Poster art for "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island."

Gifts + Promos

Fandango Gift Card

Give the gift of movies with Fandango Bucks Gift Certificates! Design your own gift card, or choose from our collection.

Rock of Ages GWP

Buy Rock of Ages tickets to any Regal Theater Showing & receive a FREE song download!

Madagascar 3 Sweeps

Enter for a chance to win a wild family getaway to San Diego!

Need Help?
So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 41 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
8 OK for kids 8+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    The movie flies by pleasantly, and is then instantly forgettable. Perhaps Jules Verne can explain the science of that. Read full review

  • 63
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    This is transcendently goofy. It isn't a "good" movie in the usual sense (or most senses), but it is jolly and good-natured, and Michael Caine and Dwayne Johnson are among the most likable of actors. Read full review

  • 63
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    It's a thoroughly family-friendly film, with a subtle message about the importance of father figures. Don't expect anything resembling believability, but enjoy the blend of strikingly colorful visuals and banter between odd couple Johnson and Caine, which combine for a mild escapist treat. Read full review

  • 60
    New York Daily News | Joe Neumaier

    If there's a book-loving adventuress or adventurer in your house younger than 10, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island provides a lighthearted break from the death-obsessed "Harry Potter" franchise and other literary but limp adventures like the "Narnia" films and "The Lightning Thief." Read full review

  • 60
    Empire |

    Massively throwaway, but funnier and more likable than the first entry. Mainly that's due to an A-list pairing that's as inspired as it is demented. Read full review

  • 60
    Variety |

    A fun though rarely funny family adventure whose lively special effects compensate somewhat for actors who largely sleepwalk through their roles. Read full review

  • 50
    The Hollywood Reporter |

    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. Read full review

  • 50
    Arizona Republic |

    The look of the film is impressive, as are the effects. Overall, however, it's a big, loud, 3-D-drenched jumble. Read full review

  • 50
    The New York Times | Neil Genzlinger

    This kind of movie is all about the special effects. They start out great - cool helicopter crash, very convincing giant lizard - but grow more amateurish as the film goes along, with a flight sequence on giant bees proving particularly clunky. Read full review

  • 40
    Village Voice | Melissa Anderson

    The film is endurable owing solely to Johnson, a veteran of bad kids' movies whose sense of when to dial up the charm in such a generic, soulless entertainment remains impeccable. Read full review

View more reviews for Journey 2: The Mysterious Island on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 8+ Adventure sequel is clunky but has positive role models.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is the sequel to 2008's entertaining Journey to the Center of the Earth. The Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson is the sole returning cast member, but the tone is very similar to the original. Overall, it's a family-friendly adventure -- albeit one with frequent tense chases, monster attacks, and a somewhat scary helicopter crash (some of which is a bit more intense in the movie's 3-D version). There's also flirting and a kiss between the two main teen characters, and co-star Vanessa Hudgens is often shown wearing a tight, cleavage-enhancing tank top. Expect some gross-out humor, as well as potty talk and very sporadic mild language ("ass," "hell," etc.). This is no cinematic classic, but it is bright and cheerful and has positive characters, including fatherly role models. 
  • Families can talk about Journey 2's violence and scary stuff. How does its fantasy nature affect its impact? How do the movie's intense experiences affect Sean and his step-dad's relationship?
  • How does the movie portray families? How does that message/depiction compare to what you've seen in other movies and TV shows?
  • How does the movie portray fathers? There's a theme of "missing dads," but there are also great dad characters here. What's the take-away?
  • The first Journey movie was an adaptation of a Jules Verne novel; this movie's title also cites a Verne book but isn't a direct adaptation. What other books does it remind you of? Are there any you'd like to read after watching the movie?
The good stuff
  • educationalvalue true0 Educational value: The movie is intended to entertain rather than educate.
  • message true3 Positive messages: Families work hard to stick together and stand by each other, even if that requires making sacrifices. Teens learn to understand and respect their parents and guardians. Together, and by using teamwork, the group is able to overcome many giant-sized challenges.
  • rolemodels true3 Positive role models: The movie's two father figures are both positive role models. Neither is perfect -- they have moments of bull-headedness, cowardice, and other flaws -- but they're completely devoted to their kids and will never give up, even if that means making sacrifices or facing fears. A young woman shows that she can take care of herself.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence and scariness: Giant monsters roar and chase the main characters; many of those chases end up with the creatures getting smushed and crunched. There's a somewhat scary helicopter crash scene and some "gross out" scenes as well.
  • sex false2 Sexy stuff: Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) is shown in slow-motion letting down her hair and removing a button-up shirt to reveal a tight-fitting tank top. Her cleavage is sometimes visible. She and Sean often argue in a flirty way, and there's a kiss at the end.
  • language false2 Language: Sporadic use of potty talk and mild language -- mostly during loud chase scenes -- as well as insults; words include "hell," "oh my God," "ass," "piss,'' "poop," and ''crap."
  • consumerism false1 Consumerism: Sean opens and drinks from a Coca-Cola in an early scene. The label isn't clearly on view, but the bottle's shape and color are unmistakable.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue except for a quick, humorous line of dialogue: "What were you drinking?"
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

Looking for more reviews? Movies.com Critics Say:

Dave White

2.0

Dave White Profile See Dave White's Profile

For the record, it should be spelled "t-o." Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

Read more movie reviews at Movies.com

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Movie Ratings + Reviews

Fans say

Go 682 fan reviews

Critics say

So-so See all critic reviews

Facebook Movie Fans

Fan Fandango on Facebook

Exclusive Features

BTS In Hawaii with Dwayne Johnson and the Cast The mysterious island may just be Oahu, but the set offered it’s own challenges—fiberglass flowers and huge bees. Exclusive Cast Interview The Rock talks about bringing the movie to Hawaii where he grew up while Josh Hutcherson talks about returning to the franchise. Also, The Rock pec-pops some fruit and the cast attempts to play the ukelele.