This action set piece over plot and characters sets the tone for the final reel of the film, where the subterranean realm is not really explored or discussed, but merely wandered through with no sense of awe. So while Indy’s dilemma seemed real and urgent, this CG-fest really is just an excuse to do a set of POV shots in 3D. But instead, after a cave-in, we are given a ‘bonus level’ set piece involving a runaway mine train taken straight out of Temple of Doom, only done on the cheap (and with CG). It’s actually nearly halfway through the film before we get to the centre of the earth, which is surprising as you would think that a flick like this would get down to the man eating plants, giant mushrooms and undergrounds monsters straight away. But really this film is about the effects, and as such the characters are secondary as the film moves from one set piece to another. The same can be said about Josh Hutcherson (who plays the nephew) and Anita Briem who plays Hannah the titular tour guide. And while you do get a bit of the goofy action hero, here it’s a bit underplayed and pretty vacant. Airheads was insane and fun, the original Mummy enjoyable and George of the Jungle is at times comedy genius. I have a lot of time for Brendan Frasier and have over the past decade enjoyed his movies.
That’s about the plot summed up, and then the actors phone in their parts. The action then moves to Iceland, where they team up with a very attractive pot-holer/guide/love interest/Lara Croft clone to get to the probe’s readings, and then get caught up in a storm/trapped in a avalanche. And – coincidence alert – one of his missing brother’s probes activates on the same afternoon. Fraser then picks up his brother’s lifes’ work and then, one day his messy academic life is interrupted by having his nephew staying with him (which involves a dangling and unexplained plot move about a move to Canada). Brendan Frasier plays a geologist whose brother goes missing a decade earlier doing field-work, investigating and probing into hidden ‘tubes’ in the earth.
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