incredible journey 2 mysterious island

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

• Sean Anderson partners with his mom's husband on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.
• Ever since his adventure in the center of the Earth, Sean Anderson has been looking for other places mentioned by Verne and other Vernians. He is notified about a coded message, and breaks into a satellite facility to fully receive it. With the help from his stepfather Hank (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) he decodes the message leading him to find the map that leads him to Verne's mysterious island. Along with Gabato and Kailani, Sean embarks on a mission to find his grandfather, the legendary Vernian Alexander. But unexpected problems arise as Alexander made a mistake that could change everything. — Anonymous User - Earth
• After travelling to the center of the Earth, Sean Anderson, now seventeen, has been at the usual teen schemes lately. His latest crime lands him to finding something extraordinary, a key to a chunk of land in the Pacific Ocean. Sean teams up with his stepfather, Hank, to get there, and they meet an overeager chopper pilot, and his teenage daughter, to get to Sean's grandfather, Alexander, only to discover the mysterious island.
• After going to the center of the Earth, seventeen-year-old Sean Andeson goes on a journey to find The Mysterious Island, a legend discovered by Jules Verne. Assisted by his stepfather, Hank, the pair team up with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful daughter to find Sean's lost grandfather, whom Sean believes is on the island. The team encounters monsters, witty remarks, and a deadly conflict along the way.
• A young male, his stepfather, and a pair of travel guides travel to an island that is not as it seems. Once they find out that the island is sinking, they do everything that they can to find a way off the island and get back home safely with the help of an experienced relative. — RECB3
• 17-year-old Sean Anderson receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. Unable to stop him from tracking the signal to its source, Sean's new stepfather, Hank, joins the quest that will take them first to the South Pacific, and then to a place few people have ever seen. Or lived to tell about. It's a place of stunning beauty, strange and threatening life forms, volcanoes, mountains of gold and more than one astonishing secret. Together with Gabato, the only helicopter pilot willing to risk the trip, and Gabato's beautiful, strong-willed daughter Kailani, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone human inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island underwater and bury its treasures forever.

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"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" looks like nothing so much as one of those live-action adventures that Disney used to grind out in the 1950s — and hey, here's Captain Nemo's Nautilus to prove it. Also, a tree house to humble "Swiss Family Robinson," which contains a short-wave radio that has been assembled from old spoons, I think I heard.

The movie is very, very loosely a sequel to " Journey to the Center of the Earth ," with only two connections: It's inspired by a Jules Verne novel, and it co-stars young Josh Hutcherson as the hero Sean. The film opens with him on a motorcycle and being chased by cops, but not to worry; all he did was break into a satellite-tracking station to boost the power on a message for help sent by his grandfather from a lost island in the Pacific.

Sean, whose father in the first film ( Brendan Fraser ) has disappeared (from the cast, anyway), now has to deal with Hank ( Dwayne Johnson , aka the Rock). Hank is his new stepdad. Josh and Hank make friends by decrypting grandfather's message; Hank glances at it and intuits that the two-syllable words stand for dots and one-syllable words stand for dashes, which means Grandpa has had enough free time on his remote island to figure out a way to make Morse code several times longer than it previously was. Unanswered is why grandfather would encrypt a call for help.

This Hank, what a swell guy. He proposes that the two of them fly off to the Pacific and find Grandpa. On arrival somewhere, they hire a tourist helicopter pilot named Gabato, played by Luis Guzman as another one of those low-comedy guys who gets all worked up and is scared of stuff. (I enjoyed a reprise of this classic shot: Gabato runs toward camera, falls on stomach, looks up …and up … and up.)

Gabato has a daughter named Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ), a Polynesian beauty who wears a tank top and Daisy Dukes throughout the film. These four fly off in the helicopter, are trapped in a Force Five hurricane that rips it to pieces and are lucky enough to find themselves alive on the beach of the Mysterious Island.

This is your complete island. It has an active volcano; waterfalls with no apparent water sources streaming down cliffs; elephants the size of dogs, and giant lizards that are nowhere big enough to account for the size of their eggs. (Josh falls through the shell of one, splashes in a pool of yolk and is attacked by an unborn lizard chick.) Also on the island is the lost city of Atlantis, even though it's in the wrong ocean, and bees so big Sean and Kailani can both ride on the back of one. And Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather, played by Michael Caine , who will not be editing this role into his videos about how to act in movies.

I hope you understand I enjoyed most of this stuff. The director, Brad Peyton , apparently intended it as a genial parody of countless other movies in this spirit. There is, for example, a scene were Sean, Grandpa, Kailani and Gabato all sit around the old campfire and listen while Hank strums a ukulele and sings "What a Wonderful World." And I mean he sings it: every word of three verses. It's not every day you see the Rock channeling Gene Autry.

Sean deduces that Verne's novel contains everything they need to know, and this comes in handy when the volcano explodes, and the island begins to sink into the sea. Sure enough, Captain Nemo's submarine is still hidden underwater. Hank and Sean, trusting Verne, dive off a high cliff, and while holding their breath and swimming underwater, are able to (1) find the sub, (2) open the hatch by tugging and twisting it, (3) swim inside, (4) push a lever to fill it with air, and (5) get the power generator working by jump-starting it with an electric eel.

This is transcendently goofy. It isn't a "good" movie in the usual sense (or most senses), but it is jolly and good-natured, and Michael Caine and Dwayne Johnson are among the most likable of actors. Johnson is such a good sport, he even shows young Sean how to impress girls by flexing your pecs so quickly that nuts will ricochet off them. I can't think of any reason to pay extra for the 3-D.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film Credits

Journey 2: Mysterious Island (2012)

Rated PG for some adventure action, and brief mild language

Josh Hutcherson as Sean

Dwayne Johnson as Hank

Luis Guzman as Gabato

Vanessa Hudgens as Kailani

Michael Caine as Alexander

Directed by

• Brad Peyton

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Summary Journey 2: The Mysterious Island begins when 17-year-old Sean Anderson receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It's a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new stepfather, Hank, joins th ... Read More

Directed By : Brad Peyton

Written By : Brian Gunn, Mark Gunn, Richard Outten, Jules Verne

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

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Josh Hutcherson

Dwayne johnson, michael caine, luis guzmán, vanessa hudgens, kristin davis, anna colwell, stephen caudill, branscombe richmond, walter bankson, hockey player, cody easterbrook, kathryn jurbala, paul leo klink, nautilus passenger, darwin reina, critic reviews.

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Rotten Tomatoes® Score

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island immediately recognizes its audience and, fully accepting its constraints, pleases them with its fabulous drive and its intrinsic linearity. [Full review in Spanish]

There’s nothing about this family-friendly movie that’s outrageously offensive, but there’s nothing about it that’s particularly interesting, well-executed, or inventively conceived either.

...entertaining yet chintzy...

A screenplay that never quite clicks on all cylinders. There are too many scenes dealing with relationships that really halt any momentum.

Journey 2 is simply magical.

Undeniably an exhilarating family friendly, action adventure that'll no doubt thrill younger audiences.

Like its predecessor, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a race against time to survive, but the inclusion of new characters adds a little more interest.

For a family, this is an agreeable Saturday outing, largely because director Brad Peyton doesn't set his sight higher than the material actually is.

"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is light, airy family entertainment that actually ends up being too light and airy.

It's a harmless, lighthearted film with wooden acting, a nice message about accepting your parents-whoever they are-and again, lots of ridiculous CGI.

Additional Info

• Genre : Action, Comedy, Fantasy
• Release Date : February 10, 2012
• Languages : English
• Captions : English
• Audio Format : 5.1

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Beautiful, interesting, incredible cinema.

JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND

When he traces a distress signal about his grandfather’s whereabouts to an island that doesn’t seem to exist, fearless teen Sean Anderson springs into adventure mode and teams up with an unlikely ally: his stepfather.

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Journey 2: the mysterious island, common sense media reviewers.

Adventure sequel is clunky but has positive role models.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie is intended to entertain rather than edu

Families work hard to stick together and stand by

The movie's two father figures are both positive r

Giant monsters roar and chase the main characters;

Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) is shown in slow-motion

Sporadic use of potty talk and mild language -- mo

Sean opens and drinks from a Coca-Cola in an early

Not an issue except for a quick, humorous line of

Parents need to know that Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is the sequel to 2008's entertaining Journey to the Center of the Earth . The Hunger Games ' Josh Hutcherson is the sole returning cast member, but the tone is very similar to the original. Overall, it's a family-friendly adventure --…

Educational Value

The movie is intended to entertain rather than educate.

Positive Messages

Families work hard to stick together and stand by each other, even if that requires making sacrifices. Teens learn to understand and respect their parents and guardians. Together, and by using teamwork, the group is able to overcome many giant-sized challenges.

Positive Role Models

The movie's two father figures are both positive role models. Neither is perfect -- they have moments of bull-headedness, cowardice, and other flaws -- but they're completely devoted to their kids and will never give up, even if that means making sacrifices or facing fears. A young woman shows that she can take care of herself.

Violence & Scariness

Giant monsters roar and chase the main characters; many of those chases end up with the creatures getting smushed and crunched. There's a somewhat scary helicopter crash scene and some "gross out" scenes as well.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) is shown in slow-motion letting down her hair and removing a button-up shirt to reveal a tight-fitting tank top. Her cleavage is sometimes visible. She and Sean often argue in a flirty way, and there's a kiss at the end.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sporadic use of potty talk and mild language -- mostly during loud chase scenes -- as well as insults; words include "hell," "oh my God," "ass," "piss,'' "poop," and ''crap."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Sean opens and drinks from a Coca-Cola in an early scene. The label isn't clearly on view, but the bottle's shape and color are unmistakable.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Not an issue except for a quick, humorous line of dialogue: "What were you drinking?"

