3-D Doesn't Ensure an Exciting Journey

The 3-D adventure flick Journey to the Center of the Earth is generating tepid reviews. The Brendan Fraser vehicle is “rambunctious and ridiculous,” though some younger moviegoers might enjoy it, writes Jan Stuart in the LA Times. Aimed at “kids of an age group more conversant with Dr. Seuss than Jules Verne,” the film’s “minor-league” visuals will score highest among those who have little to compare them with.

“The scariest thing in Journey is that after 50 years, 3-D movies' biggest draw is still the old yo-yo-in-your-face trick,” writes Joe Neumaier in the New York Daily News, who allows, “The cast hits the right notes.” But Peter Travers begs to differ: “in 3-D, the story comes alive, despite the tacky sets and gimmicks,” he writes in Rolling Stone. (More 3D movie stories.)