where did they film journey 2 the mysterious island

Where Was Journey 2 The Mysterious Island Filmed?

Brad Peyton helmed the blockbuster adventure movie ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,’ the second installment in the Jules Verne-inspired ‘Journey’ series. Upon discovering a signal from Sean’s grandfather Alexander Anderson, Sean and his stepdad, Hank, set out for a sprawling adventure filled with lush greenery and uncanny creatures. They arrive in the far-flung island country of Palau, regroup with Alexander thanks to a cyclone, and embark on a search for the lost city of Atlantis.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson delivers a hilarious performance alongside Michael Caine , Luis Guzmán, Vanessa Hudgens , and Josh Hutcherson. Most of the story unveils in the turbulent pacific, while the finale takes place on a dreamy island. However, you may seek to identify the locations where the movie was filmed. If that is the case, let us divulge before you everything we know.

Journey 2 The Mysterious Island Filming Locations

‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ was filmed in locations in and around the U.S., especially in Hawaii. Filming commenced on October 25, 2010, and was wrapped up by December 15 of the same year. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was filmed!

O’ahu, Hawaii

Most parts of the movie were filmed in Hawaii, possibly including the Atlantis scenes. The director took his team to Kualoa Ranch, a 4,000-acre vast nature reserve, event venue, cattle ranch, and most importantly, a famous filming destination in Hawaii. Situated at 49560 Kamehameha Highway in the community of Ka’a’awa, at around 24 miles from Honolulu, the ranch is a popular tourist destination in the city.

The reserve has been home to more than 79 movie productions, including blockbusters such as ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘ 50 First Dates ,’ and ‘Pearl Harbor.’ Look for the scene where they are heading towards the submarine, at around 46 minutes mark. You can locate the open space where filming of ‘ Jurassic Park ‘ took place.

Several scenes were also filmed at the Waimea Bay and its adjacent Waimea Bay Beach Park, located at 61-31 Kamehameha Highway in the community of Haleiwa along the north shore of O’ahu. Due to its situation at the mouth of the Waimea River and the proximity of several tourist places, Waimea Bay sees footfall all around the year. In the summer, you can go out surfing, while in the winter, you can enjoy the view of the towering waves with a bonfire.

Wilmington, North Carolina

The production team carried out several scenes in a controlled studio environment. The movie presumably contains several CGI-aided sequences, and the scenes were possibly developed in a full-service production facility in the community of Wilmington off the coast of North Carolina. EUE / Screen Gems Studios, a movie production facility located at 1223 North 23rd Street, lent its premises to film scenes.

The 50-acre expansive studio facility features ten fully equipped soundstages and a back-lot to tackle any global-scale production. Since its inception in 1985, more than 400 titles have come out of the studio. Movies filmed in the studio include blockbusters such as ‘ The Conjuring ‘ and ‘Iron Man 3.’ ‘Iron Man 3’ was one of the most significant projects the studio had ever seen, with filming taking place in all the ten soundstages simultaneously.

New York City, New York

Lastly, a few scenes at the movie’s beginning were filmed on location in New York City. New York City remains one of the most iconic places to shoot a film due to the city’s cultural significance. From Martin Scorsese’s ‘ Taxi Driver ‘ to Woody Allen ‘s ‘ Manhattan ,’ the towering landscape of New York City has been featured in timeless classics.

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Where was Journey 2: The Mysterious Island filmed?

City locations.

K'a'awa (USA), O'ahu (USA), New York (USA), Wilmington (USA)

Location Types

Ranch, Film Studio, Unusual

Location Styles

Beachfront, Tropical, Muscle, Helicopter Style, Sail

About Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is an exciting and thrilling adventure movie that follows the story of Sean Anderson, a teenager who teams up with his mom’s husband in order to find his missing grandfather on a mythical island. In their search, they embark on a mesmerizing journey filled with unexpected twists and turns that take them across breathtaking landscapes and unimaginable creatures.

Along the way, they also face trying circumstances that call for courage, problem-solving, and collaboration. The mysterious island they find themselves on proves to be full of surprises as they discover secrets that help them make it out alive.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island features a star-studded cast including Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Luis Guzmán, Michael Caine, Vanessa Hudgens, and Kristin Davis. It’s the follow-up to Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008), which was written by Richard Outten, Brian Gunn, and Mark Gunn.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Locations

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island was primarily filmed in Honolulu, Hawaii, home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The picturesque coasts and sweeping landscapes of Oahu provided an awe-inspiring backdrop for the film's scenes. From Diamond Head to Hanauma Bay, Honolulu is a perfect place to bring classic literature, like Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, to life onscreen. With its lush jungles and majestic waterfalls, viewers can practically feel as if they are part of the adventure.

A trip to visit locations from Journey 2: The Mysterious Island would be worthwhile for any fan of the film or avid explorer. From Waimanalo Beach Park where much of the movie was shot, to Nuuanu Pali Lookout which served as a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop for several scenes; there are plenty of sights and activities that will transport visitors back into the movie's setting.

Other popular filming locations include Laie Point State Wayside Park and Kualoa Ranch, both of which have appeared in other movies and television shows due to their stunning views. No matter what kind of traveler you might be, a visit to Oahu will be sure to impress you with its diverse landscape and rich culture, all captured beautifully in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.

An interesting fact about this movie is that it contains various elements from other Jules Verne works including Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea (1870) and Around The World In Eighty Days (1873). Moreover, there are references to other famous works like King Kong (1933), Star Trek (1966), and Clash Of The Titans (1981). By blending these references into one fantastic journey full of imagination and excitement, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is indeed an amazing cinematic experience!

Sean is arrested scene in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

New York City, New York, USA

Seventeen-year-old Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson), four years after his journey to the center of the earth, finds himself arrested for illegally accessing a satellite control center. He hopes to amplify a coded signal that may have originated from his grandfather, Alexander Anderson (Michael Caine), who has been missing for a long time.

Sean's new stepfather, Hank Parsons (Dwayne Johnson), tries to establish a connection with him by assisting in decoding the signal. This effort leads them to three books, namely, Gulliver's Travels, Treasure Island, and Jules Verne's Mysterious Island.

Situated on the east coast of the United States, New York City, also known as the Big Apple, is among the world's most iconic cities. It is also known as The Empire State and is celebrated for its rich culture, diversity, and history. The city currently houses more than 8 million inhabitants.

Amongst its numerous prominent landmarks is the Statue of Liberty, which France gifted the city as a symbol of democracy and liberty. The Empire State Building is another well-known structure, an imposing skyscraper that provides breathtaking views of the city from its observation deck.

Driving to New York is an option from nearby cities, with several highways that provide convenient access to the city. However, traffic congestion can be heavy at times, specifically during rush hour.

Another way to get to NYC is via train. Amtrak provides train service from other major cities in the United States, with the main train station being Penn Station, situated in Manhattan. Additionally, there are also regional train services including Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road.

Helicopter scene in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Waimea Bay Beach Park, 61-31 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI 96712, United States

Sean, his stepfather Hank, and helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzmán) search for a way to reach the mysterious island. As the trio explores the area, they come across a stunning waterfall that flows into a lagoon. Hank quickly realizes that the waterfall can power their helicopter, which is low on fuel. After charging the helicopter's battery, they continue with their journey.

Located on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii, Waimea Bay Beach Park is a truly stunning destination renowned for its crystal-clear waters, golden sand, and world-famous surfing competitions. Nestled amidst lush greenery, this beach park provides a tranquil and serene environment perfect for visitors seeking to revel in the beauty of Hawaii.

It's a popular spot for tourists and locals alike, offering a plethora of recreational activities and breathtaking natural scenery. Aside from surfing, visitors can relish other activities at Waimea Bay Beach Park such as swimming and snorkeling in clear waters teeming with marine life, hiking, picnicking, and sunbathing.

If you have a rental car or your vehicle, you can drive to 61-31 Kamehameha Hwy. Take the H-2 freeway north from Honolulu to Wahiawa and follow the signs to Kamehameha Highway. Turn left on Kamehameha Highway and continue for approximately 15 miles until you reach 61-31 Kamehameha Hwy in Haleiwa.

Riding through the lush forests scene in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744, United States

Sean, his stepfather, and pilot Gabato ride ATVs across the stunning landscape of Kualoa Ranch. As they navigate the lush forests and grassy plains, they come across a beautiful waterfall that Sean believes will lead them to the mysterious island they are searching for. They quickly dismount their ATVs and set off on foot, trekking through the jungle and climbing up steep cliffs.

Kualoa Ranch is a 4,000-acre private nature reserve situated on the northeastern side of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The ranch is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, offering numerous recreational activities and stunning natural scenery.

The ranch has been owned by the same family for over 160 years, and it’s served as a filming location for many popular movies and TV shows, including Jurassic Park, Lost, and Hawaii Five-O. Visitors can take guided tours of the ranch to see the filming locations and learn more about the rich history of the area.

If you have a rental car or your own vehicle, drive to 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy. Take the H-3 freeway east from Honolulu to Kaneohe and follow the signs to Kamehameha Highway. Turn right on Kamehameha Highway and continue for approximately 5 miles until you reach 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy.

