Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

A sort-of sequel to 2008's remake of Journey to the Center of the Earth, this fantastic family adventure begins when rebellious 17-year-old Sean Anderson (returning cast member Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded radio message sent by someone he believes to be his long-lost grandfather. Reluctantly working with his new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson)—who has Navy cryptogram experience—Sean discovers that the distress signal is emanating from somewhere in the South Pacific. Leaving mom (Kristin Davis) back home in Dayton, OH, Sean and Hank engage the services of a goofy, fast-talking helicopter pilot (Luis Guzmán) and his willfully determined daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), only to be swept up in the eye of a hurricane. Crash-landing on an uncharted tropical island, the group not only find Sean's delightfully droll grandfather (Michael Caine) but also discover a bizarre, new world featuring elements of Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island, Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. In this bizarre and exotic place, tiny insects, birds, and reptiles grow to humungous size, while elephants are miniature. As the intrepid explorers stumble over boulders that turn out to be giant lizard eggs, a far greater danger becomes imminent: eruptions from a gold-spewing volcano that threaten to sink everything—including our heroes, unless they can escape in the Nautilus, Captain Nemo's long-hidden submarine. Lightheartedly helmed by Brad Peyton, Journey 2 boasts some awesome CGI effects—at the expense of character development—and a memorable musical turn by Johnson, who warbles “What a Wonderful World” while accompanying himself on the ukulele. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (6 min.), a brief gag reel, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is the "Are You Strong Enough to Survive Mysterious Island?" interactive map, and bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a so-so adventure film.] (S. Granger)