This completely unnecessary sequel—-that shouldn’t actually be a sequel as it doesn’t tie into “Journey to the Center of the Earth” in any real way and the people I saw this movie with didn’t know it was a sequel even after we’d watched the whole thing—-stars The Rock and Vanessa Hudgins and is in 3D so you know it has to be good! [And if you don’t know that was sarcasm, why are you on this site?]
What Works: Michael Caine shows up about halfway through and immediately livens up the proceedings by making fun of The Rock in the way the audience might like to if they’ve grown as tired of him as I have. And even though the effects aren’t convincing for a second, they are….must….say….it….fun. You never for a second think the cast is in any danger but when you can watch Michael Caine ride a giant bumblebee around or a monstrously big electric eel chase after people, realism and suspense are the least of your problems.
What Doesn’t Work: Although it is fun for adults, this is strictly a kid’s movie (although I’m finding that more adults are childish and pretty much prefer kid’s films). It’s very hokey, conventional stuff which is why it’s curious they went with Johnson for the lead as he now pretty much resembles a circus freak posing as a traditional man. There is just something wholly insincere about The Rock as an actor and as a person, when he stands still in a scene—-bull neck bigger than his head, stupefied facial expression morphing into creepy sex offender grin—-he doesn’t register as a great person to put in family films so much as an escaped sea monster running wild among humans.
What I Would Have Done Differently: I feel like a much more intriguing film (and one that would have done just as well at the box office which is all films like this care about) could have been made about just Michael Caine as this old-time explorer taking his grandson on one last wild goose chase to find the island, and finding it. All of the fun-sucking and complicated family dynamics involving the kid’s mom, his The Rock stepfather, his problems at school, unconvincing problems with the police, his bad attitude, and the first third of the movie before we get to the island really aren’t necessary.