Discovering the Island scene in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

EUE/Screen Gems Studios, 1223 N 23rd St, Wilmington, NC 28405, United States

Sean, his stepfather, and their guide Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) explore the island's mysteries. They are taken aback by the realization that the miniature elephants, which belong to the prehistoric Dwarf Sicilian Elephant species, coexist with giant butterflies, resulting in a significant contrast in animal sizes.

They stumble upon a clutch of eggs, but things get out of hand when Gabato unwittingly disturbs a massive frilled lizard, which gives chase and pursues them through the jungle.

EUE/Screen Gems Studios is a state-of-the-art film and television production facility located in Wilmington, North Carolina. The studio complex covers over 150 acres and includes more than 10 sound stages, numerous production offices, and post-production facilities.

Since opening its doors in 1984, EUE/Screen Gems Studios has played a vital role in the film and television industry, serving as a production hub for numerous blockbuster films and hit TV shows. The studio has been involved in the production of over 400 feature films, including Iron Man 3, The Conjuring, and A Walk to Remember, among many others.

If you are driving from downtown Wilmington, take N. 3rd Street towards the north for approximately 2 miles. Then, turn left onto N. 23rd Street and continue for about one mile. You will find 1223 N. 23rd Street on your left.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is an exciting action-adventure movie that follows Sean Anderson and his family as they embark on an epic quest to find Sean's grandfather. Filmed in two stunning locations, Honolulu, USA, and Oahu, Hawai'i, the movie showcases breathtaking visuals, from lush jungles to sandy beaches.

Along the way, the Andersons encounter a range of mysterious creatures, from giant lizards to a swarm of bees with metal stingers. Despite numerous obstacles thrown their way, they eventually reach the mystical island and discover a hidden world teeming with new life forms.

The movie serves as an incredible reminder that there are still many unexplored places on our planet that hold undiscovered secrets and wonders. With its thrilling action sequences and captivating visuals, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a great watch for anyone looking for an unforgettable journey!

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

• Sean Anderson partners with his mom's husband on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.
• Ever since his adventure in the center of the Earth, Sean Anderson has been looking for other places mentioned by Verne and other Vernians. He is notified about a coded message, and breaks into a satellite facility to fully receive it. With the help from his stepfather Hank (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) he decodes the message leading him to find the map that leads him to Verne's mysterious island. Along with Gabato and Kailani, Sean embarks on a mission to find his grandfather, the legendary Vernian Alexander. But unexpected problems arise as Alexander made a mistake that could change everything. — Anonymous User - Earth
• After travelling to the center of the Earth, Sean Anderson, now seventeen, has been at the usual teen schemes lately. His latest crime lands him to finding something extraordinary, a key to a chunk of land in the Pacific Ocean. Sean teams up with his stepfather, Hank, to get there, and they meet an overeager chopper pilot, and his teenage daughter, to get to Sean's grandfather, Alexander, only to discover the mysterious island.
• After going to the center of the Earth, seventeen-year-old Sean Andeson goes on a journey to find The Mysterious Island, a legend discovered by Jules Verne. Assisted by his stepfather, Hank, the pair team up with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful daughter to find Sean's lost grandfather, whom Sean believes is on the island. The team encounters monsters, witty remarks, and a deadly conflict along the way.
• A young male, his stepfather, and a pair of travel guides travel to an island that is not as it seems. Once they find out that the island is sinking, they do everything that they can to find a way off the island and get back home safely with the help of an experienced relative. — RECB3
• 17-year-old Sean Anderson receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. Unable to stop him from tracking the signal to its source, Sean's new stepfather, Hank, joins the quest that will take them first to the South Pacific, and then to a place few people have ever seen. Or lived to tell about. It's a place of stunning beauty, strange and threatening life forms, volcanoes, mountains of gold and more than one astonishing secret. Together with Gabato, the only helicopter pilot willing to risk the trip, and Gabato's beautiful, strong-willed daughter Kailani, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone human inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island underwater and bury its treasures forever.

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

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It has been four years since the events of the first movie. Seventeen-year-old Sean Anderson ( Josh Hutcherson ) is caught by the police after a brief chase on his dirtbike which ended with him driving into a swimming pool while trying to evade them. Minutes later, his stepfather Hank ( Dwayne Johnson ) arrives where a police officer (Stephen Caudill) who is friends with Hank tells him that Sean had broken into a remote satellite research center. The police officer also tells Hank that he has talked Mr. and Mrs. McGillicutty (the owners of the swimming pool) out of pressing charges. Hank takes Sean home where his mother Elizabeth ( Kristin Davis ) is not pleased with his actions or the fact that he and Hank don't get along well.

