Wizard-8 The father/son Halmi producers strike again with another made for cable effort that fails to entertain. I could live with the fact that this version of the classic Jules Verne tale only takes a few minor elements from the novel, choosing instead to do its own thing for the most part. But accurate to the novel or not, it seems that the Halmi's ambitions were too lofty for the obviously limited budget. There are a number of clear cost-cutting measures here, ranging from a bear attack where we never see the bear, to sudden jumps in the narrative that result in key linking footage seemingly missing. But the biggest problem is that the movie is pretty dull for the most part. It takes about 45% of the movie before the protagonists start descending into the bowels of the earth. And once they do, the level of excitement doesn't increase all that much despite some action sequences. There is some nice British Columbian scenery, and it's always nice to see Peter Fonda (though he seems to be phoning in his performance), and there is some unintentional amusement to see Ricky Schroder so badly miscast. But despite those things, the movie will most likely have you reaching for your remote to change the channel long before it reaches the end credits.

TheLittleSongbird The story is a timeless classic, and while I was dubious of seeing this version of Journey to the Center of the Earth I watched it because I love the story, and I loved the 1959 film, liked the 2008 Brendan Fraser film(though it is nothing amazing) and was marginally entertained by the 1989 version. But I found myself bored and frustrated by this version. The only real redeeming quality was the atmospheric soundtrack. Other than that, I didn't enjoy this one bit. The production values didn't really impress me, the costume and set design are okay-looking but I felt they lacked authenticity, however the photography was often too bright for my tastes. But they are nothing compared to the script, story and acting which range from bad to diabolical. The script was weak in delivery and very stilted, while the story is dull in pace, soulless in spirit and has no thrills really. The action is uninspired, either hurriedly shot, uninteresting in choreography or far too brief in length, and for anyone wondering about fidelity to the book( not always a problem with me as long as the adaptation in question maintains the spirit), forget it, only the title seems to be unscathed. The acting ranges from over-eager, Ricky Schroder tries hard but the under-par material severely eludes him, to disengaged, Peter Fonda is so dull here that a lot of the performance actually begged for a steroid shot. It doesn't help that the characters are unlikeable and in some cases underwritten and mostly made to do foolish things. Overall, awful and uninteresting, and by far the worst version to bear the name of the classic story, and the only one of the four versions I've seen so far to completely miss the point of the story. 1/10 Bethany Cox

ma-cortes Lighthearted romp for kids and teenagers based upon the Jules Verne book. An anthropologist named Jonathan Breck (Rick Schroder) and his niece (Steven Grayhm) undergo a hazardous voyage hired by Martha Dennison (Victoria Pratt) to find clues of her husband Edward (Peter Fonda) who disappeared five years earlier during an expedition to the center of the earth in Alaska (at the original novel is Iceland) recently bought to Russia. The trio along with a Russkie scout descend into deep caverns and discover a way leading to the planet's center. They have to deal with numerous risks, dangers, endure torrential floods, prehistoric animals and discover a forest with a lost tribe but not the lost city of Atlantis as happens in the classic novel.This inferior adaptation is a special version of the Jules Verne adventure yarn . There're rip-roaring action, spirit of adventure, derring-do, thrills, but results to be quite boring. It's a brief fun with average special effects , passable set decoration , functional art direction and minimum use of computer generator. Acceptable cinematography, being filmed in Columbia British , Canada and atmospheric soundtrack . Highlights of the voyage includes a roller-coaster trip, a terrifying odyssey in sailing, with appearance of prehistoric reptile such as Plesiosaurius , Pterodactilus, and many others events. The film is produced in low budget by the usual Robert Halmi Sr. and Jr. who had formerly produced another version directed by George Miller , plus financed Jules Verne's 20.000 leagues under the sea(1997) directed by Michael Anderson. The motion picture is middling directed by T. J. Scott.Other versions about this known story are the following : Classic adaptation (1959) by Henry Levin with James Mason as Lindenbrook, Pat Boone,Diane Baker and Arlene Dahl; Spanish version (1976)by Juan Piquer with Kenneth Moore , Jack Taylor, and TV adaptation by George Miller with Treat Williams, Jeremy London and Bryan Brown and another inferior television picture (2008)by David Jones with Greg Evigan and Dedee Pfeiffer. And of course, recent and successful take on filmed in 3D, produced and starred by Brendan Fraser with Anita Briem and Josh Hutcherson. Rating : Below average.

arnie_axolotl I cannot help feeling that this was originally a remake of The Lost World which someone changed at the last minute. The plot is much closer to The Lost World and the early scenes look more like night time above ground action than underground. Take away the narration and the plot could easily be one where the characters emerge from a mine into a lost valley rather than a subterranean world.Certainly this has nothing in common with the Jules Verne novel other than the title and the idea that everything takes place underground.With a weak, nonsense-ridden plot( having just discovered an unexplored, underground lake would you immediately send all the men away and go bath in it ? ), poor screenplay, wooden acting, cheap effects( a series of stills to signify travel along an underground river ? - college students can do better ) this is definitely a modern B movie.