Review

Journey to the Center of the Earth, in which morose hunky scientist Brendan Fraser, his nephew (Josh Hutcherson), and a blue-eyed Icelandic babe (Anita Briem) roller-coaster down a mine shaft, fall into a chasm, and get chased by dinosaurs, is clunkier and more simpleminded than Hellboy II. It would be barely passable under normal circumstances, but in 3-D it’s a circus of excellent FX. You get the always-good-for-a-laugh yo-yo-in-your-face, some spat-out mouthwash, many sharp objects, snapping dino jaws, a cute little bluebird, and even monster pus. With the glasses on, the image is a little dark, and the underground oceans and forests look fakey fakey. But who cares when the background is actually back and the foreground so fore it seems to tickle your nostril hairs? If today’s movies take place inside computers anyway, it’s nice when the technology can usher us inside, too. — David Edelstein

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New York Magazine Reviews

• David Edelstein's Full Review (7/14/08)