Rated PG, 94 minutes
"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is a sequel to the hit 2008 "Journey to the Center of the Earth" starring Captain Dork himself, Brendan Fraser. Like that film, "Journey 2" is loosely based on a Jules Verne story, this one being "The Mysterious Island." This mildly entertaining, mostly forgettable version is (thankfully) without Fraser and replaced with an equally cheeky and mostly charming actor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson along with Oscar-winning actor Michael Caine, doing his best Sean Connery-take-the-money-and-run performance. Josh Hutcherson, the only actor returning from the first film, is the troubled Sean, who is now living with his stepdad Hank (Johnson) and mom (Kristin Davis). Sean receives a secret code from his grandfather (Caine), and the two embark on an adventure to locate his grandad, now living on a mysterious island in the South Pacific. Along for the ride is a father-and-daughter tour guide team (Vanessa Hudgens and Luis Guzman) who don't realize what they're in for with Hank and Sean. Verne would likely roll over in his grave at the thought of an adaptation of his book being anchored by a former wrestler, but The Rock and Caine actually have some of the best tit-for-tat lines, humorously playing off each other as they stumble across large insects trying to escape the island before it sinks. This dumbed-down Verne treatment, with cheesy, fake Hollywood set treatment, would sink if not for Caine and The Rock's playful interplay. Thankfully, "Journey 2" goes by quickly and there are a few nifty 3D images but nothing else really sticks. Though suitable family entertainment, if your idea of fun is seeing The Rock's "pec popping" (and no doubt it will be for many female audience members), then "Journey 2" is for you, but I could think of many more worthwhile things to do.
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