Hank discovers that Sean had broken into a satellite research center in order to boost the signal of a code he'd received from someone he suspects is Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather who had been missing for two years. Wanting to bond with his stepson the next day, Hank helps Sean decipher the code of Jules Verne characters which lead to three books: Treasure Island , Gulliver's Travels , and Verne's own Mysterious Island . Using the book's individual island maps, Hank suspects they are books of the same island and uses a back light in order to make them all one completed land mass with the coordinates to its location. Hank manages to convince Liz to let the both of them go in search of the island.

They arrive in Palau where their need of transportation to this dangerous part of the ocean attracts a Palauan helicopter tourism guide Gabato ( Luis Guzman ) and his daughter Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ) who Sean develops an immediate crush on. They agree to fly them out to the island for $3,000, but the helicopter gets caught in a category 5 hurricane and they crash into the Pacific, waking up on the island.

Crossing into the island, they discover one of the laws of the Mysterious Island that all animals big are small and all animals small are gigantic (inspiring Lilliput from Gulliver's Travels ). The crew find tiny elephants and giant butterflies, which are the first creatures they discover on the island. The group decided to explore further into the island.

After coming across a massive frill-necked lizard when they come across her egg clutch, they are rescued by Alexander ( Michael Caine ) who takes them to a large hut he'd built from the wreckage of the ship that brought him to the island called the Blue-Eyed Lucy. He has a radio, but due to the positioning of the communications satellite it would be two weeks before they could call for help.

The next morning, Alexander leads the group to the lost city of Atlantis which is usually submerged in the ocean and he also calculated that the island sinks once every 70 years. However, the sea water appearing from the ground is the evidence that Hank sees that leads him to prove that the calculations are wrong, and that the island will sink in a couple of days. Their only means of salvation seems to be the legendary Nautilus (Captain Nemo's submarine), hidden somewhere on the island. Kailani enters Nemo's crypt and finds his journal, which has the whereabouts of the ship in a cave at Poseidon's Cliffs. They decided to go to that cave through the heart of the island.

They mount giant bees in order to fly over a high ridge and make up time, but encounter large birds that try to devour the bees. After saving Kailani's life, Sean crashes and dislocates his ankle. Hank and Alexander later patch up Sean's ankle the best they can. Afterward, they have a good moment when Hank sings his rendition of "What a Wonderful World" to ease Sean's pain.

The next morning, the water has risen greatly and Hank deduces that the island will sink in a matter of hours, not days. Gabato is missing having gone toward the island's golden volcano (which was the inspiration for Treasure Island ) in search for the funds to give his daughter a better life. While Alexander and Kailani go after him, Sean and Hank head for Poseidon's Cliffs to look for the Nautilus. Alexander also finally calls Hank by his preferred name, as up to that point he only called him "Henry" and the family makes up.

To deal with the rising water after finding the Nautilus' cave underwater, Sean and Hank make makeshift oxygen tanks and dive down fifty feet in order to obtain the Nautilus and are nearly killed by a giant electric eel. They are unable to power the ship however because the vessel's batteries being 140 years old have run down. They find a way to power the submarine from the electric eel's electricity.

Meanwhile, Kailani and Alexander find Gabato and convince him to escape with them instead of trying for the golden volcano. They head toward the shore as the island begins to suddenly and violently rip itself apart. The golden volcano starts to erupt violently, pouring lava flows all over the area. Highly flammable lava bombs are thrown from the golden volcano into the air and suddenly land on the sinking island's debris. Sean and Hank use a harpoon to get an electrical jump start from the electric eel swarming around them and they are able to power the machine, just in time to pick up the others who had fallen into the water. Gabato pilots the submarine out of harm's way while Hank and Sean fire torpedoes into the path of falling island debris. As they clear the dangers, Kailani finally kisses Sean for his bravery.

Six months later, Kailani and Gabato are well off. Gabato is now running the most popular tourist attraction on Palau providing tours aboard the Nautilus and Kailani is attending college. Kailani goes to visit Sean on his birthday. While they are celebrating, Alexander shows up with a book for Sean's birthday present. Sean opens it to find Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon , Alexander's suggestion for the next adventure with the family to which Liz protests. Hank replies "What could possibly go wrong? It's only the moon!"

During the credits, the mini-elephants from the earlier scene are swimming underwater over Atlantis.

• Dwayne Johnson as Hank Parsons, Sean's stepfather and a former Navy code breaker.
• Michael Caine as Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather who is also the father of Max and Trevor Anderson.
• Josh Hutcherson as Sean Anderson, Hank's stepson who wants to find his missing grandfather on the Mysterious Island.
• Vanessa Hudgens as Kailani Laguatan, Sean's love interest who is part of the father-daughter tour guide team.
• Luis Guzman as Gabato Laguatan, Kailani's father, who is part of the father-daughter tour guide team.
• Kristin Davis as Elizabeth "Liz" Anderson-Parsons, Sean's mother.

