JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (C-/A+/A)

Bottom Line: This movie – created specifically for my 7- and 5- year old boys (who both, again, hand out the A’s with the greatest of ease) – is nothing more than a lazily plotted mish-mash of spectacle, color and light. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson adds a much needed element of gravitas (with a tad of humor) – but, unfortunately, this mysterious land is a place where no idea is too big and any time spent on effectively executing said big idea is too small. The only thing these sudo-ambitious adventurers couldn’t find, apparently, was something for the adults to fully enjoy. If you’re looking to entertain the entire family – then JOURNEY two theaters down and catch the whales-trapped-in-ice movie BIG MIRACLE.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Michael Caine, Kristen Davis, Luis Guzman and Vanessa Hudgens
Directed by: Brad Peyton (CATS AND DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE)
Rated: PG
Running time: 94 minutes
Story: 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 the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever. (New Line Cinema)

Trailer: www.themysteriousisland.com