hile “Journey to the Center of the Earth” might readily appeal to its target audience of youngsters (and the easily impressed), its ridiculous story won’t earn the respect of any longtime Jules Verne fans. It’s also largely a comedy, stuffed with jokes that alternate between somewhat amusing and blatant failures, though the creative implementation of 3D effects pleasantly surprises, balancing out the whole event into a much more palatable affair. It might be one of the few 3D films that actually cares to utilize the gimmick to its full effect.

Everyone knows it’s impossible to travel to the center of the Earth. Everyone, that is, except for publicly criticized science professor Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser), who treks to the mythical “world within a world” to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of his brother. Accompanying him are his nephew Sean (Josh Hutcherson) and their pretty mountain guide Hannah (Anita Briem) – each unwittingly partaking in a fantastic adventure in a lost land of terrifying creatures and prehistoric danger.

Glowing hummingbirds, magnetic floating rocks, and giant carnivorous plants may sound pretty silly – and that’s because they are. However, when such creations are placed into a 3D realm, they become spectacular moments of RealD brilliance. “Journey to the Center of the Earth” musters an ample amount of creative uses for its primary trick, which is to fully realize the advantages of the special medium. From things jumping out of the screen, to more things jumping out of the screen, the script wastes no opportunity to thrust every manner of object or deadly behemoth at the audience, resulting in an abundance of polarized stimulation and a noticeable absence on solid storytelling. At least the former was expected.

The true “Verneian” will be dismayed to learn that little remains faithful between this latest excursion to the Earth’s core and the source material. And while it may be unfair to compare it to the book or even the 1959 film (as a point of uniqueness, the plot here actually poses as something of a sequel, with the explorations from the novel serving as a roadmap for copycat voyagers), director Eric Brevig’s vision often feels like an excuse to exploit a famous title rather than present a sincere adaptation. Goofy comedy replaces earnest – though farfetched – explanations, while the unfriendly locale itself thrives on stereotypical monstrosities designed specifically for dimensional deception. Odd musical bouts aside, the ’59 version utilized a human antagonist for an extra layer of depth (on a film already submerged deep within the Earth’s crust), as a race for discovery accompanies the challenge of survival. This new take substitutes in a young boy for a young man, a bumbling scientist for a genius professor, and an animated avian for an Icelandic handyman – but at least the dependable damsel-in-distress accompaniment remains, this time in the form of a tough mountaineer. Unfortunately, the few bits of drama and romance take a backseat to the outlandish action and phosphorescent birds.

– The Massie Twins