Story

Themes

Family relationships; reckless behaviour; people in peril

Violence

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island contains some action violence, but doesn’t show any blood and gore. For example:

• Several police cars chase Sean while he’s recklessly riding a trail bike. He rides across a train crossing, just missing a passing train. He rides through residential backyards and runs over several garden ornaments. He then rides up a backyard ramp and lands in the middle of a swimming pool.
• Sean, Hank, Kailani and Gabato run for their lives through the jungle while being chased by a giant lizard. The giant lizard almost catches Sean in its jaws. Two large logs swinging on suspended ropes hit the lizard just before it manages to eat its prey.
• Two gigantic birds chase Sean and Kailani while they’re riding on the backs of giant flying bees. The birds are trying to eat the bees. There’s a slow-motion image of a giant bird narrowly missing Sean’s bee. Sean steers the bees to dodge the giant birds but Kailani falls off her bee and disappears into the clouds below. Kailani survives and isn’t hurt. A short time later, low branches knock Sean off his bee. He dislocates his ankle.
• Hank faces a giant electric eel. He throws a spear into the eel’s mouth as it lunges at him.

Sexual references

The movie contains some low-level sexual references, some of which are supposed to be funny. For example:

• To scare off a giant lizard, Alexander makes a noise that sounds like the lizard’s mating call. Alexander says that they’d better go before the lizard tries to make Sean her husband.
• In one scene, Hank offers Sean some strategies for attracting Kailani’s attention.
• Gabato asks Kailani if she likes Sean. She replies, ‘It could never happen with him’.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

None of concern

Nudity and sexual activity

This movie contains some mild sensuality and brief low-level sexual activity. For example:

• Kailani wears short shorts and tight-fitting low-cut tops that show her midriff.
• Hank has lots of muscles. In one comic scene, he shows off a move that makes his pectoral muscles ripple and is designed to attract women.
• After Sean saves Kailani’s life, Kailani sits on his lap with her arms around his neck. They gaze into each other’s eyes.
• Kailani kisses Sean on the lips.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in this movie: Ford cars and Apple computers and phones.

Coarse language

This movie has some infrequent low-level coarse language that children might imitate.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is loosely based on Jules Verne’s classic novel The Mysterious Island. It’s aimed at teenagers, and some of the giant creatures and other scenes in it are too scary for younger children. It’s fast paced and has plenty of good adventure elements, including action, fantasy, romance and humour.

The main message from this movie is that love, friendship and a caring family are worth more than all the wealth in the world.

Values in this movie that you could reinforce with your children include family love and sacrifice.

This movie could also give you the chance to talk with your children about real-life issues such as the misleading way the movie portrays the consequences of Sean’s reckless and life-endangering behaviour at the start of the movie. You could also discuss the way his stepfather’s relationship with police enables Sean to escape responsibility for his actions.