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• 2 DreamWorks Home Entertainment/Gallery

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"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" looks like nothing so much as one of those live-action adventures that Disney used to grind out in the 1950s — and hey, here's Captain Nemo's Nautilus to prove it. Also, a tree house to humble "Swiss Family Robinson," which contains a short-wave radio that has been assembled from old spoons, I think I heard.

The movie is very, very loosely a sequel to " Journey to the Center of the Earth ," with only two connections: It's inspired by a Jules Verne novel, and it co-stars young Josh Hutcherson as the hero Sean. The film opens with him on a motorcycle and being chased by cops, but not to worry; all he did was break into a satellite-tracking station to boost the power on a message for help sent by his grandfather from a lost island in the Pacific.

Sean, whose father in the first film ( Brendan Fraser ) has disappeared (from the cast, anyway), now has to deal with Hank ( Dwayne Johnson , aka the Rock). Hank is his new stepdad. Josh and Hank make friends by decrypting grandfather's message; Hank glances at it and intuits that the two-syllable words stand for dots and one-syllable words stand for dashes, which means Grandpa has had enough free time on his remote island to figure out a way to make Morse code several times longer than it previously was. Unanswered is why grandfather would encrypt a call for help.

This Hank, what a swell guy. He proposes that the two of them fly off to the Pacific and find Grandpa. On arrival somewhere, they hire a tourist helicopter pilot named Gabato, played by Luis Guzman as another one of those low-comedy guys who gets all worked up and is scared of stuff. (I enjoyed a reprise of this classic shot: Gabato runs toward camera, falls on stomach, looks up …and up … and up.)

Gabato has a daughter named Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ), a Polynesian beauty who wears a tank top and Daisy Dukes throughout the film. These four fly off in the helicopter, are trapped in a Force Five hurricane that rips it to pieces and are lucky enough to find themselves alive on the beach of the Mysterious Island.

This is your complete island. It has an active volcano; waterfalls with no apparent water sources streaming down cliffs; elephants the size of dogs, and giant lizards that are nowhere big enough to account for the size of their eggs. (Josh falls through the shell of one, splashes in a pool of yolk and is attacked by an unborn lizard chick.) Also on the island is the lost city of Atlantis, even though it's in the wrong ocean, and bees so big Sean and Kailani can both ride on the back of one. And Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather, played by Michael Caine , who will not be editing this role into his videos about how to act in movies.

I hope you understand I enjoyed most of this stuff. The director, Brad Peyton , apparently intended it as a genial parody of countless other movies in this spirit. There is, for example, a scene were Sean, Grandpa, Kailani and Gabato all sit around the old campfire and listen while Hank strums a ukulele and sings "What a Wonderful World." And I mean he sings it: every word of three verses. It's not every day you see the Rock channeling Gene Autry.

Sean deduces that Verne's novel contains everything they need to know, and this comes in handy when the volcano explodes, and the island begins to sink into the sea. Sure enough, Captain Nemo's submarine is still hidden underwater. Hank and Sean, trusting Verne, dive off a high cliff, and while holding their breath and swimming underwater, are able to (1) find the sub, (2) open the hatch by tugging and twisting it, (3) swim inside, (4) push a lever to fill it with air, and (5) get the power generator working by jump-starting it with an electric eel.

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. Johnson is such a good sport, he even shows young Sean how to impress girls by flexing your pecs so quickly that nuts will ricochet off them. I can't think of any reason to pay extra for the 3-D.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Journey 2: Mysterious Island (2012)

Rated PG for some adventure action, and brief mild language

Josh Hutcherson as Sean

Dwayne Johnson as Hank

Vanessa Hudgens as Kailani

Michael Caine as Alexander

Luis Guzman as Gabato

Directed by

• Brad Peyton

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Journey 2 reveals the mysterious allure of islands

Jules Verne's works have much to offer the makers of CGI-prone, 3D-disposed kids' adventure flicks. The 2008 version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth did well enough at the box office, so a sequel was obligatory. We could have had Captain Nemo's submarine odyssey, the exploration of Africa from a balloon or a voyage to the moon by cannon-fired projectile. Instead, we get a trip to an island.

Even in Verne's day, this was considered a bit of a let-down. The author's publisher rejected the first version of what was to become The Mysterious Island with the reproach: "Where is the science?" To beef things up a bit, Verne got his adventurers blown off course while escaping from a war zone by balloon. Less thrillingly, the heroes of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island travel instead by downmarket tourist chopper.

Still, their destination is an island, and islands enjoy a special place in the human imagination. Those who can, including Marlon Brando, John Wayne and Mel Gibson, have insisted on actually owning one. Tiberius preferred to rule the Roman empire from Capri, while to create Nineteen Eighty-Four , Orwell felt obliged to maroon himself on Jura. A poet called Kimon Friar lived on 46 different islands ; a decorator called Andy Strangeway has slept on 162 ; a conservationist called Philip Conkling has visited a thousand .

