This second “journey” is well worth taking! This is one of the best “family-oriented” films we have seen in sometime. It offers something for everyone: breakneck action and adventure, romance, fantastic special effects featuring giant lizards and bees, and quotations and references from Jules Verne’s classics. The 3D effects are some of the best in recent memory.
In this follow-up to “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) is a few years older, rides a motorcycle, and is wary of his step-father Hank, played by “The Rock”, Dwayne Johnson. Yet it is Hank who helps Sean decipher an encrypted message from his grandfather. To help him and hopefully form a bond, Hank accompanies Sean to Palau to try to locate his grandfather. They travel by helicopter and the father-daughter tour guides, Gabato (Luis Guzmán) and Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) wind up sticking around much longer than they planned. Gabato provides comic relief and his pretty daughter Kailani draws Sean’s undivided attention. Soon they locate Sean’s grandpa, played by Michael Caine, and the adventures are on. They run into much more than they bargained for including some amazing creatures on the Mysterious Island. The island itself is beautiful, featuring lush foliage, rushing waterfalls, fantastic peaks and gorgeous butterflies. Ultimately, the would-be heroes pursue Captain Nemo’s submarine, the Nautilus, as their only hope of getting off the island before a surprising catastrophe occurs.
Here is a movie which features wonderful themes such as a young man bonding with his step-father, and finding his first love. The literary references to Jules Verne are inspiring and educational. You’ve never been on a journey like this one. This is one fun ride and we highly recommend this movie, and award it our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal and five Doves to boot! This is one movie you can truly enjoy with your family. So whose up for an adventure?
