Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012) Reviews

• Entertaining film for the family – and nothing more

  yamaguchi-victor2012-02-08

  Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is the 'sequel' of Journey to the Centre of Earth (starring Brendan Fraser). Actually, I really don't know why they consider it a sequel because the story is completely different – the only similarities are the author of the books in which the films were based on (Jules Verne) and the character of Sean Anderson that appears in both movies. I also found interesting that many people didn't know it was related to the other movie. What we have here is a film that follows the same scheme of its predecessor – a lot of CGI and 3D effects, amazing and colorful scenarios, silly humor and nothing more. Journey 2 is a movie for all ages - specially the kids - so don't expect violent sequences or sex scenes with your favorite stars. The plot is traditional and there is obviously those parallel stories - like the boy Sean(Josh Hutcherson) who falls in love with the charming Khailani (Vanessa Hudgens) and his relationship with his mother's boyfriend, Hank – played by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson who shows us that the 'tough guys' can also be funny, charismatic and do movies that they don't have to kill a hundred people. So, are you thinking about taking your kids to the movies? Well, take them to watch Journey 2: The Mysterious Island - they will be thrilled by it. But, even if you don't have any kids, watch it. Who said that adults have only to watch serious and artistic movies? Sometimes a little bit of unpretentious fun is necessary in life - and this movie provides it (at least for me it did).

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• Awful... for kids, but awful

  kyloth2012-03-03

  I cannot begin to describe the levels of wrong and awfulness for this movie. I'll just bring it down to this: I don't know what was worse. The story, the acting, or The Rock playing the ukulele. The lines, the mimics, the situations, even the humor (which was supposed to be funny... don't know how yet.. ) looked, sounded and felt like plastic bags. They all felt so unnatural, and out of character. I can't yell at mister Wrestler.. he did his best for what he can do. But Vanessa, honey, you have a Disney background, you should be good at this stuff... it's a kids movie.. good acting = good movie. Having a red wet shirt on you throughout the scenes, that's not really appropriate. The story is... well there isn't much of a story... only that 3 different people, wrote about the same island, and encrypted its map and location in their books. The island (Atlantis) runs by a 'tectonic plate clock cycle', diving in the ocean and resurfacing every X amount of years. However, if the island was destroyed each time it went under the ocean, how did it rebuild itself? Answer : A wizard did it... I wonder how they didn't get sued for using 'Yoda' which is a LucasArts trademark. I also wonder why did they try to build The Rock's character into a muscled 'MacGuyver' and a Wizard, and a Scientist, and an ex Navy Seal, and a Wise Man ... and .. must I go on? Also, the kid, is so dumb... that a chick has to drop the curtain and tell him : "Oh gee.. stop whining like an 8 year old.. for having a step dad who cares about you.. wouldn't it be worse if you didn't had him at all???". For being that stupid, you deserve to sink and die with the damn island, and maybe you'd get reconstructed each 140 years like the island does.. Yes sir.. The only good thing about this movie, is the CGI, which was well done, no argument there. And one more thing. I laughed so hard at this. I imagined there would be something like this in the movie (adding up to Vanessa's red wet shirt). A kids movie = parents are there too. So how to keep them awake or not drunk in the theater (also entertained would be a much suitable word)? Yes, you got that right.. Vanessa's buttocks: Central Framed, HD, 3D go watch it now (during the escape from Nemo's burial room). Overall: probably good for kids, probably good for drunk adults, most likely awful to everyone that noticed how the movie industry is on a downfall, and how each year it gets worse.

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• Nice 3D and CGI. Awful characters to take a Journey with.