The allure prompting such behaviour infected cinema from its beginnings. The first big-screen version of Verne's The Mysterious Island appeared in 1929, though the 1961 stop-motion animation is better remembered and the little-known Soviet version has its admirers. Island settings have sustained films as different as Jaws, South Pacific, The Wicker Man, Dr No and Il Postino, or more recently Mamma Mia!, Shutter Island and Archipelago.

Our preoccupation with islands goes back to classical times, while since the middle ages, both paradises and hell-holes have typically been envisaged on islands. This year, the BBC celebrates the 70th anniversary of its longest-running programme, Desert Island Discs , and Danny Boyle presents his Olympian extravaganza , entitled, fittingly enough, Isles of Wonder.

The role of islands in the human psyche has been much pondered , but the artefacts that they've inspired offer clues enough. Works such as The Tempest, Utopia, Gulliver's Travels, Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island and Lord of the Flies may seem very different, but they utilise the same obvious but distinct features of isolation.

Islands are necessarily extrinsic; but, unlike deserts, forests or mountain ranges, they're also peculiarly finite. This makes them theatres in which alternative worlds can readily take the stage.

Evolution makes this happen automatically, as Darwin discovered in the Galapagos . Journey 2: The Mysterious Island relies on Foster's rule , which asserts that island life-forms may get larger if cut off from predators or smaller if denied mainland nutrients. That's why Michael Caine is subjected to the indignity of having to ride on a giant bee. However, as in so many island fictions, human character also evolves.

Islands provide distance from familiar ways of thinking and invite or require reassessments. Visits to them, real or imaginary, can be as conceptually disruptive as any sojourn in the contrived landscapes of science fiction. They enable us, as one writer has it, "to know ourselves as distinct from those around us, and, in so doing, forge a more articulated relationship with the world" . So it is, sort of, in Journey 2.

The film's protagonists are peculiarly unappealing. As romantic leads, Josh Hutcherson and Vanessa Hudgens are both vacuous and unpleasant. Luis Guzmán is drearily gross and The Rock seems to have wandered in from another movie. The quartet's adventures are mechanically predictable. When we reach the bog-standard redemptive climax to which they're subjected, we might weep with weariness, but for one thing. It's that island locale. This makes the whole thing somehow work.

Journey 2 is based on the idea that Verne, Stevenson and Swift's books were rooted in fact; that they were prompted by rumours of an uncharted island that does actually exist . The film ends up by reminding us that just such an enchanted isle is indeed real enough. It lies, however, not in the wide ocean's stormy embrace, but amid the boundless seas of the human soul.

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Journey 2: the mysterious island: film review.

Josh Hutcherson returns as Sean Anderson, who embarks on a mission to save his grandfather with the help of his mother's boyfriend, played by Dwayne Johnson.

By Megan Lehmann

Megan Lehmann

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Still - H 2012

A menagerie of outsized fauna is royally upstaged by Dwayne Johnson ’s dancing man-boobs in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island , yet another from the Verne-adaptation school of fanciful family adventure.

A 3D update of one of the less widely read Jules Verne classics, it follows the 2008 hit J ourney to the Center of the Earth , a pioneer in the 3D resurrection that reached its zenith a year later with Avatar.

The Bottom Line Jules Verne rejuvenated for the iPhone age.

PHOTOS: Dwayne Johnson and 26 of Hollywood’s Most Popular Athletes-Turned-Actors

Verne was a fantasist nonpareil, but his 19th century imagination would surely have balked at the notion of berries pinging wildly off The Rock’s pecs as they do in this kid-friendly excursion from Canadian director Brad Peyton ( Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore ).

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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.

For the adults, there’s the edifying sight of Michael Caine astride a giant bee.

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.

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. 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.

VIDEO:Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens and Dwayne Johnson Discover a ‘Mysterious Island’ in ‘Journey 2’ Trailer

Sean is now a rebellious 17-year-old and skeptical of the new father-figure chosen by his mom ( Kristen Davis ). 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).

Equal and opposite attraction emerges in the form of the headstrong Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ), daughter of helicopter pilot Gabato ( Luis Guzmán , providing stale comic relief).

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.

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 dense scientific discussion that characterized Verne’s “The Mysterious Island” is boiled down to an occasional spurt of exposition – and an iPhone cameo – as screenwriters Richard Outten, Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn braid together elements from that novel, together with Robert Louis Stevenson ’s Robinson Crusoe and Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, to produce an episodic storyline.