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is the sequel to 2008's entertaining Journey to the Center of the Earth . The Hunger Games ' Josh Hutcherson is the sole returning cast member, but the tone is very similar to the original. Overall, it's a family-friendly adventure -- albeit one with frequent tense chases, monster attacks, and a somewhat scary helicopter crash (some of which is a bit more intense in the movie's 3-D version). There's also flirting and a kiss between the two main teen characters, and co-star Vanessa Hudgens is often shown wearing a tight, cleavage-enhancing tank top. Expect some gross-out humor, as well as potty talk and very sporadic mild language ("ass," "hell," etc.). This is no cinematic classic, but it is bright and cheerful and has positive characters, including fatherly role models. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (28)
• Kids say (58)

Based on 28 parent reviews

Are the producers obsessed with young girls bodies? Smh

Just like a poop in a punch bowl, what's the story.

After surviving his Journey to the Center of the Earth , Sean Anderson ( Josh Hutcherson ) is back living with his mom ( Kristin Davis ) and step-dad, Hank ( Dwayne Johnson ). Sean gets a coded message from his grandfather about the location of Jules Verne's famed "Mysterious Island." Hoping for some much-needed bonding time, Hank volunteers to go with him. In Palau, they hire a ramshackle helicopter, piloted by Gabato (Luis Guzman). Happily for Sean, Gabato's pretty daughter, Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ), comes with the deal. After crashing on the island, the explorers discover a world of tiny elephants, huge bees, and lost cities. But they also realize that they must find Sean's grandfather -- and discover a way off the island before time runs out.

Is It Any Good?

From the director of Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore , JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND is as clumsy and clunky as its title. The pace is speedy, but it seems as though the movie sacrificed logic, character, mood, and rhythm to achieve that speed. Moreover, the visual effects appear soft and never quite mesh with the real stuff. Even the 3D effects don't really add anything except for the occasional "comin' at ya" moment.

On the plus side, the movie has an inviting, warm, open-air feel, and it's more innocuous than it is obnoxious. Strong, positive characters -- including a young woman who can take care of herself -- and family bonding moments are also very appealing. Not to mention that this is the only movie in which you can see former pro wrestler Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. "The Rock") playing the ukulele and singing "What a Wonderful World."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Journey 2 's violence and scary stuff. How does its fantasy nature affect its impact? How do the movie's intense experiences affect Sean and his step-dad's relationship?

How does the movie portray families? How does that message/depiction compare to what you've seen in other movies and TV shows?

How does the movie portray fathers? There's a theme of "missing dads," but there are also great dad characters here. What's the take-away?

The first Journey movie was an adaptation of a Jules Verne novel; this movie's title also cites a Verne book but isn't a direct adaptation. What other books does it remind you of? Are there any you'd like to read after watching the movie?

Movie Details

• In theaters : February 10, 2012
• On DVD or streaming : June 5, 2012
• Cast : Dwayne The Rock Johnson , Josh Hutcherson , Vanessa Hudgens
• Director : Brad Peyton
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Asian actors
• Studio : New Line
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures
• Run time : 94 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : some adventure action, and brief mild language
• Last updated : April 29, 2024

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Our editors recommend.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

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• DVD & Streaming

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• February 10, 2012
• Dwayne Johnson as Hank; Michael Caine as Alexander; Josh Hutcherson as Sean; Vanessa Hudgens as Kailani; Luis Guzmán as Gabato

Home Release Date

• June 5, 2012
• Brad Peyton

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

It’s not that Sean hates his stepdad, Hank.

He’s no little kid anymore, though. And he doesn’t need some new “rent” hovering over him, trying to get into his business. He’s a teenager now and can take care of himself.

Still, it was kind of fun that Hank knew so much about code-breaking from his Navy days. Together they were able to decode that puzzling message from his long-lost grandfather. And they even figured out the clues about the classic novels—Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island —how they all fit together and were really about the same island.

It was really cool that Hank agreed to help him hunt down the map coordinates they found and head off on an adventure to find that secret island. They might even find Sean’s grandfather in the process! Maybe he needs to give Hank a bit more credit for trying to be a pretty good dad after all.

How many guys would shell out the kind of bank required to take this trip and hire a helicopter to check out a set of coordinates out in the middle of the Pacific? Not many. That’s definitely something in Hank’s favor.

The trip even gave Sean the chance to meet Kailani, the helicopter guy’s daughter. And boy is she cute! She’s not really giving Sean the time of day yet, but, oh well. All in all it’s been an incredible couple of days so far. And, well, Sean figures he might actually owe it all to Hank.

Sean would probably almost be ready to, kind of, tell Hank how he felt about him now … if that funnel cloud hadn’t disabled their helicopter and they weren’t crashing into the ocean. Isn’t it funny how life flashes before your eyes and things get so clear just before you’re about to croak?

Positive Elements

Hank does indeed do his best to make a connection with his standoffish stepson. And as the movie progresses, the two take great strides toward a true father/son bond. Hank talks of his own dad abandoning him when he was 8. And he makes it crystal clear that he isn’t going anywhere. As unexpectedly crazy as their adventure becomes, Hank always comes back to trying to protect Sean and make wise choices.

