been done with a DaVinci Code seriousness and amazing wonderment but instead it is more like Spongebob Squarepants in its delivery. BOO
Now while I am bitching about the film - my flatmate reminded me - this is a family/ kid's film and appeals to them. I can get that and know my friend's 10yr old kid would absolutely LOVE IT. It is adventure and it is colourful and kid's won't see how bad the script/ screenplay is - it is woefully bad and cringeworthy. For example - there is this giant rock of gold - I mean huge and Guzman's character is trying to lift it so he can make his daughter wealthy and send her to college. Her response "we will be as rich as we need to be if we just stay together" - my response "cut a small bit off you dickhead". BAD!!!! But I can see how that would not bother a young child
One thing I did enjoy was the 3D - the film was actually filmed in 3D and it was successful with some cool stuff - just a pity the rest of the film could not back it up. I am going to give the film 4 out of 10 - and this is a point each for Dwayne Johnson's pecs is in the "pec pop of love" and then 2 points because I am liking Josh Hutcherson and am pissed off I was so sick this week I could not meet and interview him. It is out now in both 2D and 3D but won't last long, take your kids to it or avoid it like a plague.
3D family adventure Journey 2: The Mysterious Island begins when young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first film) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It's a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.
OK - it's about as good as the first one but at least this one does not have Brendan Fraser - he just bugs me with his B Grade comedy. What it does have is the most annoying person on film, Luis Guzman, who appears to only be able to do that stupid comedy relief he is known for. Vanessa Hudgens is ok but really only a love interest and support for Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson). Michael Caine is a bit of an idiot in this one and his roles go from superbly amazing to idiotic and this one borders on the idiotic side.
What does work is Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson. Their comedic relationship that really wavers from comedic to loving parental is great. Johnson just appears to get bigger and bigger and the hulking form of Johnson and some of the comedy one liners he pulls out had me cracking up. Also not a bad singing voice
Then there is Hutcherson - he has grown up in the last few years and has become incredibly fit and quite the little spunky lad - it was great seeing him in this fit fine form as this film is his lead up to my most anticipated film of this year, The Hunger Games! Cannot wait for that one. I honestly think he will become a HUGE movie star following on from the Hunger Games - not so much for this one 
I failed to see why they couldn't have hired a decent director for the film and then even a decent writer but then it hit me - this is a studio fodder piece for the kids and the holidays. The director, Brad Peyton, has directed one film you may have heard of "Cats and Dogs 2" and then the writer has no bio - this is his first project, Seriously? Work experience kid? That low on the talent available? It is such a shame because I love how the stories are based on Vernians and the belief that Jules Verne's stories are real - it could have been done with a DaVinci Code seriousness and amazing wonderment but instead it is more like Spongebob Squarepants in its delivery. BOO
Now while I am bitching about the film - my flatmate reminded me - this is a family/ kid's film and appeals to them. I can get that and know my friend's 10yr old kid would absolutely LOVE IT. It is adventure and it is colourful and kid's won't see how bad the script/ screenplay is - it is woefully bad and cringeworthy. For example - there is this giant rock of gold - I mean huge and Guzman's character is trying to lift it so he can make his daughter wealthy and send her to college. Her response "we will be as rich as we need to be if we just stay together" - my response "cut a small bit off you dickhead". BAD!!!! But I can see how that would not bother a young child
One thing I did enjoy was the 3D - the film was actually filmed in 3D and it was successful with some cool stuff - just a pity the rest of the film could not back it up. I am going to give the film 4 out of 10 - and this is a point each for Dwayne Johnson's pecs is in the "pec pop of love" and then 2 points because I am liking Josh Hutcherson and am pissed off I was so sick this week I could not meet and interview him. It is out now in both 2D and 3D but won't last long, take your kids to it or avoid it like a plague.
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