Review by Toby Lattimore

Journey 2 - The Mysterious Island (PG)

Teenager Sean Anderson, played by the competent Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games), sets off on a family, fun packed adventure, to the Mysterious Island to recover his grandfather, legend Michael Caine. His mother’s boyfriend Hank, hammed by the muscle bound Dwayne Johnson (The Scorpion King) insists on tagging along determined to bond with the troublesome youth. But somehow they need to fly to the Island and so enlist the annoying Gabato, Luis Guzm�n and his daughter, another young rising star Vanessa Hudgens.

Journey 2 is Director Brad Peyton’s second ‘big’ film and he handles it well seeing the family genre is so specialised. Once past some awkward family moments the film comes to life when they crash on the Island and begin encountering the wonders of the Island. Giant bees and birds, an erupting volcano, an underwater super sub and spectacular landscapes all contribute to make the film entertaining if not let down by the awkward relationship between Johnson and Caine, their deadened attempts at humour bouncing off each other with little effect or laughs.

The two younger actors steal the show and although no doubt plenty of green screening was used their responses are real enough and their chemistry believable. Visually the graphics are quick and thrilling and designed to hold the younger age groups which it does well. Journey 2 begins slowly but ends well in an impressively dramatic fashion.

68/100