Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a perfectly adequate family film, full of adventure, spectacle and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson’s “pec pop of love.”  In all likelihood, children will enjoy and applaud (thanks to Michael Caine) the film and parents will find enough to make them smile and remain awake and engaged. However, the film never manages to escalate above average. The action is rarely... 

Sometimes I hate reviewing remakes. As a critic, I want to accept or reject a picture on its own merits, yet a remake enters different territory. Frequently, comparisons are impossible to make. How could you review a remake of MGM’s Wizard of Oz without comparing a contemporary actor to Judy Garland’s iconic portrayal of Dorothy? Would it even be possible to see a modern version of The Godfather...