'Journey' falls flat

With “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” both coming out within a month of each other, it already feels like there is far more Brendan Fraser than should be tolerated this summer.

Though the first two “Mummy” films were somewhat enjoyable, “Journey,” on the other hand, never seemed to resonate as more than a typical adventure film, and in that regard it does not disappoint. 

The premise is meant to be reminiscent of the science-fiction novel written by Jules Verne over a century prior. The story revolves around earth science professor Trevor Anderson (Fraser) and his nephew, Sean, as they take an impromptu trip to Iceland to investigate Sean’s father’s disappearance.

Once there, they enlist the help of the mountain guide Hannah and they discover a lot more than they ever could have imagined – a whole new world within the planet. This discovery puts their lives in peril and the three must race against time to survive.

Regrettably, the film doesn’t delve deeper than its plot summary. The characters are not dynamic enough to invoke any sense of empathy that would make the audience identify with their plight.This detracts from the visually innovative action sequences and makes the character development evinced at the end of the film seem unlikely. There is a nice sentimental moment between Trevor and his nephew but that one scene seems to be the most emotion that this action film could muster. 

As I understand it, the movie was made to be enjoyed in 3D; however, I cannot attest to its effectiveness because I did not see it in that format. Therefore, the film was just average – it lacked any sort of surprise and though the acting was decent enough, it didn’t make much of an impact on the story nor the audience. 

Overall, one probably has a good sense of the movie just from watching the trailer alone and in fact, that is all I would suggest.