Like Jane Austen , Verne has provided a rich seam for Hollywood screenwriters to mine long after his death. There have been various cinematic adaptations of his 1874 novel; the most fondly remembered is 1961’s Mysterious Island, celebrated for Ray Harryhausen ’s stop-motion animation and the buckskin micro-dress worn by Beth Rogan . That film followed the 1959 version of J ourney to the Center of the Earth in the same way Journey 2 follows 2008’s Journey , but was considered a sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in that the megalomaniac Captain Nemo also featured.

Nemo is referenced obliquely here, but a glorious steam-punk rendering of the Nautilus is featured prominently, eventually getting a jump-start from a gigantic electric eel in one of the film’s most inventive set pieces.

Where the 1961 film took its make-believe seriously, Peyton is content creating a series of visual spectacles. Johnson sets the tone with an affable goofiness, although never ignites the spark that his labored banter with Caine requires.

Opens: Australia, January 19; U.S. February 10 Production company: New Line Cinema presentation of a Contrafilm production Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine, Luis Guzman Director: Brad Peyton Screenwriters: Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, from a story by Richard Outten, Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn Producers: Beau Flynn, Tripp Vinson, Charlotte Huggins Executive producers: Richard Brener, Michael Disco, Samuel J. Brown, Marcus Viscidi, Michael Bostick and Evan Turner Co-producer: Dwayne Johnson Director of photography: David Tattersall Production designer: Bill Boes Costume designer: Denise Wingate Music: Andrew Lockington Editor: David Rennie Rated PG, 94 minutes

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Where to watch.

Rent Journey 2: The Mysterious Island on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

Aggressively unambitious, Journey 2 might thrill tween viewers, but most others will find it too intense for young audiences and too cartoonishly dull for adults.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Brad Peyton

Dwayne Johnson

Michael Caine

Josh Hutcherson

Vanessa Hudgens

Kristin Davis

More Like This

Movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles., critics reviews.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Intrepid young explorer Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) traces a mysterious distress signal to a remote island that’s not on any map, and embarks on a daring rescue mission to find his missing grandfather (Michael Caine). Directed by Brad Peyton, ‘Journey 2’ is the follow-up to 2008’s successful ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth.’

On an island full of strange and oversized creatures, the primary challenge for the team was to create a giant, photo-real lizard that aggressively chases the protagonists as they stumble upon its nest.

Led by MPC Vancouver VFX Supervisor Erik Nordby and VFX Producers Julian Levi & Liz Waterlow, the team completed a total of 42 shots in native stereo.

The director’s brief was to create a thrilling jungle chase sequence and MPC were tasked with creating a photo-real lizard that stood 12 feet tall and 30 feet long and displayed a large cape-like frill and sharp dino-like teeth.

With this in mind, the team set about pre-vising the sequence. Knowing that the creature design needed to focus on striking a balance between enlarging a pre-existing ‘real’ lizard, and adapting it by enlarging its main features and textures. The team experimented with the effects on body and head postures, natural gait and the movement of a creature more than 10 times its normal size.

To help with the development and character study work, the team brought in Dr. Stuart Sumida – an expert in animal anatomy and movement – who helped determine the basic patterns and behaviours that the team should aim to recreate. The team focused on frilled lizards and iguanas as the real-world counterparts that the team’s giant lizard would be based on. Walk cycles were later designed and then enlarged to gauge their success.

With the animation set, the environment team went about creating a dynamic foliage system that would allow the giant lizard to run through the jungle and look fully integrated into it. The team built several sizes of appropriate trees, bushes and ferns with which the lizard could push out of the way or destroy. By intelligently placing these throughout the plates, the team could place the lizard successfully into the shots seamlessly.

Finally, MPC’s FX team focussed on adding dust and debris to the lizards footprints as well as smoke which emits from the lizards nostrils after swallowing a CG flare.

Get in touch to take the first steps toward making your vision a reality.

Main Content

About the Movie

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Cast & crew.

Josh Hutcherson

Sean Anderson

Dwayne Johnson

Hank Parsons

Vanessa Hudgens

Michael Caine

Kristin Davis

Liz Anderson

• Reviews 133

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Journey 3 updates: why the moon sequel isn't happening.

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All 6 Movies Where Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Is In The Jungle

All 30 dwayne johnson action movies ranked worst to best, dwayne "the rock" johnson’s franchises ranked worst to best.

• Journey 3: From The Earth To The Moon was canceled due to difficulty in writing the script and Dwayne Johnson's busy schedule.
• The franchise struggled to find a solid script after the success of the second movie, but it may have been for the best considering the lack of fanbase.
• Dwayne Johnson's recent projects have stuck to the familiar tone of the Journey movies, offering audiences similar all-ages adventures.

