Original adventure movies, once a cash crop for Hollywood, seem like they’ve started to go by the wayside. IP dominance now reigns over Hollywood cinema, to the point where it seems like everything has to have some kind of tie-in. Films like the latestJumanjiorJungle Cruise– or anythingDwayne Johnsonis in, seemingly – are perfect examples of this trend. For studios and audiences alike, there was once a franchise that people seemingly enjoyed, that was relatively fresh, had a few stars, and even had an IP tie-in, but that franchise fell off the face of the earth. TheJourney to the Center of the Earthfilms, especially the first one starringBrendan FraserandJosh Hutcherson, were fun films that people generally enjoyed, and made a solid chunk of money on a budget that today we would consider pretty small. Yet, we haven’t heard a peep about this franchise returning in any form, at a time when we have hadextended universes to films likeWonder, a fine film, but a weird choice to make a franchise out of. Why hasn’tJourney to the Center of the Earthgotten the same treatment?
Journey to the Center of the Earth
On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.
When Did Hollywood Start Making Adventure Movies?
The history ofadventure moviesdates back to the beginning of cinema as a whole.George Meiles’A Trip to the Moon, one of the most popular and revered silent films ever made, is a perfect example of that, and we can trace that line to films likeGunga Din, theZorroserials, all the way toIndiana JonesandThe Mummy. You could even argue films like theLord of the Ringsfranchise would not exist without the groundwork adventure films laid for them to build on.
With that in mind, there’s a lot to like in your standard adventure film. Traipsing through far-off places,hunting for lost treasures, fighting incredible monsters, and doing that all with a fast-paced script and fun performances from major Hollywood stars. It’s perfect popcorn fun.Journey to the Center of the Earthticks many of those boxes. The setting (the center of the earth) is fun, and makes for many great setpieces throughout the film such as the falling sequence in the beginning, the massive underground caves and waterfalls, and the eventual geyser finale. The variety of locations contributes a lot to the globe-trotting feeling as well. The Iceland sequences in particular give a unique feel to the opening act of the film, very dreary and rainy, contrasted by the fantastic visuals we see later on.
The 10 Best Adventure Movies That Expertly Blend Genres
These adventure movies go above and beyond in terms of drawing influence from different genres.
In terms of performances, Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson deliver their usual standard of quality. They don’t really have to do much besides just inhabit the generic adventure film pairing of a man with his son/nephew/sidekick facing incredible things, but they do that very well. And for the studios' sake, the tie-in to the work ofJules Vernedoesn’t hurt either, providing a known quantity to the film that gives it a level of recognition beyond just the stars themselves.
Why Should We Reboot ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’?
IsJourney to the Center of the Earthhigh art? No. I wouldn’t even say it’s one of the better adventure films, especially compared to the originalIndiana Jonestrilogy or, a more non-traditional choice likeO Brother, Where Art Thou?But it is a pretty fun time at the movies, and that is something that we don’t see much of anymore, unfortunately. This is not to say that movies are worse now, that will never be true. The art of cinema is always expanding to new places, producing new filmmakers capable of things we haven’t seen yet, and the old masters are still making incredible films. The fact that we can see a great movie from an emerging filmmaker such asEmma Seligmannwhile also getting films from veterans likeSofia Coppola,is really something we should appreciate.
That being said, walking into your local movie theater nowadays can be a pretty disillusioning experience. You will mostly encounter IP films that we all know are becoming cookie-cutter drivel that you need to watch 8 movies and 17 shows to understand, maybe a few films that are actually interesting, and then just some of the most forgettable stuff you’ll ever see. The answer to this is not to make every movie a 3-hour auteur-driven film, but rather allow a space for filmmakers to make something fun. Make a genre movie.
What makesJourney to the Center of the Earthan interesting film to pull from the archives, is that you see an opportunity for a filmmaker to try something, to work with crazy special effects and locations, and make something that knows what it is, but does it well. To me, it possesses an awareness of its roots and doesn’t shy away from that. And why should it? It is part of a lineage of film history that dates back to the foundations of the genre, and features entries that are some of the most iconic and well-made movies ever made.
Why Haven’t We Gotten a ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ Reboot Yet?
With this in mind, why haven’t we seen a return to this franchise? We can only really wonder, as the hard facts sway towards another film, at least in the immediate aftermath of the sequel,Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Swapping out Fraser with Dwayne Johnson, addingMichael Caine, and new setpieces, the filmoutperformed the original at the box office. With an obvious sequel setup at the end, another film seemed to be in order, but the well has dried up. However, that was at a very different time in Hollywood.
Smaller, more genre-focused films likeThe MenuorEvil Dead: Risehave been some of the more successful Hollywood films in recent memory in terms of actually turning a profit, and maintaining a level of cultural relevance. Slowly but surely, we are seeing theresurrection of the mid-budget movie, and revivingJourney to the Center of the Earthin that style of filmmaking could be something fascinating. Genre films have historically been a place where some of the greatest filmmakers have honed their craft.Jonathan Demme,James Cameron, and evenMartin Scorseseall attribute their time under genre kingpinRoger Cormanto being instrumental in their film careers. Reviving this franchise could be more than just another adventure, it could be giving someone a chance to really learn something, and shoot their career light years ahead. That is something we desperately need more of in the film industry. For studios, audiences, and filmmakers alike, giving this franchise another shot could be just what the doctor ordered.
Journey to the Center of the Earthis available to stream on Max in the U.S.
