There’s certainly nothing much here to frighten the children, although Johnson’s ukulele-accompanied rendition of “What a Wonderful World” might come close. The island is a rainbow-filled world where evolutionary anomalies abound but, as the band of adventurers skips from one supersized Survivor-like challenge to the next, one can’t help feeling the creative potential of Verne’s vision is wasted. The requisite male bonding ensues when Sean intercepts a coded distress signal which leads the pair to an uncharted island in the middle of the South Pacific and into the eccentric vortex of Sean’s adventurer grandfather, Alexander (Caine).Įqual and opposite attraction emerges in the form of the headstrong Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens), daughter of helicopter pilot Gabato ( Luis Guzmán, providing stale comic relief). Sean is now a rebellious 17-year-old and skeptical of the new father-figure chosen by his mom ( Kristen Davis). VIDEO:Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens and Dwayne Johnson Discover a ‘Mysterious Island’ in ‘Journey 2’ Trailer

In Journey, he was accompanied by his uncle (played by Brendan Fraser), but this time round a cheerily self-aware Johnson, as his Navy vet stepfather Hank, is the responsible adult on board. Josh Hutcherson, whose teen idol status is set to hit critical mass with his upcoming role in The Hunger Games, returns as intrepid young explorer Sean Anderson. The New Line and Contrafilm presentation, bowing in Australia January 19 before a global roll-out that reaches North America on February 10, can expect to at least equal the $250 million box office drawn by 2008’s Journey.

The targeted demographic, however, will gladly hop aboard for a cornball ride through colorful, often glaringly phony sets popping with miniature elephants, gold-spewing volcanoes and a monster-truck-sized lizard.įor the adults, there’s the edifying sight of Michael Caine astride a giant bee. Conor McGregor Brags That He's the Highest-Paid First-Time Action Star.