Great Film overall

Excellent but underrated film

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

If I'm being totally honest I recorded this version of Journey to the Center of The Earth believing it to be the 2008 remake with Brendan Fraser (I wasn't aware that there was a TV version till now). Having realised that it wasn't the version I expected once the opening credits started I decided to stick with it and here's what I thought....One thing I will say is that I think it's unfair to come down hard on this film purely because it's a 'TV movie' film. The acting was pretty bad, the animal effects were laughable (they weren't great in the original, but to be fair that was made in 1959). Despite all this, I did find this TV film to be fairly enjoyable. In this TV film we are treated to a voice-over narrative from Abel (whereby he is articulating notes that he's putting in his diary). At times, I thought that this was a nice touch as it does help to give a basic understanding of what some of the characters are thinking and how they feel. This narrative is also quite informative and helps to explain some of the things that they've discovered whilst they're in the cave. Where this falls apart slightly is that it's over-used and there are occasions when it's used to explain what's going to happen next - which is pointless as we'll know what will happen eventually. This isn't a major criticism as I found the voice-over work to be more of benefit than hindrance. I also thought that it got going fairly quickly and it was generally better paced than the original. It was all OK up till this point, but then came the final third....In this TV version of the film, our intrepid adventurers stumble across a tribe of people who have descended from earth down to the Centre of the Earth centuries ago. Just when you think it can't get any more ridiculous we then find that the tribal people are worshipping Martha's missing husband as some sort of god. I mean really? Before our adventurers met the tribes people my biggest criticism is that there was a lack of tension because no-one was pursuing them or following them like we saw in the original - alas this objection was answered at this point, but it was answered in a ridiculous and nonsensical way. The issue of food was ignored initially, but then answered when our adventurers are treated to a 'Last Supper' style feast - quite where all the food came from is a complete mystery. What I can't understand is that a film of this nature is supposed to be shrouded by mystery, our adventurers have had to use a map and a modicum of intelligence in order to get to the area that the tribe are inhabiting and yet we're supposed to believe that this tribe of people have discovered this area by mistake. It just requires too much suspension of disbelief and doesn't give the film any kind of intensity. In the original, you really felt that the team were isolated and you felt that they'd achieved something by the end, but you don't get that feeling here and it ultimately made this film a lot less rewarding and a lot less enjoyable.Up till the 60 minute mark I did think this was an OK film - it was reasonably enjoyable without being anything special. However, it's ultimately ruined by its final 30 minutes where it descended into absurdity, implausibility and downright stupidity.

The father/son Halmi producers strike again with another made for cable effort that fails to entertain. I could live with the fact that this version of the classic Jules Verne tale only takes a few minor elements from the novel, choosing instead to do its own thing for the most part. But accurate to the novel or not, it seems that the Halmi's ambitions were too lofty for the obviously limited budget. There are a number of clear cost-cutting measures here, ranging from a bear attack where we never see the bear, to sudden jumps in the narrative that result in key linking footage seemingly missing. But the biggest problem is that the movie is pretty dull for the most part. It takes about 45% of the movie before the protagonists start descending into the bowels of the earth. And once they do, the level of excitement doesn't increase all that much despite some action sequences. There is some nice British Columbian scenery, and it's always nice to see Peter Fonda (though he seems to be phoning in his performance), and there is some unintentional amusement to see Ricky Schroder so badly miscast. But despite those things, the movie will most likely have you reaching for your remote to change the channel long before it reaches the end credits.

I found it hard at first to imagine Rick Schroeder (the former Ricky Schroeder) as a 30's something uncle. But here he really makes us believe that he is that age, and he is from that time. His Victorian approach to conversation and the opposite sex is very believable and, may I say, refreshing. He seems a stable personality with strong ethics and a lust for adventure. Peter Fonda was a pleasant surprise. The supporting cast is very believable, the sets are well thought out, and the special effects are effective.A worthy interpretation of the original material. I believe that Jules Verne (my favorite science fiction writer) would have been proud.

I Loved the original version in 1959 with James Mason and, since movie making has had 50 years to improve, I guess that I was expecting So Very Much More. Phew! This movie was a terrible let down. Maybe if I would have seen it on the big screen I could have given it a 3....maybe. Unfortunately, I had to watch it on TV with a commercial every 10 minutes. There is No Doubt in my mind that I would have turned it off after the 1st 10 minutes except for the fact that I was editing out the commercials for a friend of mine so that she could watch it when she got home.I'd say that if you Love soap opera's and you are addicted to the 'Lifetime' channel, than give it a spin. However, if you are more in tune to good movie making(story, plot, acting, etc), than avoid this nonsense like the plague.