Coming at You in THREE DEEEEEEEE!
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D (B)
I’ve seen quite a few 3D films in the last few years. All of them have been the Real D process. Journey to the Center of the Earth is the very first film I have screened in the Dolby Digital 3D process. What’s the difference? It’s all located under the hood of the car. However, after seeing the Dolby Digital 3D in action you can color me unimpressed. I am not sure if the Real D version of the film is better but I suspect it has to be. The most recent Real D film I saw (Meet the Robinsons) was bright, cheery and full of color whereas JTTCOTE3D looked drab, muddy and down right dreary. This movie should look as vibrant and radiant as its cast does. Still most of the neat-o effects still look, well, neat-o in spite of the color correction issues.
Good thing the film itself is able to stand up under it’s own weight and isn’t solely relying on the 3D gimmickry to get by – and there is plenty gimmickry to be had. This is a cheesy popcorn flick, a drive-in family movie, a ridiculous and messy masterpiece. How can you not appreciate a movie that showcases a giant man-eating dinosaur and Brendan Fraser’s hair piece as two of its key special effects. Both are hypnotic. Both look amazing in three dimensions.
The plot (such as it is) revolves around Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser) going on an epic journey looking for his long lost brother, which leads him to, surprise surprise, the center of the earth. Along the way he picks up his nephew (Josh Hutcherson) and the daughter of a renowned volcanism expert and all-around nutcase named Hannah Ásgeirsson (Anita Briem). Don’t be fooled though, this is Fraser and Hutcherson’s show. The later being one of the most reliable and consistent child actors around, giving Abigail Breslin a run for her money. The former is one of the most reliable and consistent matinée idols on the screen today. Three Mummy flicks and a slew of silly comedies have cemented Brendan Fraser as a poor man’s Harrison Ford. Will they make it out of the center of the earth alive? Would you believe me if I said “no”?
Look, this isn’t a great movie but it is a ton of fun. It’s not as clever as it should be but I’m not really sure it was trying to be too clever or too smart. Journey aims squarely to entertain and not much else. I sort of like that in a film. It’s a quality that made Snakes on a Plane a fun one-time screening. Subsequent attempts at re-watching either on DVD can only be doomed to failure. So see it for the hair and the boffo effects, but make sure you see the 3D version, otherwise, what’s the point ya know?
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Here’s an interesting article about Real D vs Dolby Digital 3D.
Also you may want to check out the unlikely pleasures of George of the Jungle and Firehouse Dog. Both are way better than they have any right to be.
Tags: film
