Review: "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island"

Ok, I'll admit it. I don't watch wrestling and when I saw Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in"'The Mummy" sequel, my thoughts were "whose this clown?". However, time as soothed my opinion and after seeing "Fast Five", "Faster" and now "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" I have to admit - I quite like this guy. What's important is that he doesn't take himself too seriously and is actually quite funny. Sure, hes got a chest that's bigger than my TV and arms bigger than my legs, but with tongue firmly in cheek, he manages to pull off this acting malarkey once more (take note "Stonecold" Steve Austin) which makes me wonder why he wasn't asked to do a part in "The Expendables".

"Journey 2" is a sequel based on the books by Jules Verne and has Sean Anderson returning from the first movie to decipher messages, fly on huge bees, avoid giant ants and bees and generally have a "Goonies" type adventure on the newly discovered Mysterious Island. Verne references a plenty, this story is not exactly going to blow your mind (I certainly wouldn't pay to see it in 3-D), but with an odd comic pairing of Michael Caine and Dwayne Johnson, and the ever sexy Vanessa Hudgens as the love interest, this film once again is the kind you just switch your brain off to and enjoy.

Definitely one for the kids as they probably won't notice the worse thing about the movie - Luis Guzman over-the-top whiney performance. This for me grated on my skin and would have enjoyed the story a lot more if that character wasn't in it. Another let down was the lack of use of the Island itself. Seems like no sooner are they on it, then it starts to fall back into the sea, which is a shame because the premise is there for a whole bunch of giant spider attacks, strange abominations of nature as well as the volcano of gold. 5.5/10. Could have been more if Guzman wasn't in it, could have been less if I had paid to see it in 3-D. One for the kids and maybe for when its on TV one sleepy rainy Saturday afternoon.