Common Sense Media Review
Awful effects, bad acting, and ridiculous plot.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1989)
What's the Story?
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH follows Bryan, his brother Richard, and Crystina, a young British nanny they meet the same day, as they make their way underground via an opening in a Hawaiian cave. Although Richard is eventually rescued by his parents and the National Guard, Bryan and Crystina make their way to the underground city of Atlantis. The citizens of Atlantis are ruled by a fascist government that controls their knowledge of the outside world. To prepare for their planned takeover of the surface world, Atlantis's government is making clones of the first surface-dweller to wander into Atlantis. Bryan meets Shank, a citizen of Atlantis who dreams of life on the outside. Together, they set out to foil General Rykov's plan to take over the surface by violent means.
Is It Any Good?
Even at only 80 minutes long, this journey is tiresome, laughable, and confusing. Journey to the Center of the Earth bears little resemblance to the Jules Verne book on which it's supposedly based. Instead, the film is actually a sequel to the forgettable Kathy Ireland film, Alien In LA. Poorly acted and featuring a ridiculous plot with a blink-and-you'll-miss-it conclusion, the film might have some appeal to younger viewers, but it will certainly have their parents' eyes rolling.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about fascist governments, like the one in Atlantis. How did the underground government try to control the information their citizens got? Why is it important for people to have access to information?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 31, 1989
- On DVD or streaming : October 31, 1989
- Cast : Debra Monk , Emo Philips , Kathy Ireland
- Director : Rusty Lemorande
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Home Video
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Book Characters
- Run time : 80 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some profanity
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate