Journey to the Center of the Earth

Director: Eric Brevig, T. J. Scott Eric Brevig

Overview

Academy Award-winning visual effects artist Eric Brevig makes his feature directorial debut with this adaptation of the classic Jules Verne fantasy starring Brendan Fraser. When an ambitious science professor (Fraser) develops a decidedly unconventional hypothesis, the mere mention of his name is enough to elicit laughter within the academic community. However, during a subsequent excursion to Iceland, the professor and his nephew make a major scientific discovery that sends them miles beneath the surface of the Earth, where they discover not only strange new worlds, but also encounter creatures so alien they appear to be from another world entirely.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/28/2008
UPC:	0794043123429
Original Release:	2008
Rating:	PG
Source:	New Line Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:32:00
Sales rank:	18,429

Special Features

Commentary by Brendan Fraser and director Eric Brevig; A World Within Our World: various historical "Hollow Earth Theories" about what lies beneath our planet's crust; Being Josh: profiling 12-year old costar Josh Hutcherson; How to Make a Dinosaur Drool; Adventure at the Center of the Earth challenge; Limited Time Only: Standard Version Side A (2-D), Widescreen Version Side B (Both 2-D and 3-D)

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Brendan Fraser	Trevor Anderson
Josh Hutcherson	Sean Anderson
Anita Briem	Hannah Ásgeirsson
Garth Gilker	Sigurbjörn Ásgeirsson
Giancarlo Caltabiano	Leonard
Seth Meyers	Alan Kitzens
Jean Michel Pare	Max Anderson
Jane Wheeler	Elizabeth Anderson
Frank Fontaine	Old Man
Jean Michel Paré	Max Anderson
Kaniehtiio Horn	Gum-Chewing Girl
Anita Briemm	Actor
Rick Schroder	Actor
Victoria Pratt	Actor
Peter Fonda	Actor
Steven Grayhm	Actor
Mike Dopud	Actor
Jonathan Brewer	Actor
Elyse Levesque	Actor
Richard Side	Actor
Carmen Moore	Actor
Ken Kirzinger	Actor
Jean Michael	Actor
Cale Boyter	Actor
Michael Disco	Actor
Douglas Jones	Actor
Alex Schwartz	Actor
Mylan Stepanovich	Actor
Evan Turner	Actor
Andrew Lockington	Composer

Technical Credits

Michael D. Weiss

Jennifer Flackett

Jules Verne

Mark Levin

Thomas Baum

William Gray

Eric Brevig	Director
Michael D. Weiss	Screenwriter
Jennifer Flackett	Screenwriter
Beau Flynn	Producer
Charlotte Huggins	Producer,Executive Producer
Brendan Fraser	Executive Producer
W. Mark McNair	Executive Producer,Producer
Elisabeth Rudolph	Casting
Chris Townsend	Special Effects
T. J. Scott	Director
Jules Verne	Screenwriter
Mark Levin	Screenwriter
Toby Emmerich	Executive Producer,Producer
Tripp Vinson	Executive Producer,Producer
Michael Disco	Producer
Arni Hansson	Producer
Alex Schwartz	Producer
Douglas Jones	Producer
Mylan Stepanovich	Producer,Executive Producer
Cale Boyter	Producer
Evan Turner	Producer
Don MacBain	Producer
Christopher Ahuja	Special Effects
Pascal Beaudin	Sound Effects
Josee Bernard	Sound Effects
Mark Berger	Sound Effects
Cedric Charron	Sound Effects
Jeff Davis	Sound Effects
Cary Granat	Executive Producer,Producer
Andy Aitken	Special Effects
Lisa Marie Blair	Stunts
Thomas Baum	Screenwriter
William Gray	Screenwriter
George Horie	Producer
Brian McKinnon	Special Effects
Robert Rioux	Special Effects
Christian Zurcher	Special Effects
Marcello Bezina	Special Effects
Dana Campbell	Special Effects
Adam Charbonneau	Special Effects
Ryan Storm	Special Effects
George Tucci	Special Effects
Johannes Sverrisson	Special Effects
Tim Winchester	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

A scientist and his nephew travel to Iceland in order to explore some unusual seismic activity, and instead stumble into the adventure of a lifetime in this family-friendly summer blockbuster that has the distinction of being the first full-length live-action feature shot in digital 3-D. The result is a harmless tale of family bonding that isn't too intense for the youngsters, but still feels rather generic, despite a few memorable action set pieces and some truly dazzling 3-D effects. Compare it to something like vintage Spielberg and you're bound to be disappointed, but take it as a typical summer blockbuster with the added benefit of being presented in 3-D, and odds are good that the kids will be happy and you'll at least walk out of the theater feeling as if you've gotten your money's worth. Things are a bit slow to start, as we learn that scientist Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser) has been carrying the torch of his missing brother's research ever since his brainy sibling disappeared on an Icelandic exhibition several years prior, and that his lab is about to close down due to lack of funds. When his teenage nephew, Sean (Josh Hutcherson), arrives for a scheduled visit bearing a box of his father's old belongings, Trevor discovers a copy of his brother's favorite book -- Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth -- with some most unusual notes scribbled in the margins. Those notes may finally verify the controversial theories that made Trevor's brother the laughing stock of the entire scientific community, and in no time, the eager scientist and his nephew are on a plane bound for Iceland. From that point on, the adventure begins to quickly pick up steam. Journey to the Center of the Earth is a special-effects-heavy adventure film for the entire family, and as such it succeeds rather admirably; the action never gets so intense as to be genuinely frightening, potentially touchy themes of death and familial loss are handled with restrained honesty, and Fraser's portrayal of a heroic scientist is endearing in its cartoonish innocence. Screenwriters Michael D. Weiss, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett display a skillful knack for undercutting moments of high tension with playful humor, their deft handling of a hair-raising repelling scene and a treacherous trek across some magnetic rocks serving as two prime examples of how to keep viewers in suspense without putting them through too much punishment. Crafting a rousing adventure film that's entertaining for the little ones while staying safely in PG territory is no easy endeavor, and while the filmmakers behind Journey to the Center of the Earth walk this precarious tightrope with relative confidence, such compromises don't go entirely unnoticed in action scenes that may have otherwise had much more bite. Behind the camera, special-effects artist-turned-director Eric Brevig proves himself a competent first-time feature filmmaker by handling such action sequences as a turbulent mine ride and a toothy T. rex encounter with energy and a fair sense of visual flair. Of course, some of this flair will no doubt be diminished when the film is viewed in standard "flat" format -- as opposed to experiencing it in a theatrical setting in dynamic RealD 3-D -- but for parents in search of a summer blockbuster that isn't too intense for the kiddies and doesn't drag on too long for the adults, Journey to the Center of the Earth is a consistently entertaining adventure romp once the action gets flowing...and who knows, it might even encourage that little one to lay down the PSP and crack open a book for once as well.