"Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D": Intriguing & Impressive

Shortly after "Harold & Kumar" came the panel for "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D," and the guests were Brendan Fraser, director Eric Brevig, and a producer whose name unfortunately I did not catch. Now if anyone has had the pleasure of seeing Fraser in an interview, they will know what to expect. For everyone else, he is basically like a much more endearing and silly Robin Williams. Perhaps it is the childish glee he gets out of having fun and an overall boyish appeal to Fraser that separates his ADHD behavior from the older comedian.

The movie is loosely based off the book by Jules Verne, and the director was wise enough to acknowledge that it is very loose in that. The main draw of this remake will be that the entire thing is in 3-D. This is fascinating because what it meant was that Brendan Fraser and his two major co-stars (Anita Briem and Josh Hutcherson) spent all of their time in front of a blue screen. Their entire performance is based off imaginary things flying at them, and they had only props to really direct what they were supposed to be doing. This also means that the director had to set up their physical scenes all the while picturing exactly what he wanted to be in the finished product. Eric Brevig is a visual effects supervisor, and this is his first time directing a film. Frankly, I was intrigued and impressed by the boldness of the project.

Fraser was enthusiastic about the movie and saw the visual part as revolutionary. The 3-D aspect was the most questioned and discussed part of the panel, but Fraser did some cute little stunts to charm the audience, such as pretending to have an imaginary friend, and at one point shaking his backside at everyone. Tickets were given out, and the Regal Cinema in Times Square was previewing 20 minutes of the movie to anyone who showed up. None of it had ever been shown before, or leaked, so this was definitely a must-see opportunity. Fraser would also be attending and doing a Q & A afterward.

There were four showings, and each one was completely full. I happened to go to the last at 5:30, and the line was out the door into the busy 42nd street. Bags were checked, and cameras were not allowed. All phones had to be turned off, and the security was obsessive about making sure none of this movie would make it to the net. We settled the 3-D glasses on, and Fraser did a quick introduction. The first scene involved the three characters first arriving at the mine shaft that brings them to the Center, and it was like being on a theme park at Disney World. We saw an albino dinosaur, glowing butterflies, a vicious man-eating plant, but the most incredible scene was the three actors on a raft in the middle of a horrible storm. These piranha-like fish start going after them, and it was stunning visually.

Fraser thanked us and said we were the most responsive audience of all, which surprised me. I can easily say it was one of the best visual experiences I've had, and even if the movie was a little gimmicky and did not have Oscar winning performances or extreme depth, for me it was pure adventure. Fraser answered questions, many of which were from adorable little children, and it was a very entertaining afternoon.

If you enjoy visual effects, and want to see some truly beautiful imagery, this movie will be for you. If you want something based off the book and a deep exploration of the themes therein, this isn't what you're looking for. It's fluffy, fun, and clearly made for children. There could be some scenes that scare kids - I jumped at a few close calls - but otherwise it will be perfect for the PG age groups. The movie comes out July 11, and will probably be great as long as you go in just wanting to enjoy yourself!

Story by Chelsea 'Dee' Doyle
Starpulse contributing writer