It was the moment I had waited for since 3D was introduced at the cinema.
A genuine jump-out-of-your-skin scene which replicated what we found when we visited the theme parks in Florida ten years ago.
The brilliance of theme park 3D is that in makes it seem that film characters are right in the audience's face.
When we visited Orlando, this didn't exactly work to our advantage. Our kids were then 10 and 7 and both cried their eyes out.
Thus, I was left pondering what young film fans would have made of one particular scene in Journey 2. Suffice to say, it involved a giant creepy crawlie.
Critics have been rather sniffy about Brad Peyton's movie. But I reckon they're coming at it from the wrong angle.
Sure, it doesn't involve Shakespearean-style acting but what it lacks in polish, it makes up for in excitement.
The story is that a lad called Sean (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded message to say his grandfather (Michael Caine) has fulfilled a life-long ambition and has found Jules Verne's mysterious island.
Naturally, Josh wants to go see. His step-father (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) agrees but only if he goes along too.
How will they reach the island? In a helicopter, piloted by Luis Guzman and his daughter (Vanessa Hudgens).
Now excuse me but before we get into the ins and outs let me ridicule the idea that geeky Josh could be romantically entwined with Vanessa. She's much too pretty, lad. get back in your box.
Ok, now we've sorted that, let me explain that the island turns out to be a place when a volanco erupts gold lava and the sizes of the animals are back to front.
Thus, elephants and sharks are tiny while spiders, centipedes and bees are not.
It's a fantasy of literally huge proportions and is great fun.
And the feeling of joy is certainly helped by the beaming faces of The Rock (I really want to know he is as cheery in real life as he is on screen) and Caine (who's up for an adventure!).
I am also delighted to report that, for once, the 3D really did work. Apart from that one stand-out scene, there are bags of incidences where it is well used.
So, I would recommend this as cracking family fun (although make sure the kids are up to the scares) and would also suggest watching the 3D rather than the 2D offering (when was the last time that happened?).
Laughs: a couple of sniggers
Jumps: three, including one belter
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8/10
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