By Gary Dretzka
While wonderfully entertaining in large part, Eric Brevigs version of Journey to the Center of the Earth couldnt possibly steal the thunder from A Trip to the Moon.
The 3D format, especially in its large-screen iteration, has already made the leap from novelty to legitimate entertainment option. Moreover, its been years since on-screen alerts told audiences when to don their cardboard glasses, and objects in the foreground of a scene looked as if they were shot elsewhere and pasted to fuzzy backgrounds.
Somewhere between Christmas 2004, when IMAX 3D singlehandedly rescued The Polar Express from box-office oblivion, and last Februarys blockbuster one-week engagement of Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, official Hollywood accepted the century-old stereoscopic technique as an idea whose time had come, again. In doing so, however, chronically cautious studio executives merely were playing catch-up to such early adapters as James Cameron, Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Robert Rodriguez and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
The format faces another challenge with Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D, the latest of more than a dozen adaptations of the Jules Verne classic for movies, television, video and gaming. Its fitting that sci-fi visionary would have his name attached to the first live-action digital 3D movie ever, as his imagination (and that of H.G. Welles) also shaped Georges Mlis “Le Voyage Dans la Lune,” the first film to combine fantasy, technology and visual effects.
While wonderfully entertaining in large part, Eric Brevigs version of Journey to the Center of the Earth couldnt possibly steal the thunder from A Trip to the Moon. The 3D format, especially in its large-screen iteration, has already has made the leap from novelty to legitimate entertainment option. Moreover, its been years since on-screen alerts told audiences when to don their cardboard glasses, and objects in the foreground of a scene looked as if they were shot elsewhere and pasted to fuzzy backgrounds.
Todays polarized glasses are compact, comfortable and more importantly, perhaps, much more stylish than previous models, including the oversized, bug-eye lenses required for the IMAX 3D version of The Polar Express. Optical improvements have allowed filmmakers to stretch their stories well beyond what was believed to be a 45-minute tolerance of tender eyeballs.
To make Vernes Journey to the Center of the Earth feel fresh and competitive against a summer slate of CGI popcorn movies, 3D really was the only way for New Line/Walden to go. The other alternative would be to spend a fortune on stars, locations and CGI, and hope that viewers werent so jaded they couldnt appreciate one more 20-story-tall dinosaur or roller-coaster ride.
Instead, the producers hired Brendan Fraser, an actor with cross-generational appeal, a fine comic sensibility and a physical stature that complemented the action-adventures and comic-book fantasies to which hes been assigned. Hes one of only a few young actors who are able to split their time between doing serious drama (Gods and Monsters, The Quiet American, Crash) and popcorn fare (George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right, The Mummy), without appearing to condescend to the material or be overmatched by it. Alongside Fraser were placed the appealing teenage star Josh Hutcherson; a blond Icelandic beauty, Anita Briem; and a cast of relative unknown actors who wouldnt object to playing second fiddle to lava flow or a rock slide.
Naturally, most of Journey takes place inside or around the dormant volcano, but Brevig also finds imaginative ways to use his visual tool during the early expository scenes back home. Fraser plays Trevor Anderson, a geology professor whose brother went missing while researching volcanic tubes in a remote and desolate corner of Iceland. Trevors in the middle of decoding his brothers notes when hes asked to look after his nephew, a sharp kid with an adventurous streak.
As luck would have it, the data suggests that a major geological event is about to occur, and, if he doesnt get to Iceland, his brother may never be found and his research would be rendered useless. So, he grabs the boy, Sean, and they split for Reykjavk. From there, they make a beeline to the boonies, where the beautiful (of course) daughter of an eminent scientist agrees to help Trevor find one of the sensors left behind by his brother. From there, its a short hop, skip and jump to the cave that serves as the doorway to the center of the Earth.
A couple of the pictures the best 3D effects have already occurred in Trevors home, and, if they werent so amazing, they could be deemed gratuitous (or, in 2D, inexplicable). Its difficult to explain just how freaky it feels to have swilled toothpaste spat at you in 3D, as is shown from the point of view of a sinks drain. Suffice it to say that youve never experienced anything like it … nor will care to, again. There also are some entertaining yo-yo and thrown-object gags.
The heavy-duty effects begin as the trio makes its risky vertical descent into the core of the volcano. By this time, our eyes have become accustomed to the 3D environment, so theres very little disconnect between the special visual effects and the narrative. The teams perilous journey is hastened by breakaway sheets of ice, long falls into crystal clear pools and an abandoned mineral-recovery system. Naturally, the mine carts and rickety rails provide a perfect excuse for a roller-coaster ride that compares favorably to any in the Indiana Jones series. And, yes, thats saying a lot.
Learning that the trio does manage to find its way to the center of the Earth or somewhere very near it, anyway wont spoil anyones enjoyment of the movie. The experience, though, is best left unrevealed. Not surprisingly, the subterranean realm is at once beautiful, terrifying and magical, and the 3D adds to the excitement we feel just being there with the intrepid explorers.
Brevig packs a lot of action into 92 minutes, but it feels right. Any more time spent immersed in another dimension likely would be counterproductive. Anyway, there are only so many tricks one can pull off in such a claustrophobic setting.
Given that the budget likely didnt top $45 million, its also remarkable that the creative team was able to keep the seams from showing. Brevig has said the experience resembled really expensive student filmmaking, because I had to solve a lot of problems the way I used to in college. No matter, it looks fine.
In the 50s and early 60s, with or without primitive 3D effects, any version of Journey to the Center of the Earth would have attracted throngs of kids to Saturday matinees and sold lots of popcorn, soda and Slo-Pokes in the process. In 2008, JTTCOTE 3D not only will entertain the kiddies, but teens and adults also are likely to enjoy the experience. If nothing else, though, a commercially successful Journey will raise hopes for exhibiters and distributers that theyve got a commodity audiences can only experience in theaters … for the time being, anyway.
Cast
Brendan Fraser Josh Hutcherson Anita Briem Seth Meyers Giancarlo Caltalbiano Garth Gilker
MPAA: PG Running time: 92 minutes
Credits
A Walden Media/New Line Cinema production; distributed by New Line; produced by Beau Flynn, Cary Granat, Charlotte Huggins; written by Michael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin; from novel by Jules Verne. Directed by Eric Brevig Executive producers: Michael Disco, Brendan Fraser, Evan Turner, Tripp Vinson, Cale Boyter, W. Mark McNair, Alex Schwartz. Music, Andrew Lockington Cinematography, Chuck Shuman Editing, Steven Rosenblum, Paul Martin Smith, Dirk Westervelt. Production Design, David Sandefur Art Direction, Jean Kazemirchuk, Michele Laliberte; supervising art director, Re'al Proulx Costume Design, Mario Davignon Makeup Department, Kathryn Casault