While the franchise appeared to be riding high after the success of the second movie, Journey 3: From The Earth To The Moon was ultimately canceled and Journey 3 is officially not happening, The series launched with 2008’s Journey To The Center Of The Earth , which was based on the famous novel by Jules Verne and starred Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson. Reviewers found the movie gimmicky due to its use of 3D but it was a solid hit for the studio. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island adapted another Jules Verne novel The Mysterious Island with Dwayne Johnson replacing Brendan Fraser as the main protagonist.

Journey 2 was an even bigger hit than the original, with reviews praising the inclusion of Johnson as the franchise's new leading man . Journey 3 was soon confirmed by the studio, which would adapt Verne’s From The Earth To The Moon , which was initially also going to be filmed alongside Journey 4 . During this era, Johnson made his debut in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as joining 2013's G.I. Joe: Retaliation , cementing his reputation as an actor who could turn around struggling franchises. However, his powers failed to work further on the Journey series as Journey 3 stalled and has since been canceled.

Dwayne Johnson has an impressive resume of many unique movies, however, his career does include one strange trend: movies taking place in the jungle.

Journey 3 Proved Too Hard To Write

Dwayne johnson's busy schedule also caused delays to the journey 2 sequel.

It appears Dwayne Johnson’s hectic workload and focus on other projects when Journey 3 & 4 were still being planned kept pushing them back. Almost nothing was heard about Journey 3 from 2015 to 2018 when Johnson confirmed Journey 3 was canceled because they couldn’t crack the script. This wasn’t much of a shock, considering it had been six years since Journey 2 by that point and there had been little sign of movement on the project. Following the gigantic success of Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, Johnson moved his attention to that family-friendly adventure franchise with a similar tone which has already become more successful.

In the same way The Mummy star Brendan Fraser was replaced by Dwayne Johnson, the studio could have brought on a new lead actor for Journey 3. However, further recasting would not help the franchise losing both Johnson and Fraser. While the first two movies were fun adventures, Journey wasn’t a franchise that had a burning fanbase either, so it’s easy to see how it fell between the cracks. Johnson’s admission they had trouble coming up with a solid script indicates it might be a good thing Journey 3 didn’t ultimately move ahead too.

Director Brad Peyton and Johnson reteamed again for 2018’s video game adaptation Rampage , and while San Andreas 2 was planned, that feels like another sequel that got lost in the shuffle of Dwayne Johnson’s franchise-heavy schedule. It’s disappointing Journey 3: From The Earth To The Moon didn’t come together, but audiences will have plenty of other Dwayne Johnson movies in the future to make up for it.

The Rock is one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood who has starred in 30 action movies in just over 20 years, and here they are, worst to best.

The Movies Journey Fans Can See Dwayne Johnson In Instead

Johnson's recent projects have stuck to the familiar tone of the journey movies.

Sadly for Journey fans, the past few years have brought with them no signs that Journey 3 might be back on Dwayne Johnson's upcoming slate. Even with the lackluster performance of Black Adam in the DCU , The Rock has kept busy, with Jungle Cruise in particular honoring the spirit of the Journey franchise. Johnson also starred in Netflix's action/comedy Red Notice alongside Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot. He's also set to star in Jake Kasdan's holiday adventure film Red One alongside Chris Evans in 2024. These movies all capture that all-ages adventure that was achieved in the first Journey movies and that Johnson has stuck to in recent years.

With Disney's Jungle Cruise likely to kick off another franchise for The Rock, which Dwayne Johnson movie series is best so far?

The Rock Entered The DCEU Twice In 1 Year

Could johnson's failed move into the superhero genre help journey 3.

The multi-talented Dwayne Johnson also broke new ground in 2022 by making his debut in the superhero genre. Johnson actually joined the DCU twice over in the same year with both Black Adam and DC League of Super-Pets . He plays the titular villain/anti-hero in the former movie, and in the latter, he voices Superman's pet, Krypto the Superdog . The animated DC League of Super-Pets continued to deliver the family-friendly mix of humor and adventure Johnson has gravitated towards, particularly because Johnson was joined by one of his most consistent and hilarious co-stars, Kevin Hart, who voices Ace the Bat-Hound.

Black Adam , on the other hand, was a much darker film. Black Adam's DC Comics origin is a gruesome one, and the character mainly appears as an antagonist to Shazam and Superman, although Dwayne Johnson's film shifted that narrative somewhat focusing on Black Adam as a standalone character. This move into the DCU proved unsuccessful with Black Adam sequels already being nixed, the Superman cameo becoming awkward after Henry Cavill's recasting , and the box-office failure of Shazam!: Fury of the Gods . Perhaps this setback will cause Johnson to rethink Journey 3: From the Earth to the Moon .

• journey to the center of the earth (2008)