When Hank gives Sean a little advice about the opposite sex, his speech includes some wisdom about being sensitive and curbing a teen’s natural instincts—along with just a dash of silliness about “pec popping,” which could actually be construed, in a bit of a roundabout way, as a hedge against getting too serious too fast.

Hank’s sense of parental commitment even impacts Sean’s grandfather, Alexander, whom they do meet in the middle of their journey. Alexander had, in a way, abandoned his family in the pursuit of his research. And eventually the old scientist realizes that it’s not too late to reconnect and have the same kind of rewarding relationships that Hank is forming with Sean.

The helicopter owner, Gabato, becomes part of the adventuring crew after the crash. And we learn of his love and devotion for his daughter. He longs to send her to college to give her a better life, and he puts his own life on the line to try to dig up a large chunk of island gold to make that possible. Kailani voices her love for her dad, but tells him, “We’ll have all the wealth we need—as long as we’re together.” On several occasions, Sean makes brave choices to protect Kailani from island threats.

Spiritual Elements

When Gabato first sees the beauty of the island, he coos, “If this is heaven, I’m checking in.” When he finds the gold, he exclaims, “My prayers have been answered.”

Sexual Content

Kailani wears a figure-fitting, midriff-baring and cleavage-revealing outfit of shorts and a tank top. Sean immediately takes notice of her. And, later, they share a brief kiss. Sean’s mom sports a little cleavage too.

Violent Content

The island has a special “what is normally small grows large” property about it. And so there are several chase scenes involving giant birds, a king-sized lizard and an enormous electric eel. The result is several slo-mo images of upclose chomping mouths and barely missing snapping beaks. The birds and the lizard are all eventually knocked out cold (with the birds flying into other objects and the lizard getting thumped by rope-suspended logs). An enormous spider and some oversized centipedes are a little frightening-looking, but never a real threat.

During one chase Sean falls and dislocates his ankle. A ravaging funnel cloud snaps the tail of Gabato’s helicopter, sending it and everyone aboard plummeting to the ocean below. (The humans all survive. The helicopter, not so much.) When the mysterious island starts sinking, the land shakes, volcanoes erupt and mayhem ensues. Alexander, Gabato and Kailani fall into the churning sea and are moments away from drowning when Hank and Sean come to the rescue.

Crude or Profane Language

Two uses of “heck” and one “crap.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Questioning someone’s poor choice, Hank wonders aloud what they were drinking.

Other Negative Elements

We see Sean riding his dirt bike to elude the police after he reportedly broke into a satellite facility. Comic relief guy Gabato delivers several light poop and body odor jokes. Hank tries to scare off a giant lizard with a lit road flare: When the creature bites the top off the flare, Hank looks at it and eeps out, “That’s emasculating.”

A sequel to 2008’s Journey to the Center of the Earth , this film takes the same “what if?” premise of the original (What if Jules Verne’s books weren’t fabrications of the author’s imagination, but a record of his scientific discoveries?) and expands on it nicely.

New cast additions add some heft and chuckles. The mysterious island itself has lots of color and pizzazz. And the ride-a-giant-bee-and-pick-up-a-teeny-elephant contrariness of that secret place makes the journey all the more crazy and fun. Plus, the snippets of clues from classic novels make you want to explore your local library shelves.

Then add in the fact that the filmmakers go to great lengths to explore the value of strong family bonds and lasting parental commitment—while the gang is running from the mayhem of giant birds and torrential flood waters—and you’ve got a light family adventure with a fair amount going for it.

During the press screening I attended, a particularly frenetic—but not too scary—chase sequence had just taken place. We were all sitting back from the edge of our collective seats as a character onscreen asked, “Everyone all right?” And out of the audience, a small, sincere and youthful voice piped up with, “I’m OK.”

The adults in the audience chuckled, but that little moment drove the real charm of this pic home to me. This is the kind of movie that will draw in its audience with an exciting ride and a heartwarming message while making sure that even the youngest in the family feels safe and secure. And if you ask me, that’s pretty “OK” indeed.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island DVD

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (DVD)

Four years after journeying with his uncle to the center of the earth, Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson -- reprising his role) receives a coded distress signal from a place even more incredible and remote: an uncharted island where no island should exist, teeming with strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes and hiding more than one astonishing secret. Despite the protests of his mother (Kristin Davis) and new stepfather (Dwayne Johnson), Sean, now 17, is determined to reach this mysterious island and rescue its lone inhabitant, his long lost grandfather (Michael Caine), before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever. With Luis Guzman and Vanessa Hudgens as a father daughter helicopter tour team, a new journey begins in this follow-up to the groundbreaking 3D CGI spectacular that travels in dimensions that can only be seen to be believed!