  MosHr2012-02-04

  "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is a blue-screen CGI extravaganza that is mixed in with the picturesque Hawaii locations, but containing a plot that is essentially all told in the trailer and presented with the dynamics of an amusement park tour. The "2" in "Journey 2" is because it is the sequel to the 2008 movie "Journey to the Center of the Earth"; the "The Mysterious Island" in the title because both movies are both derived from books by Jules Verne. Watching "Journey 2" is like being stuck in a vacation with five slightly unpleasant people with slightly uncomfortable dynamics between. Sean (Hutcherson) is bratty and overly entitled, Hank (Johnson) his stepfather and Alexander (Caine) his grandfather are constantly bickering, the tour guide Gabato (Guzman) is overly emasculated and his daughter Kailani (Hudgens) surly. The 3D, the CGI of the island and the sets are perhaps main draw of the movie. We see elephants as big as cats and bees as big as cars. The effects are mostly impressive all around but it never manages to find the right pace or impact because it just comes in one after another without the dramatic tension. It's hard to care about the perils or be in awe at what's shown when the characters are so thin. After watching the movie, I get this feeling that the Rock had way too much creative input in the movie. His absurd peck joke from the trailer aside, his character is a prize-winning Navy cryptographer who also knows structural engineering and who can also play a mean ukulele and really hold down a tune (although awful singing truth be told); This all hints at the big guy pretending to be smart and sensitive. Combine this with the almost palpable resentment between him and Caine and the sickening obsequiousness of Guzman towards him, it just feels uncomfortable. While the movie is impressive as a 3D CGI set piece, it is severely let down by the characters. A lot of kids/family movies lately have this undertone of spoiled rich American kid gets everything he wants but this movie does this in a very ugly way. Kids will overlook all these flaws in the movie and be mesmerized by the 3D and special effects but I think adults would find it a bit pointless and uncomfortable. Empty entertainment for kids is my view of this movie.

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• When the Trailer Is Better than the Film

  claudio_carvalho2012-07-01

  The 17-year-old Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded signal and his stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson) helps him to decipher the message. They find that Sean's grandfather Alexander Anderson (Michael Caine) has found the mysterious island in the Pacific described by Julio Verne and two other writers in their novels. The stubborn Sean wants to travel to the coordinates and Hank decides to buy the tickets and travel with the teenager to a small island nearby the location. They rent an old helicopter owned by the locals Gabato (Luis Guzmán) and his teenage daughter Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) and the group heads to the unknown spot. Along their journey, they cross a hurricane and crash in the island. They find a beautiful and dangerous place, surrounded by forests, volcanoes with lava of gold and menacing life forms. The meet also the old Alexander and Hank discovers that the island is sinking. Now their only chance to survive is to find the legendary Nautilus. "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is a movie with a trailer that is better than the film itself. The lame screenplay begins in a fast pace, with Hank and Sean guessing to quickly the message. The story is very weak and the film is supported by the special effects only. The spoiled Sean and the rude Alexander are detestable characters and Gabato is stupid and annoying and never funny as supposed to be. Hank is multi- skilled in codes, hydraulic and electric engineering, medicine, and music and diving. In the end, "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is a very disappointing adventure. My vote is four. Title (Brazil): "Viagem 2: A Ilha Misteriosa" ("Journey 2: The Mysterious Island")

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• Great movie, forgot the trollers here.

  torchos2012-02-20

  This movie lacks what it takes to take an Oscar Award, lacks the sensitivity and depth....blah blah blah, forget all that noise...go see the movie with your kids they would love it. This movie is for Kids, and parents who have kids. I took my daughter to see it today in 3D. Excellent visual effects, entire movie had effects, you did not take your glasses off at all or you'd miss the next 3d effect that is right around the corner. The cast was good, The Rock was great and jokes were funny, this movie was child safe and had everything that your young one would want, lots of effects, action, above and underwater. I would definitely recommend it in 3D. The pace of movie is fast and if you have kids ....you can appreciate this. I rated this movie for what it is...a kids movie. Are you going to leave the theater discussing the virtues of Plato? NO! but your kids will be going on about this and that in the movie. Worth Admission? Absolutely. Asked my daughter what she rated it....9.5 she said. Was it worth it? When your child says 9.5 what the heck else matters?????

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