New family adventure flick seems cheaply-made, except for Dwayne Johnson's pecs

Nov 10, 2011 15:41 GMT  ·  By

When “Journey to the Center of the Earth” came out in theaters before James Cameron's “Avatar,” it literally wrote 3D history, setting the tone of a new trend in cinematography. In this sense, the sequel is bound to be a disappointment.

“Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” uses the same premise as the original movie, that of a secret world that a handful of adventurers discover mostly by chance, though they'd been searching for it it for long, but it replaces the main characters.

The only face viewers might recognize from the first film is that of Sean (Josh Hutcherson). The new stepfather is played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, while Michael Caine is the boy's long-lost grandfather.

Luis Guzmna is stuck with the supporting role of a wacky airplane pilot (comic relief, what else), while Vanessa Hudgens plays his daughter and Sean's obvious love interest.

While few would expect a solid, realistic story from a fantasy film made for family viewing, what most would want to see from it is solid special effects – and this is where “Journey 2” fails most bitterly.

Judging by the trailer, the film is cheaply-made. Thank God The Rock is funny at least – as also are his pecs, we learn.

The film is out on February 10, 2012. Check out the trailer to see if it's something you'd be interested in.