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Bookmark this pageJourney 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
Director: Brad Peyton
Movie review
From Time Out London
More adventures for teen Jules Verne fan Sean (Josh Hutcherson) in this sequel to 2008’s ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’. A distress signal leads Sean to the South Pacific in search of an uncharted island he believes inspired literary classics ‘Treasure Island’, ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ and ‘The Mysterious Island’: think tiny elephants, giant insects and gold-spewing volcanoes. Along for the ride is stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson), helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzmán) and his daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), while the obligatory eccentric marooned adventurer is played by Michael Caine, no less. His banter with Johnson is painfully laboured but Guzmán’s Gabato amuses with his man-crush on the statuesque Hank (Johnson’s party tricks – from playing guitar to ‘popping his pecs’ – are knowingly worked into the script).
With basic dialogue and predictable plotting, most pleasures are visual (especially in 3D), though some CG creations are better than others. It’s a harmless family film with an old-fashioned spirit of adventure, but the writing doesn’t live up to the promise of the premise. Still, the ambition doesn’t stop there: the confident postscript sets up a sequel on the moon.
Author: Anna Smith
Time Out London Issue 2163: Feb 2-8, 2012
User reviews of this film
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- bezer said...
- Posted on Mar 04 2012 15:54 amazing in plololo
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- caz said...
- Posted on Feb 16 2012 19:53 Great film - I took my 7 year old son to see this . It'a a fab film and ideal for boys/girls who love the beast quest books as the story line is similar.
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- Amelia said...
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Posted on Feb 12 2012 09:01
This film was ace, don't understand why the bad comments....
Great graphics and characters. Seriously recommend this to a friend nearly didn't watch it because of the bad comment but I did and I'm glad ace film! :) - Report as inappropriate
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- scrumpyjack said...
- Posted on Feb 09 2012 22:56 Perfectly enjoyable, if rushed for the ADHD crowd, kids flick with impressive 3D...just ease down a little, kids are on half term, not lunch hour! 6/10
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Cast & crew
Director: Brad Peyton
Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure
UK Release: Feb 10 2012
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