Journey to the Center of the Earth

"Sometimes the phrase ‘a kid’s film’ is just a nice way of categorising a film that’s badly put together. Hey, it’s only for kids, why bother making it any good?"

"There's not much in the way of plot -- the story is in the tour through the labyrinthian intimacies of inner Earth. As such, it's an f/x wizard's dream, and Brevig makes the most of it."

"Neither the acting nor the story matters much here; the movie is simply the sum of its 3D effects."

"Ultimately, Journey to the Center of the Earth's minor-league visual pleasures will be most enjoyed by those with the smallest number of celluloid reference points, preferably those who have started going to the movies after "Jurassic Park" or, better yet, the Harry Potter films."

"This first feature by veteran visual effects supervisor Eric Brevig has its transporting, if benign, charms."

"Fraser on form, 3D dinosaurs, geology lessons, phosphorecent hummingbirds, killer flying fish, theme park rides, Icelandic babe - what's not to like? It skews young, but is everything an 8-12 year-old could want. Older siblings and parents will have nothing to complain about either."

"The inanity of the story is efficiently glossed over. And the pace is fast enough to keep the most sugar-laden of tykes happy. I wouldn't want to sit through it again myself, but the audience of seven and eight year olds I watched the film with seemed well happy."

"It is a competent mix of adventure, comedy and sentimentality, but what it lacks in depth of plot and character development it more than makes up for in, well, actual depth."