Feb 19 2008'Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D' Lives Up to Claims
When I'm watching a movie that goes so far with the 3D gimmick as to mention it in its title, I expect a certain amount of ridiculousness for the sake of optical depth: stuff flying at the camera, some deep holes, or anything else that makes you acutely aware of your binocular vision. What I don't expect is a sink drain POV giving me the full experience of Brendan Fraser's gargled spit. It's a rare film moment--commonplace in the Saw series--that's equal parts stupid and disgusting.
But that somehow isn't the worst part. That comes at the point in the trailer pictured above. Is this the laziest, most blatant attempt at depth ever, or is Fraser's face covered by the book simply to mask his eye rolling? That would make sense, except that he was also in multiple Mummy movies, and manages to deliver "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the center of the earth" with a straight face, so I'm tempted to say it's just lazy. Then again, with a family film so daringly post-modern as to acknowledge its own source material (Fraser's character proves the Verne novel to be fact-based), it's not so crazy to think this is another meta-wink at the audience, letting us know that the characters are acutely aware of the third dimension. I'm not sure if this is really stupid or borderline brilliant.
Reader Comments
1. 23apples - February 19, 2008 4:19 PM
Wait... so I've never read this book. A land untouched by time... so that means people had never been to/inhabited it before? So where did those mine carts come from?
2. Emily - February 19, 2008 5:32 PM
Wasn't Spy Kids 3d a "live action 3d digital movie?"
How is this the first?
3. dude - February 20, 2008 11:52 AM
looks totally gay
4. Mr. Anderson - February 20, 2008 3:37 PM
^ It probably is gay. The book was the first one I read so I hold it dear in my heart. I will not go and watch this just because I know how much they will butcher it for the money.
The story is that of an absent-minded researcher who finds some ancient texts that point to a location. He gathers up his team composed of varying personalities (including the tough native) and heads to this mysterious location only to find that it's a gateway that goes straight though the Earth's crust. As they descend into the abyss they start seeing things untouched by time. After some more cave-searching, exploring, and getting lost they find an immense pristine,azure subterranean lake surrounded by a dense gargantuan forest with a mysterious source of light several hundreds of meters above their head...
5. kasey - July 22, 2008 2:42 PM
Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D is the best movie!! u have to go seen it before u make all negative comments. It is really a great movie and each time i saw it in theatres it was packed!! There is soo much packed into the movie... it's funny, sad, exciting, adventurous, and thrilling! Josh Hutcherson is soo cute and he fits in every movie. He makes all movies a lot more interesting and he is a great actor!!