JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (USA 2012) **
Directed by Brad Peyton

After the 2008 success of JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH, it is only reasonable that as sequel to be made to bank in on the good fortune of the original.  The 3D JOURNEY 2 is all right, but that is the best that can be said about this film so lazily made.

The original Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) character is present in the sequel.  Most of the original cast including Brendan Fraser are gone.  The hunk is replaced by ‘Rock’ Dwayne Johnson, whose muscles are so huge one wonders how he can find shirts to fit.  Johnson plays mom’s new beau.  Sean cannot stand his new step-dad (Hank the hunk), so the film goes into adventure step-father/son bonding mode during the trip.  The premise of the film is Sean’s search for his missing grandfather (Michael Caine) which leads to Hank and Sean to travel to the mysterious island led by guides Gabato (Luiz Guizman) and daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens).

Gabato provides the humour for the movie as Kailani does the the romantic interest.

If all this sound boring, it is and all standard fare.  The script by Brian and Mark Gunn is too lazy to explain the reasons the creatures on the island are extra large (or super small) in size or why the island is sinking so rapidly.  Or why the Nautilus is all ready for the travellers to escape the island with it.  Other characters like Sean’s mother conveniently disappear at the start of the movie and re-appear at then end when the son and hank return.
This is the typical 3D movie where lots of objects (rocks and lava stones) are thrown out of the screen at the audience.  Nothing imaginative here or are there any plot or character developments.

Running only at 94 minutes, director Peyton quickly runs out of material.  JOURNEY 2 may be fun to watch for the littler ones, but it is an overall boring 3D film that never surprises and hardly entertains.  The film ends with a possible trip to the moon, Jules Verne style.  Give me a break!!!