Brendan Fraser finds a new franchise in Journey 3D adaptation – 3 stars ***

By W. H. Bourne

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 7/11/08 – “When I go to the movies, I want to be taken away,” says ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ star Brendan Fraser. “The story’s premise combined with an original script that is full of action, comedy and adventure from start to finish got my attention right away.”

‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ is a contemporary adaptation where Brendan Fraser, as a visionary scientist, together with his nephew Josh Hutcherson and their beautiful Icelandic guide Anita Briem, plunge deep into a strange new realm beneath the Earth’s surface. They embark on an amazing voyage using Jules Verne’s classic novel as a guide.

“Together, they set off on this wild ride,” says Fraser. “Of course, as circumstances have it, forces of nature conspire against them and nothing goes as planned. There’s a mythical quality about this whole adventure because anything could be at the bottom of this rabbit hole.”

Family and church groups will enjoy this wholesome action adventure film that brings back ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ star Josh Hutcherson. “We were fortunate to have such a great cast with amazing chemistry,” says ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ producer Charlotte Huggins. After all, it is just the three of them on screen for most of the film.” All give solid performances.

“Brendan was definitely my first choice for the role from day one,” says ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ director Eric Brevig. “We hit it off right from the start. We shared similar ideas for making the film fun for the audience, and Brendan has a deep appreciation for and understanding of working with visual effects. At the end of the day, the biggest reward for me was getting the chance to work with such an amazing team of dedicated professionals to do something we’ve never done before.”

‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ was the first narrative motion picture to use the Fusion System, a state-of-the-art camera rig developed by ‘Titanic’ filmmaker James Cameron and cinematographer Vince Pace. CGI and real life are seamlessly blended together on the same canvas, and 3D adds extra jumps and scares.

“Without doubt, new technology adds tremendous value to the filmmaking and theatre-going experience,” says Brevig. “Our goal was to fully immerse the audience in the adventure, so you actually forget you’re watching a movie and believe that you are right there at the center of the Earth”

The appeal of refreshing a classic Jules Verne tale with cutting-edge filmmaking drew ‘Mummy’ veteran Brendan Fraser to the project in the leading role and as an executive producer. Director Eric Brevig is best known for his Academy Award-winning visual effects for ‘Total Recall’ and ‘Pearl Harbor’.

A fun romp for the entire family that puts an inventive and franchise-friendly twist on Jules Verne’s original novel. Perhaps the only questionable design choice was the luminous birds, although they’re sure to delight younger female audience members. ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ is the first live-action, narrative motion picture to be shot in digital 3D. Be sure to see the film in 3D to experience Journey’s full effect.

‘Journey to the Center of The Earth’
Running Time: 1 hr. 32 min.
Release Date: July 11, 2008 (USA)
Rated PG for intense adventure action and some scary moments.
Distributor: New Line (USA)