Sunday Afternoon Movie: Journey 2 The Mysterious Island (2012)

New films don’t often grace the pages of the Sunday Afternoon Movie, but rules are meant to be broken and after a lovely BBQ outside in the scorching weather a clean cut adventure movie seemed like the right way to round off a relaxing Sunday.

The first Journey took us to the centre of the earth and our hero was Brendan Fraser, four years on Fraser’s out and The Rock is in with a bearded eccentric Michael Caine along for the ride.

Original star Josh Huterson (The Hunger Games) reprises his role as Sean Anderson, Luis Guzman and Vanessa Hudgens are the father and daughter trapped on the island with them after their helicopter crash lands.

I have been a life long Jules Verne fan, there are only a handful of authors capable of stirring the imagination of audiences young and old. For me it’s Verne, Roald Dahl and H,G Welles as the trinity of writers that filled my young mind with daring adventures and magical wonder.

Dwayne Johnson and Michael Caine sounds like the strangest double act in movie history, there’s no reason why it should work. The two alpha males bounce off each other with playful banter and PG rated put downs, so effective is their chemistry that I want to see them cast together again.

I’ll just throw the idea of a former Navy Seal and a retired magician solving crimes on the mean streets of L.A (or a small Devonshire village).  Johnson is making quite the name for himself as the go to guy to boost a franchise, Fast Five was a series high at the box office and the delayed G.I Joe 2 will still be a big movie when it’s released next year.

The special effects are impressive and the set pieces are all well put together, Journey 2 is a family movie through and through, but the up for it cast and the Jules Verne laced adventure make it an enjoyable if brief 85 minute fast paced fun for all the family.

Journey 2 is out on DVD, Blu Ray and 3D Blu Ray May 28^th