Product details

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.4 ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 25176798
• Director ‏ : ‎ Brad Peyton
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ AC-3, Multiple Formats, Full Screen, Dolby, Widescreen, NTSC, Subtitled, Color
• Release date ‏ : ‎ June 5, 2012
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzmán
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ Spanish, French
• Producers ‏ : ‎ Beau Flynn, Tripp Vinson, Charlotte Huggins
• Language ‏ : ‎ French (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Warner Home Video
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007R6DJP8
• Writers ‏ : ‎ Brian Gunn, Mark Gunn, Richard Outten
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• #35,651 in DVD

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Quick Review: Journey 2 The Mysterious Island (2012) DVD

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"We waste our money so you don't have to."

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Movie Review

Journey 2: the mysterious island.

US Release Date: 02-10-2012

Directed by: Brad Peyton

Starring ▸ ▾

• Dwayne Johnson ,  as
• Michael Caine ,  as
• Josh Hutcherson ,  as
• Luis Guzman ,  as
• Vanessa Hudgens ,  as
• Kristin Davis ,  as
• Anna Colwell as

Dwayne Johnson admires his tiny elephant trunk in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island .

I didn't see 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth but considering the cast changes and the simplicity of the plot, I don't exactly think I missed out because of it. Gone is Brendan Fraser and Jane Wheeler as Sean's parents and instead Dwayne the Rock Johnson is now playing his step-father while his mother has been re-cast with Kristin Davis now playing the small, generic and thankless part of his mother.

When Sean, now in high school, receives a mysterious signal from his grandfather, he and Hank (Johnson) head off to Palau, near where they've determined the signal is coming from. Sean is convinced that the signal will lead them to Jules Verne's mysterious island. Hank just hopes to bond with his step-son. They hire Gabato (Guzman) and his daughter Kailani (Hudgens) to fly them to the coordinates in their tour helicopter. When the helicopter crashes the four of them find out that Sean was right and they are in fact on the Mysterious Island of legend and Sean's grandfather, played by a mischievous and under-used Michael Caine, is living there.

The plot is very lightweight and seems to be aimed at young children. The island is brightly colored and filled with dangers that don't generate any serious tension. You never feel that anyone is in any danger despite a giant lizard and an erupting volcano. Guzman is there to provide comic relief but he's so bumbling and immature that only the under five year olds will find much to laugh at.

Once they arrive on the island they learn that it is sinking and so they spend the rest of the movie trying to get off of it. This brings up the movies biggest plot hole. The island turns out to be Atlantis (although how it got into the middle of the South Pacific is never explained) and apparently it rises above the ocean and then sinks below it on a 140 year cycle. Somehow though, the exotic animals and vegetation keep coming back every time it rises back up above water.

It is only the likability of Johnson and Caine that make the movie watchable at all, at least by grown-ups. Caine is a scene stealer and I wish he was in it more. The back and forth between the two of them provides the funniest moments. Although I seriously question the decision to have Johnson sing a version of Louis Armstrong's "Wonderful World" while accompanying himself on the ukulele.

I actually paid the extra amount to see this movie in 3-D hoping that at least I would get some eye candy out of it, but I needn't have bothered. Apart from having some cherries bounce off of Johnson's pecs, the third dimension adds nothing to the second.

The ending hints at another sequel, possibly in space this time. I know that I for one won't be lining up to see it.

Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Hutcherson in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island may as well have been called Journey to CGI Island.  Other than a couple of sets and a few scenes filmed outside in Hawaii, most of this movie is animated.   The helicopter, the Nautilus, the creatures, the storm and most of the Island was all created on a computer screen.   And that includes those peck popping cherries as well.  CGI has its place in movies, but it eliminates the sense of discovery and adventure.  None of the CGI is at all convincing. 

Scott mentioned the flaw in the history of the Islands 140 year cycle and how the exotic animals and vegetation keep coming back every time it rises back up above water.  Another flaw is that when the island sinks, it does so by breaking apart.  How have those thousand year old buildings survived every destructive sinking and rising?  None of this makes sense, but the entire film has ridiculous plot holes so it hardly makes a difference.

The biggest WTF scene for me was when Johnson and Hutcherson dive off the cliff, swim very deep into the ocean, find the Nautilus, open it's hatch and enter the submarine without flooding it in any way.  With a quick glance at the controls, they know exactly how to charge the batteries, start it up and drive it.  How they then collect their other three companions is likewise illogical.

As Scott also wrote, this is intended for children who will likely not question the ridiculousness of it all.  For adults however, this is as intellectual as an episode of "SpongeBob SquarePants."  The one and only scene I found amusing was when Hutcherson and Hudgens are about to share a "G" rated romantic scene and Johnson whispers to Hutcherson to, "Pop your pecs."   

Scott liked and wanted more between Johnson and Cain.  I however, thought the film could have worked if it had been able to create more of a storyline between Johnson and Hutcherson.  The films story arc is supposed to be them bonding during an adventure, but it generates zero emotion.  It almost suggests a moment when Hutcherson tells Johnson to, "Come back."  as people in his life do not always do that.  That should have preceded a scene where Johnson almost does not.  It could have created a real moment with some genuine emotion. 

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is content to merely settle for lots and lots of CGI animation.  If as much effort was put into the writing as the especial effects, this could have been a decent film.  As it is, it is almost as unwatchable as it is pointless.

Photos © Copyright New Line Cinema (2012)

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

: Dwayne Johnson leads the search for the legendary "Mysterious Island" in this sequel to "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

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About this movie.

Dwayne Johnson leads the search for a mysterious island filled with incredible wonders -- and unimaginable dangers -- in this sequel to "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Cast and Crew

Starring: Dwayne Johnson , Michael Caine , Josh Hutcherson , Vanessa Hudgens , Luis Guzmán , Kristin Davis

Find Iconic Entertainment for Every Mood

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)

Sean Anderson partners with his mom’s boyfriend on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.

Genre: Action , Adventure , Science Fiction

Actor: Anna Colwell Branscombe Richmond Dwayne Johnson Josh Hutcherson Kristin Davis Luis Guzmán Michael Caine Stephen Caudill Vanessa Hudgens Walter Bankson

Director: Anna Rane , Boyd Shermis , Brad Peyton , John Hockridge

Country: USA

Duration: 94 min

Quality: HD

Release: 2012

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10 Best Movies Based On Jules Verne Books, Ranked

• Jules Verne's work has inspired numerous movie adaptations and is the foundation for some of the earliest science fiction films.
• Some Jules Verne adaptations are entertaining and enjoyable, while others are outdated and not required viewing.
• The film "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (2008) successfully updates Verne's classic story with modern special effects and remains fun to watch.

Jules Verne is undoubtedly one of the most prominent authors in science fiction , and its no wonder that his works have inspired countless movie adaptations. One of the most translated writers in human history, the French author has written legendary tales like 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Around the World in 80 Days . Verne's daring imagination put him far ahead of his time, and it's no surprise that movie studios have sought to replicate his sense of wonder with multiple live-action adaptations of Jules Verne stories .

Jules Verne's work has become the foundation for some of the earliest films in the science fiction genre , some of which even hold up today remarkably well as enjoyable, adventurous romps through the imagination. The mid-to-late 2000s saw a resurgence of Jules Verne films as well, to varying degrees of success, with studios hoping to recapture the joy and nostalgia of the earliest films to adapt Verne's books for a new generation. With so many familiar titles, it's a difficult task to distinguish the very best depictions of Jules Verne's novels over the years.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth

An easily-overlooked made-for-TV movie, the two-part Journey to the Center of the Earth special was a solid attempt at getting to the center of what made Verne's original story so memorable. The film is decidedly slow-moving and low-budgeted, with some creature effects occasionally bordering the precipice of acceptable for a shoestring budget, but the C-List actors can often bring in decent performances amid the campy set-dressing. Despite it's many flaws, the two-part film is an entertaining, knowingly campy jog through Verne's beloved tale of subterranean exploration.

Master Of The World

Master of the World is the sole film to adapt Jules Verne's novel of the same name, and when compared to his other, more well-known stories, it's easy to see why. The narrative of a rich maniac dedicated to the idea of threatening the world's governments into laying down their arms isn't quite as whimsical as Verne's other premises. As for the film, despite rich talent from the likes of a young Charles Bronson and the legendary Vincent Price , the special effects are especially outdated, even for the time period . Master of the World is fun, but not required viewing.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Journey 2: the mysterious island.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is the follow-up to 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth. The film takes place four years after the original, showing Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson teaming up with Hank, his stepfather, to find his lost grandfather. Due to scheduling issues, Brendan Fraser wasn't able to return as Trevor Anderson but was replaced by Dwayne Johnson as the film's lead.

Release Date 2012-02-12

Director Brad Peyton

Cast Josh Hutcherson, Michael Caine, Vanessa Hudgens, Dwayne Johnson

This semi-adaptation picks up where 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth left off, replacing Brendan Fraser with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. As the passable action adventure delves into the incredible isle, the tone rides a strange line, at once too scary for younger viewers and too subdued for older ones. Amid mediocre CGI and all-too subdued performances, the best thing that can be said about Journey 2: The Mysterious Island was how it pioneered the art of throwing Johnson into a jungle, later done better in films like Jungle Cruise and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle .

Around The World In 80 Days

Though the idea of circumnavigating the globe in the span of 80 days is now a triviality, in Verne's time, such a time was the stuff of science fiction. The 1956 take on the story is an incredibly grand adventure comedy with a runtime that feels nearly as long as the titular journey itself. The international cast is crammed with stars of Hollywood's Golden Age , who had enough charisma between them to earn the film an early Academy Award for Best Picture. Today, the spectacle and aged humor can be best appreciated as a museum of 50s stardom.

Starring a young Josh Hutcherson and Brendan Fraser, still hot off the success of The Mummy trilogy , 2008's Journey To The Center Of The Earth had all the makings of an action-adventure hit. Being the first to truly update one of Verne's classic stories with modern special effects, the film still looks great 15 years later, even if it is marred by several obvious moments clearly meant to be enjoyed in the context of a 3-D theater. Adapting the classic adventure about as well as it could have, Journey To The Center Of The Earth isn't revolutionary, but undeniably fun.

While most adaptations of Verne's work make at least some departures from the source material, 2004's Around The World In 80 Days completely re-imagines the story as a raucous action-comedy. Though critically-panned at the time, the film is endlessly re-watchable today , with eye-popping action choreography courtesy of Jackie Chan's Passepartout and deadpan comedic timing from Steve Coogan's Phineas Fogg. If the anachronisms and deviations from Verne's novel can be forgiven, Around The World In 80 Days is a creative globe-trotting adventure that doesn't get the respect it deserves.

There's simply no replicating the cheesy fun of the original Journey To The Center Of The Earth , an earnest science fiction adventure movie that wears its heart on its sleeve. The special effects are certainly dated, but it's hard not to wring a certain level of charm out of the delicately hand-painted backgrounds and practical lizardman costumes. Beyond the addition of the deliciously dastardly villain, Count Saknussemm, the film is also one of the most faithful to Verne's work, a commendable effort in and of itself.

The Mysterious Island

The Mysterious Island is one of Jules Verne's lesser-known stories, but the 1961 film of the same name takes every advantage of the novel's conceits. Following a group of Union soldiers in the Civil War who escape prison in a hot air balloon only to wash up on a bizarre uncharted island, the film's sense of tension only ever dials up, as the heroes contend with grimy human pirates and giant fauna rendered by the talent of stop-motion legend Ray Harryhausen . Not the deepest narrative, this thrilling tale of danger holds up decades later remarkably well as a harrowing odyssey.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

One of Disney's earliest forays into live-action storytelling, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea presented the aquatic crew of the Nautilus with untold dangers then-undreamed of by 50s audiences. Beyond the great creature and sci-fi technology designs that still hold up today, the film offers substantially more heart than most other Verne adaptations, taking the time to acclimate the viewer with its intrepid adventurers. It's no wonder that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was influential enough to earn a spot as a Disneyland mainstay even seven decades after its original release.

A Trip To The Moon

It's only fitting that the world's first science fiction movie sprung from the mind of one of the genre's most influential authors. Presenting early audiences with a dizzying idea of space travel long before the first astronaut was born, A Trip To The Moon 's hypnotic, almost feverish visuals and brisk 14-minute run time assaults the imagination with a yet-unmatched spectacle of dreamlike reality. From the Moon's incredulous face to the dancing insectoid aliens that vanish in a literal puff of smoke, A Trip To The Moon is by far the most influential science fiction film courtesy of Jules Verne.

Sick at home and bored out of your mind? Here are five films and shows that will get you through

Like clockwork, the cooling winter temperatures have brought about their fair share of sickness , leaving many Australians stuck in bed with nothing but a sore throat to keep them company

Before you start re-watching that show you've seen 1,000 times , may the smart and handsome people of ABC Entertainment suggest the following media — guaranteed to distract you from the fact one of your nostrils is stuffed and the other one won't stop running.

Documentary Now! — iview

Do you find it impossible to waste time, even when you are in the throes of what feels like scarlet fever? Then Documentary Now! might just be the sickness watch for you. The acclaimed mockumentary series is the perfect show for when you crave that sense of accomplishment, but you actually haven't learned a goddamn thing.

The premise is simple: over four seasons, Helen Mirren introduces you to 20 minutes of madcap fake documentary that is a spoof of a famous real documentary. And no, you don't have to have seen the real thing to enjoy the satire.

For example, I have never seen 90s US political doc The War Room (I am simply too pretty), but I have had multiple hacking laughs at Bill Hader as paunchy political 'mastermind' Teddy Redbones, muttering "Go for the jugular, fat man" at his electoral candidate.

Hader and co-creator Fred Armisen are in a huge chunk of episodes doing character work that blows their SNL days out of the water. All you have to do is choose what topic your sickly little heart is craving.

Like Talking Heads? Then you're gonna love season two highlight Final Transmission, which might actually have music as good as Stop Making Sense. (No-one tell David Byrne I said that.) Or if you're more of a Herzog fan, then you should dive into two-part episode Soldier of Illusion (season four), where Alexander Skarsgård embodies the existentialist's steely demeanour while directing an episode of CBS's hottest new reality series, Bachelor Nanny.

No matter where you land in Documentary Now's four seasons, something will take you away from the couch (figuratively). It also comes with the added bonus of being able to tell your insufferable coworker that you actually got through a lot of documentaries while recovering, thanks for asking.

— Velvet Winter

Loudermilk — Netflix

Sam Loudermilk (Ron Livingston) is a former music critic and an alcoholic who has a chip on his shoulder about just about everything.

He leads a drug and alcohol recovery group in his home city of Seattle, and his deeply flawed but generally well-meaning way of going about life makes him an interesting kind of anti-hero.

Loudermilk, which ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2020, is packed with narratives that are easy to follow, if often a little outlandish, and while there aren't a lot of truly hilarious moments, it's light and funny enough to make for easy watching.

It essentially looks and feels like a sequel to the 2000 film adaptation of High Fidelity, complete with a hefty handful of music nerd references. So if that's the kind of thing that soothes you in times of ill-health, this under-discovered little show will get you through nicely.

— Dan Condon

Little Women (1994) — Prime

When I'm home sick, I always reach for something from my childhood that'll immediately take me back to the days when my parents would lovingly administer chicken soup until I was on the mend (curse you adulthood! Now I have to make my own chicken soup and it's not the same!).

So that's why I find myself frequently re-watching the 1994 version of Little Women, directed by Australian Gillian Armstrong and starring Winona Ryder (Jo), Claire Danes (Beth), Kirsten Dunst (young Amy), Christian Bale (Laurie) and Susan bloody Sarandon (Marmee).

I know everyone was besotted with Greta Gerwig's 2020 version of the Louisa May Alcott classic but, to me, Ryder IS Jo March.

This version is just so hygge, so lived in, I can almost smell the roast the March family gives up to the poverty-stricken Hummel family, the burn of Meg's (Trini Alvarado) curls at Jo's clumsy hands, and Laurie's desperation to win the headstrong second-born March's heart.

I can feel the sharpness of the ice that Amy falls through after burning Jo's manuscript (tbh, deserved it) and the burn of the cuts on her hands administered by the draconian school teacher.

"Your one beauty!", delivered by Amy after Jo cuts off her hair, will always be an iconic line. Don't even get me started on when Beth (spoiler alert) finally carks it; I have not recovered.

All of this, through any sick stupor, wakes me up and invigorates me! That IS cinema.

— Hannah Reich

The Hunger Games — Netflix

For those who were too young, too old, or too in their insufferably snobby early 20s (me) to watch The Hunger Games when the film came out in 2012, our story begins in a dystopian future, in the totalitarian country of Panem.

Every year, two young people from each of the country's 12 downtrodden districts are selected to compete in the titular games: a televised competition where the teenagers quite literally fight to the, oft gruesome, death. The wealthy elite in the Capitol — whose own children don't have to compete — watch on with glee, betting on who will be the victor.

In the year of the first movie, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, with an irresistible tomboyish spark), voluntarily takes the place of her younger sister. Competing against teens who have been training for this their whole lives, Katniss is almost certain to die. But we soon find out she's made of tougher stuff than we thought…

Perhaps it was the excitement of getting into a hugely popular franchise years and years late, but when I finally was so sick I decided to give it a go, I found the film full of edge-of-your-seat thrills, impressive fight sequences, dark twists, delicious bad guys (vale Donald Sutherland) and high camp fashion (worn by the Capitol voyeurs, led by a flamboyant Elizabeth Banks). Not to mention a badass protagonist with an enviable braid, fighting against injustice/capitalism/fascism/colonialism and maybe capturing some hearts as she goes.

Of course, The Hunger Games and ensuing titles were first books, by Suzanne Collins, and I'm told they're a lot of fun. But the films are a great option if you feel too sick or tired to sit up and use brain.

Most of all, The Hunger Games is one of four films in the franchise, plus a prequel film . And when you're stuck in bed, unable to leave your room for an interminable stretch of time, this is key. I watched one film each day, usually making myself wait until the afternoon, and I found myself excited to sit down and find out what happened next. Sweet structure!

— Katherine Smyrk

Severance — Apple TV+

Look, on paper, Severance is not an inherently comforting watch. It's a dark sci-fi workplace thriller with comedic moments, and it will have you wrapped around its little finger with the quality of its writing. 

It certainly isn't the most warm and cuddly offering, but whenever I sink deep into the couch of depression it's the most distracting and cathartic journey to get lost in.

The show follows company man Mark Scout (played by Parks and Recreation's Adam Scott), who works on the "severed" floor of mysterious megacorp Lumon. Workers on that floor are implanted with a chip that separates their work consciousness ("innie") from their life on the outside world ("outie"). The innies have no memories of their outies and vice versa. Dear reader, let me tell you that there is most certainly mystery afoot at Lumon, and the innies have to somehow connect to their outies to untangle the webs.

One thing that makes this show so comforting is the absolute pathos that Adam Scott brings to Mark Scout. Mourning the loss of his late wife, he's drawn to the severance procedure as a way to tune out from his depression and grief. Relatable!

Another notch on the comfy scale comes from the beautiful, genuine and childlike relationships that form on the severed floor. Because innies are effectively "born" when the severance procedure is completed, their workplace friendships are their first time being socialised. This leads to incredibly moving relationships, like the one between Christopher Walken's Burt Goodman and John Turturro's adorable Irving Bailiff. Also, the show is directed by Ben Stiller somehow. I don't know how we got here either, but I like it.

If you need to tune out for a bit and get lost in something other than your waking life, why not watch Mark Scout do the exact same thing on the severed floor of Lumon? At least that version has coveted finger traps and melon parties.

— James Brennan

• X (formerly Twitter)

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