David O'ConnellJourney 2: The Mysterious Island
January 16th 2012 05:41
If a fifth Raiders film ever makes it past the conception stage, the search for Indy’s new dad is over. Forget the notion of a Sean Connery comeback. Michael Caine is the man Spielberg and Lucas should seek. In Journey 2: Mysterious Island, the veteran actor strikes a convincing opening pose as a kind of geriatric Indiana Jones. Beyond that he seems to be having a ball decked out in the appropriate attire and leading the charge through a jungle infested with exotic oversized computer generated foes.
The set-up for Brad Peyton’s film is mercifully brief: after stealing a radio signal, Sean (Josh Hutcherson, returning from the 2008's Journey to the Centre of the Earth), is determined to decipher its code. He’s convinced it originated from the fabled Mysterious Island and the work of his dotty grandfather (Caine), a devout Vernian – a devotee of the works of Jules Verne – who hasn’t been seen for two years.
Together with his new stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson), who Sean predictably can’t stand, they unravel the signal’s code. The clues lead directly to Verne and other classic works of imaginative literature; in overlaying three fictional maps they generate what just might be the location of Mysterious Island itself. Before you can blink, the duo flies off in search of a place that doesn’t exist on any map and if it does, may only be accessed by entering a hurricane.
Along the way they pick up a ride with a dubious pilot, Gabato (Luis Guzman) and his gorgeous daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens). Naturally calamity ensues and after defying death and being deposited on Mysterious Island all the fun is soon sucked out of their adventure when Hank's quick assessment (based on his skills as head of construction sites apparently) is that the whole island is 48 hours away from sinking back into the surrounding sea.
Johnson, who always exhibits a likeable charm, plays it surprisingly straight, without much in the way of exerting his imposing physical presence. He’s wholly immersed in protective stepfather mode here, though he does get to stretch himself with a fireside ditty, breaking out a mini-guitar for a rendition of 'What a Wonderful World' that transforms into gentle insults directed at Grandpa. He also dispenses useless dating advice that culminates in demonstations of Pec-Popping. (Watch the trailer for further instructions)
The other three main cast members are a mixed bag: Hudgens barely registers at all; in truth, a CGI clone could have stood in during any one of her scenes and registered a comparable contribution. The ever dependable Guzman is very solid comic relief; most of the best lines are his. Hutcherson doesn’t disgrace himself either, pulling off the undersized nerd with annoyance-free conviction.
Thankfully Andrew Lockington’s spritely, melodic music counteracts the blatant artificiality of the environments with what is an appropriately majestic, energetic and old-fashioned orchestral score. The action scenes are mostly constructed around moments of alarm that never balloon into giant set-pieces. An elaborately staged bee-ride is a highlight but does recall similar flying scenes in both Avatar (2009) and How to Train Your Dragon (2010).
This is amiable family fare of a moderate standard with enough humour to spice up a screenplay that maintains decent momentum for its thankfully short running time. But there’s barely a moment of being not aware that we're watching a film made specifically for undersized people with short attention spans. Some of the problem solving and various characters extricating themselves from between a rock and a hard place would make even the writers of MacGyver groan at the illogical simplicity of it all. That said, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012) is a fun filled, decidedly – almost embarrassingly – PG rated romp and far from a disaster.
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island opens in Australian cinemas on Thursday, January 19.
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Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
you must have been in an extraordinarily generous mood when you saw this one!
I am about to put up my take on it, I have already had a practise run, with the magazines, and mercifully, for the production, they had to be brief...here I can expand my withering assault!
cheers
fog
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic